Grill & BBQ
Sven's BBQ Shaurma in Crispy Lavash
AI-generated serving image
This image was created with the help of artificial intelligence and serves as visual inspiration or a serving suggestion. The actual result may vary depending on the ingredients, quantities and preparation used.
Shaurma is popular street food in many countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Thin lavash is filled with spiced meat, vegetables and bold sauces, rolled tightly and often toasted again on the grill plate. Sven's BBQ version uses marinated grilled chicken, finely shredded cabbage, tomato, cucumber, onions, pickled gherkins, garlic sauce and a lightly spicy red sauce. Shaurma is a regionally widespread variant of shawarma – it did not originally come from Eastern Europe.
Timing
- Preparation: 30 minutes
- Marinating time: at least 2 hours
- Cooking time: 20 minutes
- Total time: about 2 hours 50 minutes
Estimated nutrition
per serving · Calculated for 4 servings.
- Energy
- ≈ 1035 kcal
- Protein
- ≈ 53.8 g
- Carbohydrates
- ≈ 61.4 g
- Fat
- ≈ 61.4 g
Approximate values based on the listed ingredients. Brands, cheese, portion size and preparation can change the values.
Calculation basis
Item weights and household measures are estimated. Unless specified: milk with 1.5% fat, cream with 30% fat and Gouda cheese. Optional ingredients, small amounts of seasoning and separately listed side dishes are excluded. For imprecise entries, the amounts below and comparable reference products are assumed. For alternatives, the first listed ingredient is used. Cooking losses have not been measured.
Quantity assumptions and ingredient mapping
- 3 tbsp natural yogurt · ≈ 45.0 g
- 2 tbsp neutral oil · ≈ 27.3 g
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated · ≈ 12.0 g
- 1 tbsp lemon juice · ≈ 45.0 g
- 1 tsp honey · ≈ 14.0 g
- 1 tbsp ajvar · ≈ 15.0 g
- 1 tsp lemon juice · ≈ 5.0 g
- 2 medium tomatoes · ≈ 200.0 g
- 1 red onion · ≈ 100.0 g
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley · ≈ 10.0 g
- 1 tbsp neutral oil · ≈ 13.65 g
- a little oil for the grill plate · ≈ 10 g
- 800 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs · ≈ 800 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 1 to 2 tsp sriracha or hot chilli sauce · ≈ 7.5 g
- 1/2 cucumber · ≈ 200 g
- 4 large thin lavash flatbreads · ≈ 400 g
Unspecified frying oil: 10 g assumed per recipe.
Matvaretabellen: Mattilsynet · Santa Maria
Food data: Max Rubner-Institut, BLS 4.0 (2025), CC BY 4.0. Calculated and rounded for this recipe. BLS 4.0 · CC BY 4.0
Ingredients
- For the chicken:
- 800 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- alternatively 800 g chicken breast
- 3 tbsp natural yogurt
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- For the garlic sauce:
- 150 g mayonnaise
- 150 g Greek yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- salt
- black pepper
- For the spicy red sauce:
- 120 g passata
- 1 tbsp ajvar
- 1 to 2 tsp sriracha or hot chilli sauce
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- salt
- For the filling:
- 250 g white cabbage or a mix of white and red cabbage
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 red onion
- 4 to 6 pickled gherkins
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- salt
- black pepper
- Also:
- 4 large thin lavash flatbreads
- a little oil for the grill plate
- optional pickled jalapeños
- optional a little fresh dill
- optional fries as an extra filling
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: mix the yogurt, oil, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli, salt and pepper. Coat the chicken thoroughly with the marinade, cover and chill for at least 2 hours. For a stronger flavour, marinate overnight.
- Make the garlic sauce: mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and honey. Season with salt and pepper and chill until serving. The sauce should stay thick and creamy so the thin lavash does not go soggy.
- Make the red sauce: mix the passata, ajvar, sriracha, honey, lemon juice and smoked paprika. Season with salt. The sauce should be flavourful and lightly spicy without overpowering the chicken.
- Prepare the vegetables: shred the cabbage very finely. Briefly massage with lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper so it softens slightly but stays crunchy. Cut the tomatoes and cucumber into thin strips. Slice the red onion into very fine half-rings. Cut the gherkins lengthways into thin strips. Chop the parsley roughly. Drain excess liquid from the tomatoes and cucumber.
- Grill the chicken: heat the grill, plancha or grill pan until very hot. Grill the marinated chicken over medium-high to high heat on both sides until well browned and cooked through completely. Chicken thighs usually need about 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Adjust chicken breast accordingly and do not let it dry out. Rest the meat for 5 minutes after grilling, then slice into thin strips.
- Prepare the lavash: take the lavash out of the packaging and check that it is soft and flexible. If it feels dry or brittle, lightly mist with water and cover briefly with a clean kitchen towel. Do not pre-toast the lavash crisp, or it may break when rolling.
- Fill the shaurma: lay the lavash on the work surface. Spread a little garlic sauce and red sauce in the lower third, leaving a border around the edges. Then add cabbage, chicken strips, tomato, cucumber, onions, gherkins and parsley. Do not overfill. Lavash is thin and needs to close securely.
- Roll the lavash: fold the sides of the lavash slightly inward. Then roll up tightly from the bottom. Place seam-side down.
- Toast the shaurma: lightly oil the grill plate or pan. Place the rolled shaurma seam-side down first and toast over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Then turn and briefly grill the other sides until golden brown and crisp. Optionally press lightly with a flat plate. Do not press hard or the filling will squeeze out.
- Serve: cut the shaurma diagonally in half and serve immediately. Offer extra garlic and chilli sauce on the side.
