Chicken Shawarma with Tomato, Cucumber & Herby Yogurt

Ingredients

• 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 0.5 red onion, very finely sliced
• 2 little gem lettuces, shredded
• 220g Greek yogurt
• 15g parsley, finely chopped
• 15g mint, finely chopped
• 4 flatbreads, warmed
• 1 tsp sumac, to serve
• salt and black pepper to taste
• Chopped salad, to serve
• 1 x 400 g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed (optional)

Method

1. Mix the cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the lemon zest and half the lemon juice into a loose paste. Rub it well into the chicken thighs and leave for at least 10 minutes while you sort the rest.
2. Stir the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and shredded little gem together with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of the remaining lemon juice. Keep it lightly dressed so it stays crisp and juicy rather than soggy.
3. Mix the yoghurt with the parsley, mint and the last of the lemon juice. Season generously so it tastes bright and herby enough to stand up to the spiced chicken.
4. Heat a griddle or heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat until properly hot. Cook the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes on each side until deeply golden with dark, charred edges and cooked through. Rest on a board for 2 minutes.
5. Warm the flatbreads in the dry pan for 20 to 30 seconds a side until soft and pliable, then stack in a clean tea towel to keep warm.
6. Slice the rested chicken into thick strips, tipping any juices from the board back over the meat.
7. Pile the warm chicken into the flatbreads with the tomato and cucumber salad and generous spoonfuls of herby yoghurt. Drizzle with tahini, scatter over the sumac and finish with torn mint.
8. Serve straight away while the chicken is still warm and the salad is cool and crunchy. For extra bite, fold the chickpeas through the salad — they belong on a shawarma plate.