Chicken SHAWARMA INSPIRED TOASTED SANDWICH toastie.png

Chicken shawarma inspired toasted sandwich

  • Serves 3
  • Prep time: 20 mins | Cooking time: 50 mins

If you’re craving a toasted sandwich that is a little extra, try this chicken shawarma inspired version that is crispy, melty and perfectly paired with a side of fries. And don’t be shy with the garlic yoghurt!

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 300 - 350g boneless chicken thighs
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • Salt

Garlic yoghurt

  • ½ cup plain yoghurt
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • Small handful fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper

  • 6 thick slices of bread
  • 6 cheese slices, we used edam
  • ¼ small green cabbage
  • ½ small red onion
  • Olive oil or butter for basting bread
  • Shoestring fries to serve (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan bake.
  2. To a bowl, add chicken thighs, olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander and salt. Mix well to coat the chicken and place on a lined baking tray. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden and cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  3. Prepare the garlic yoghurt by mixing together the yoghurt, garlic, mint, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  4. Thinly slice the cabbage and red onion.
  5. To assemble the sandwich, brush one side of the bread with olive oil. Flip the bread over and layer cheese, sliced chicken, and red onion. Top with the slice of bread so the oil is on the outside.
  6. Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Place the sandwich in the pan and cook for 3 - 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
  7. Remove the sandwich from the pan, open and add the sliced cabbage and a good dollop of the garlic yoghurt.
  8. Serve cut in half, with a side of shoestring fries, and extra garlic yoghurt for dipping.

Top Tip:

  • Strain your yogurt overnight for a thicker creamier garlic yoghurt. Pour yoghurt into a paper towel lined sieve and place on top of a bowl in the fridge.
  • Turn your oven to grill for the final 5 minutes of cooking to get a nice char on the chicken thighs.

Recipe notes:

  1. For even tastier chicken, marinate overnight before cooking the next day.
  2. To cook the chicken quicker, flatten the thighs so they cook evenly (you can use the base of a saucepan).
  3. Swap thigh meat for breast meat for a leaner meat option—note they tend to dry out more than thighs, so adjust your cooking time.
  4. Save time and avoid flipping your sandwich with a preheated sandwich press or toastie maker instead of a pan.
  5. Add any leftover garlic yoghurt through the cabbage to help hold the shredded cabbage in place (and adds more flavour).
  6. If you have a food processor, use the slicer attachment to get a very thin slice on the onion and cabbage. You can even pre-slice the cabbage and onion the day before, and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
  7. You can substitute shoestring fries for skin-on potatoes cut into wedges and air-fried with a splash of olive oil.
  8. Mint adds a refreshing touch to cut through the creaminess, but you can add any other leafy herbs you have on hand like parsley or spring onion.
  9. You can use a lid and a splash of water in the pan at the beginning to create steam which will help melt the cheese. Just ensure you continue to cook the sandwich without the lid for a few minutes to dry the pan and ensure the bread isn’t soggy.
  10. Cooked chicken can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Ensure it is reheated until steaming hot, or at an internal temperature of 75°C).