Why chicken shawarma is the best late-night snack

Shawarma is very popular in the Middle East and North Africa and has become popular in other parts of the world as well; where chicken shawarma with home delivery, is one of the most popular street foods in Abu Dhabi. Learn more about why chicken shawarma is one of the best late-night snacks for you.

A Short History About Shawarma

Shawarma is a Levantine dish of seasoned meat that is cooked on a rotating spit and shaved off in thin slices. It is traditionally made with lamb or chicken, but can also be made with beef, veal, turkey, or mixed meats.

While the origin of shawarma in itself is not entirely clear, the technique used to prepare the dish shares similarities to those that were used in the Ottoman Empire, dating back to the 18th Century, in what is now known as modern-day Turkey. That's where it began to spread to other cultures, with slight variations to adapt local traditions and customs. The Greek Gyro, the German Doner Kebab, and Mexican Al Pastor are some examples.

There are many types of shawarma that one can find served today. Here are a few:

Meat Shawarma

This is one of the more traditional versions of classic shawarma. It is often made with lamb, beef, or even veal meat. A simple marinade is used for the dish; a mix of salt, allspice, cloves, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, oregano, and paprika. The dry spices are usually mixed with olive oil & lemon juice, and applied to the meat, and kept aside for a few hours.

The longer the meat marinates, the better it’ll taste once cooked as the spices will continue to become infused into the meat. Once the meat is ready to be cooked, it is stacked on a vertical spit grill, and slow-cook for a few hours. Once it’s ready to be served, thin slices of meat are carved from the sides and then served.

Chicken Shawarma

Chicken shawarma is prepared similar to meat shawarma, and often a similar spice mix is used here as well, with the addition of a few more spices to further enhance the taste. Chicken shawarma is very flexible and can be adapted to appease a variety of different tastes, unlike meat shawarmas, which are often limited due to their rather dry meat texture once cooked.

Chicken shawarma is also very affordable compared to other types of shawarmas, which is one of the many reasons why it’s proven to be a very popular dish, not just in Abu Dhabi, but all over the world. A variety of different toppings such as french fries, pickles, dips like hummus, tahini, are popular addons that go well with a chicken shawarma wrap.

And with chicken shawarma home delivery from restaurants like Shawarma Station, a delicious meal is always at your fingertips for a late-night snack.