Recipes & Cooking Tips

If you’ve ever had a really good chicken shawarma pita from a Mediterranean restaurant and thought, “I wish I could make this at home” — good news. You absolutely can, and it’s way easier than you’d expect.

Chicken shawarma is one of those dishes that sounds fancy but comes down to a solid spice blend and some time in a hot pan. The warm, smoky flavors of cumin, paprika, and coriander soak into the chicken, and when you wrap it all up in a soft wheat pita with fresh veggies and creamy tzatziki? That’s a meal that hits different.

This chicken shawarma pita wrap recipe uses Mediterranean Bread Company’s wheat pita bread as the base — because a great wrap starts with great bread. The wheat pita holds up to all the fillings without falling apart, and it adds a subtle nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the spiced chicken.

What Makes This Shawarma Pita Special

Traditional shawarma is cooked on a vertical rotisserie, which most of us don’t have sitting in our kitchens. But here’s the thing — you can get incredibly close to that flavor by using a really hot skillet and slicing the chicken thin. The key is the marinade. Give it at least 30 minutes (overnight is even better if you’re the planning-ahead type), and the spices do most of the heavy lifting for you.

We kept this recipe straightforward on purpose. No hard-to-find ingredients, no special equipment. Just good spices, fresh toppings, and MedBreadCo wheat pita bread to wrap it all together.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Shawarma:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons cumin

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 teaspoon coriander

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Wraps:

• 4 Mediterranean Bread Company Wheat Pita Breads

• 1 cup shredded lettuce or mixed greens

• 1 tomato, diced

• 1/2 cucumber, sliced thin

• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

• Pickled turnips or peppers (optional but recommended)

For the Quick Tzatziki Sauce:

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1/4 cucumber, grated and squeezed dry

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 small garlic clove, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh dill or mint, chopped

• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, and all the spices together. Toss the chicken in the marinade until it’s evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes — or up to overnight if you’ve got the time.
2. While the chicken marinates, make the tzatziki. Combine the Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, dill (or mint), and salt. Stir it up and stick it in the fridge. That’s it. Seriously.
3. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for about 5-6 minutes per side, until it’s cooked through and has some nice charred spots. Let it rest for a couple minutes, then slice it into thin strips.
4. Warm the wheat pita breads in a toaster or on the skillet for about 30 seconds per side. You want them soft and pliable, not crispy.
5. Open each pita and spread a generous spoonful of tzatziki inside. Layer in the sliced chicken, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and red onion.
6. Add pickled turnips if you have them — they give the wrap a tangy crunch that really pulls everything together.
7. Fold and serve immediately while everything is still warm.

Tips and Variations

• Chicken thighs vs. breasts: Thighs stay juicier and have more flavor, but breasts work fine too. Just don’t overcook them or they’ll dry out on you.

• No time to marinate? Even 15 minutes makes a difference. But if you can do it overnight, the flavor is noticeably deeper.

• Make it a bowl: Skip the pita and serve the shawarma chicken over rice with all the toppings. Sometimes you just want a bowl, right?

• Swap the protein: This spice blend works great on lamb or even roasted cauliflower if you want a vegetarian version.

• Meal prep friendly: The marinated chicken and tzatziki both keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days. Cook a batch on Sunday and you’ve got easy chicken shawarma wraps ready for lunch all week.

A Little Background on Shawarma

Shawarma originated in the Ottoman Empire and has been a staple of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean street food for centuries. The word “shawarma” comes from the Turkish word çevirme, meaning “turning” — a reference to the rotating spit that the meat traditionally cooks on. Every region has its own twist on the spice blend and toppings. In Lebanon, you might get pickled turnips and garlic sauce. In Israel, it’s often served with hummus and tahini. There’s no single “correct” way to make it, which is part of what makes it so fun to experiment with at home.

What stays consistent everywhere is that good shawarma needs good bread. A chicken shawarma pita sandwich is only as good as the pita holding it together — which is why we always reach for Mediterranean Bread Company’s wheat pita. It’s soft enough to fold without cracking but sturdy enough to handle all the fillings and sauce without getting soggy.

Share Your Creation

We would love to see your version of Chicken Shawarma Pita Wraps. Share your creations with us on social media and tag us @MedBreadCo.

Contact Information

For more delicious recipes and to learn more about our products, visit our website or contact us at:

• Phone: 205-583-2745

• Email: amy@pita.net

• Address: 166 West Valley Avenue, Birmingham, AL 35209

Disclaimer

This recipe is for informational purposes only. Please consult with a healthcare provider if you have any dietary restrictions or health concerns.