Chicken Shawarma Wraps

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather the ingredients for the shawarma. Choose thin, supple lavash that won't crack when you roll it. You can use any part of the chicken instead of legs, but legs make an especially juicy wrap. My carrots are store-bought, but you can make Korean-style carrots yourself with your favorite recipe. Napa cabbage works in place of green cabbage, and you can use a pickle instead of fresh cucumber. Season with any spices you like.

2. Step 2:

   

   Cook the chicken first — any way you like: pan-fried, braised, or roasted. Leftover rotisserie chicken works great, too; shawarma is a perfect use for stray pieces. I roast mine in the oven: put the chicken in a baking dish, season with salt and pepper (I used both red and black pepper), and drizzle with a little vegetable oil. Toss to coat, then roast at 400°F (200°C) for 40 minutes.

3. Step 3:

   

   While the chicken roasts, make the sauce by simply stirring the mayonnaise and ketchup together until smooth. You can use sour cream instead of mayo, in which case add some garlic. For a lighter wrap, use plain yogurt as the sauce, seasoned with salt, spices, and garlic to taste.

4. Step 4:

   

   Finely shred the cabbage. If you're using green cabbage, scrunch it with your hands for a moment to soften it.

5. Step 5:

   

   Wash and dry the cucumber and tomato, then cut them into thin slices.

6. Step 6:

   

   By now the chicken is roasted — take it out of the oven and let it cool a bit. I have a big batch because I roasted more than just what I needed for the shawarma.

7. Step 7:

   

   Pull the skin off the legs and cut the meat from the bones, then finely chop it with a knife.

8. Step 8:

   

   Lay a sheet of lavash with a short side facing you. Spread the sauce down the center, leaving the edges bare, and add a layer of cabbage.

9. Step 9:

   

   Layer the cucumber slices over the cabbage, then the tomato on top. If you're making this in winter you can skip the tomato. If you like onion, add it now, sliced into thin half-moons — we're not onion fans, so we leave it out.

10. Step 10:

    

    Next add a layer of the chicken.

11. Step 11:

    

    Top the chicken with the Korean-style carrots.

12. Step 12:

    

    Fold the edges of the lavash toward the center and roll it up into a wrap.

13. Step 13:

    

    Heat a grill pan and set the wrap on it.

14. Step 14:

    

    Toast the shawarma on both sides until it has golden grill marks — or, in a regular skillet, until lightly golden.