Grilled Chicken Shawarma

I woke up this morning hungry for actual food. Not just some weird combination, like granola bars and celery. Or my orange foods, which have been my staples as of late (navel oranges, baby carrots, Cheetos, and Frosted Mini-Wheats – the ones in the orange box). But an honest to God, actual meal with meat and vegetables.

Except any sort of cooked green vegetable. O spinach, why hast thou forsaken me? We were having supper with our friends Jay and Donna the other night, and the hubby had some sort of ravioli with spinach and asparagus. I almost moved to another table. This blog is now spinach- and asparagus-free for the foreseeable future.

So back to the shawarma. I had some chicken thawed in the fridge this morning, and in about 10 minutes I had it sliced and marinating in a tangy, slightly spicy yogurt sauce, ready to be thrown on the grill or in the broiler when I got home from work. And by the time the hubby arrived home, a lovely meal would be awaiting him and we could enjoy our meal while watching some basketball. (Yes, I’m a romantic.)

This was a good plan. Except that I couldn’t get the grill started. (There are like three tricks to doing so.) I got rusty in the grilling off-season. So when the hubby got home, there was a cutting board full of raw veggies awaiting him, some raw chicken on the grill, and a stomping-mad wife determined to go find a new grill RIGHT NOW.

The hubby is so sweet. He fixed the grill, waited patiently for supper, told me the shawarma was very good, and then did the dishes and cleaned my kitchen.

And now, he’s cleaning my bathroom. While I watch basketball. I'm swooning.

Grilled Chicken Shawarma
Makes 8 sandwiches

Marinade
1 c. plain yogurt (I use fat-free)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. finely minced onion
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Dash of ground nutmeg
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. salt

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
8 pita breads
½ c. plain yogurt
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl or resealable bag. Add chicken. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

2. Remove chicken from marinade and grill in grill pan over medium-high heat (or broil) about 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

3. Get all your veggies laid out for piling.

4. Heat pita bread on both sides on grill or in a dry frying pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. You just want the bread to warm through and get slightly toasty.

About the pita bread: Buy the good stuff. I’ve said before, but it’s important. My local supermarket carries a brand called Pita Bakery that I’m obsessed with. Find some pitas that obsess you, too.

5. Spread about 1 Tbsp. yogurt on the pita, and top with veggies and chicken.