Middle Eastern · main

Ground Chicken Shawarma Lettuce Wraps

Ground Chicken Shawarma Lettuce Wraps reads citrus 5.0, richness 5.0 and sourness 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 19 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.0 · Richness 5.0 · Sourness 4.7 · Allium 4.5 · Umami 4.3 · Salinity 3.7 · Sweetness 3.0 · Smoke 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Heat 2.5 · Earthy 2.4 · Fruity 2.0 · Funk & Ferment 1.7 · Nutty 1.3 · Bitterness 1.2 · Floral 1.2

What's in it (16)

• chicken thighs — 680 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• cumin — 15 g
• smoked paprika — 15 g
• coriander — 1 g
• cinnamon — 3 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• salt — 6 g
• lemon juice — 30 g
• nonfat plain yogurt — 237 g
• english cucumber — 100 g
• bibb lettuce — 100 g
• grape tomatoes — 473 g
• parsley — 15 g

Time & effort: about 19 min (18 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 89.5 kcal, 8.1 g protein, 3.3 g fat, 7.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice to make the sauce. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden at the edges, 5-6 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the ground chicken thighs, breaking the meat into small pieces with a spoon; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink throughout and it reaches 165 F, 6-7 minutes.
5. Press the chicken into an even layer and let it cook undisturbed until deeply browned and crisp in spots on the bottom, 3-4 minutes; this browning is what keeps ground chicken from tasting steamed.
6. Stir the crisp bits back through the chicken, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt; cook, stirring, 1 minute more, then taste and add more salt if needed.
7. Fill the lettuce leaves with the warm chicken mixture.
8. Top each cup with cherry tomatoes, a spoonful of the yogurt sauce, and a scattering of parsley.
9. Serve right away, while the chicken is warm and the lettuce is crisp.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chicken Shawarma Sheet Pan Dinner — Middle Eastern
• Black Bean Soup with Lime Crema — Mexican
• Sheet-Pan Steak Fajita Nachos Bake — Tex-Mex
• Chicken Shawarma Quesadillas — Middle Eastern
• Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup — Tex-Mex

Keep reading: what citrus, richness, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.