Step 1

In a small bowl, mix:

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

0.5 tsp ground cumin

0.5 tsp ground cardamom

0.25 tsp ground cinnamon

0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Set aside.

If you are going to bake the chicken, go ahead and preheat the oven to 425 F. I pan-fry mine, which requires the chicken breasts to be thin and flattened out for even cooking.

Step 2

Flatten out:

12 oz chicken breast

Set aside in a bowl.

The chicken should be an inch thick at most.

Step 3

To the bowl with the chicken, add:

2 TBSP olive oil

1 large garlic clove, pressed

1 TBSP fresh lime juice

Completely coat the chicken in the ingredients, then also dump all the spices in the other small bowl on the chicken and completely coat again.

Step 4

Either sear then bake at 425 F, or pan-fry until the internal temperature is 160-162 F. Carry-over cooking should take it up to 165 F, which is the safe internal temperature for chicken. Over-cooking chicken makes it dry.

Step 5

Serve with flour tortillas, lavash, or pita bread. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Traditional Lebanese toppings for shawarma include: Toum (Garlic Sauce), cucumber pickles or pickled turnips, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, sumac, and tahini. In my American household, I typically use sour cream, cheese, hot sauce, pickled jalapenos, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge.