Easy Stovetop Shawarma Chicken Stew

A quick stovetop shawarma chicken stew with home-made spice blend, aromatic flavour, and cooling garlic yoghurt. Simple, comforting, and delicious

Servings: 2

Combine yoghurt with crushed garlic and a pinch of salt. Combine and place in the fridge until needed.
Season the chicken thighs with salt on both sides.
Heat oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and sear on both sides until lightly browned. Do not cook them all the way through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside
In the same pan, using the chicken fat, add the chopped onions and cook until soft and have some colour, approximately 3 minutes.
Add the minced garlic to the onions and cook for 1 minute. Next, add the shawarma spice blend, smoked paprika and chili flakes. Stir everything together for another minute until the spices become fragrant
Return the seared chicken to the pan, skin side up, along with the chicken stock. Bring to a boil then cover with a lid, turn to simmer and let it bubble away for 20 - 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened nicely
Cut the lemons in half. Heat a dry frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Place the lemon halves cut-side down in the pan and let it cook, undisturbed, for 2–3 minutes until the surface is caramelised and lightly charred. The juice will be sweeter, smoky, and less sharp.
To serve: Transfer the chicken and sauce to a serving platter. Season with freshly ground black pepper and squeeze over half the lemon. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with the remaining charred lemon pieces on the side.