‘Twas the day before Thanksgiving … and in any normal year I would be holed up in the kitchen right now – baking, prepping, and gearing up for a holiday feast like none other. But not this year. It’s 2020, after all, the most challenging year any one of us has probably ever experienced. As the pandemic rages on (and there is a rising number of cases everywhere), most states have put a pause on interstate travel and warned against large holiday gatherings. For many of us, Thanksgiving will look and feel very different this year and yes, that’s tough; but for others, they may not even see family or have anything resembling a holiday meal, and that’s just heartbreaking. So many people hungry, so many people isolated, so many people in need…
Last week I had the opportunity to facilitate a large scale food drive for one of our local food pantries and it was incredible to see how many people stepped up and gave, above and beyond what they would in a normal year. Nearly 100 families donated food, wrote holiday cards and made care packages, and hauled toiletries and cleaning supplies to replenish the food pantry at the Bronx Jewish Community Council, a UJA partner, which has seen a 40% increase in demand since the pandemic began.Our truck was full to the brim, so full there was barely room for the driver! While I know it will only be a small lifeline for those who are hungry week after week in our community, but I am proud we were still able to make an impact and brighten the holiday for so many. I left the drive with such a full heart, and so much gratitude for the volunteers who supported us.
This was a very long-winded way of telling you the story of our 2020 Thanksgiving – a year quite unlike any other. But, despite it all, I still have so much to be grateful for. And this blog (and all of you who follow along) is one of them, so THANK YOU!
And because we could all use a little distraction this year, I’m posting a very un-Thanksgiving recipe today, because all rules have officially gone out the window. We made this the night after the food drive and it was such a fun way to prep chicken and make our own version of Chicken Shawarma – something I’ve never attempted before. With the winter months looming ahead, it’s fun to shake it up and try something a little different. So give this recipe a try – I promise you’ll be wowed! – and be sure to let us know what you think!
The true art of this dish is the “construction” of your spit, inspired by our friend Mike! In his version, he used the onion as a base and threads the marinated chicken on a vertical skewer . For some reason, our spit kept falling over, so we changed it up and tried an apple as a base, which worked equally well. Then you just want to slow-roast the chicken (traditional shawarma is slow roasted for days!).
The nice thing about this recipe is that once you’ve figured out this step, the chicken just cooks itself, so there isn’t really a lot of hands on time. I’ve also included recipes for our homemade tzatziki and 20 minute pita, in case you really want to go all out when you make this. I love making a full on pita platter, with all the fixings, it just makes this meal so fun! We even added side of falafel to our spread.
DIY Chicken Shawarma
An easy way to prepare traditional chicken shawarma, with a DIY rotisserie spit!
Ingredients
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large onion or apple, sliced in half
- Marinade:
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 TBSP ground coriander
- 1 TBSP ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
- 3 TBSP olive oil
- Suggested Toppings/Accompaniments:
- 6 pita pockets (see recipe below)
- Hummus
- Tahini sauce or Greek Tzatziki sauce (see my homemade recipe below)
- Baby arugula
- Sliced red onion
- Crumbled feta
- Tomatoes, chopped
- Cucumber, chopped
- Kalamata olives (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 Slice your chicken into thin strips. Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag (or bowl). Add the chicken and use your hands to make sure each piece is coated. Marinate for at least an hour, or over night.
- Step 2 Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet or a large cast-iron skillet, use the onion or apple half as a base and position the skewer (or wooden chopstick) vertically like a spit. Skewer the chicken thighs individually, rotating each one 90 degrees. Roast for 50 min to an hour, until the chicken is golden and crisp.
- Step 3 If you want the chicken crispier on top, turn the broiler on to high and broil for 3 minutes until nice and crispy on the outside.
- Step 4 To serve it, slice or shave a layer of chicken off the spit and pile it up into a pita, drizzle with sauce and heaps upon heaps of fresh toppings.
20 Minute Pita
Who knew you could have delicious fresh pita on demand, in 20 minutes or less!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, if available (2 cups total)
- 1tsp salt
- 1 tsp yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup warm water
Directions
- Step 1 Put all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add warm water and mix until fully incorporated. Add more flour (1 Tablespoon at a time) if it feels too sticky.
- Step 2 Cover with damp dish towel or paper towel and allow to rest, for around 15 minutes or longer.
- Step 3 Warm a nonstick pan over medium high heat (you do not need any oil in the pan).
- Step 4 Tear off pieces of dough, shape into discs and place on the heated nonstick pan.
- Step 5 Heat for 2 minutes per side, pushing down with a spatula, until the dough is baked through and starts turning golden. Serve warm!
Homemade Tzatziki
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 TBSP fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried) chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cucumber diced (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 Prepare the tzaziki sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until well combined. Set aside and chill before serving.
I'm Amanda - a Mom, chef & blogger with a wholehearted approach to cooking and life. Things are always a little crazy around here with two toddlers underfoot, but nothing brings me greater joy than welcoming you into into my kitchen (and our home)! Learn more about me 