Chicken Shawarma

After a quick trip home (to Ohio) to see my family, I decided to recreate one of my favorite sandwiches from growing up: Chicken Schawarma. This Middle Eastern sandwich, wrapped in pita, will bring you all the pleasures of Coney Island to your home without the grease (or fat).

Recipe (modified from Cooking Light)

-serves 2 with leftovers

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 3" strips

2 tbsp lemon juice (juice of one small lemon)

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced

Mix all ingredients together and allow to refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours if possible.  

Remaining ingredients:

3 whole wheat pitas

a handful of romaine lettuce, cut into 2" pieces

low fat tzatziki sauce (mixture of greek yogurt, lemon, dill, garlic) (I buy this premade)

low fat hummus (I use plain and sprinkle paprika on top)

Preparation:

Heat a grill pan to medium high heat (for about five minutes).  Coat with cooking spray or else 1-2 tbsp corn oil.  Add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes per side.  Place on top of a toasted pita (I throw mine in a separate pan on low heat to make them warm), and top with lettuce and one tablespoon tzatziki sauce.  Serve with hummus and greek salad if desired. 

Greek Salad: mix together romaine lettuce, tomato, red onion, cucumber, peppers, feta cheese and Greek dressing (low fat).

Enjoy! I aplogize for the picture, my camera is out of commission and I had to resort to my blackberry.