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If you love pizza and you love pitas, you need this Shawarma Pita Pizza in your life. We’re basically taking the idea of a pizza (flat dough with toppings) and adding a Mediterranean flare to it. The best part is, you don’t need to make the dough, and you can make this pita pizza using leftover chicken shawarma, vegetables and tahini sauce.
I love this fun Lebanese style pita pizza! Not only is this pizza loaded with all kinds of flavor from the juicy, tender, well-seasoned chicken and the lemony tahini sauce, but it’s also full of colorful nutritious vegetables that will really make you feel good eating it.
Ingredients to make chicken pita pizza
- Chicken Shawarma: The chicken shawarma here is repurposed from the same recipe used to make the shawarma salad. The recipe card includes the full details for how to make the shawarma.
- Pita Bread: You can use any type of pita bread you want or even store bought or homemade pizza dough. To mimic an authentic shawarma sandwich, use thin Arabic style pita bread.
- Mozzarella Cheese: You’ll add this to the pita bread to melt it before adding the chicken shawarma and vegetables
- Vegetables: I use red onion, tomatoes and sliced pickled banana peppers (or traditional pickles). You can vary the vegetables as you like.
- Tahini Sauce: Tahini complements chicken shawarma so well. Try my authentic tahini sauce recipe and drizzle on top of the pita pizzas right before serving.
How to make shawarma pita pizza
make the chicken shawarma
- Whisk together olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and the shawarma seasoning and marinade the sliced chicken thighs in it.
- Transfer the marinated chicken to a heated cast iron skillet.
- You’ll know it’s done cooking when it’s charred, fragrant the juices run clear. You can let the chicken shawarma rest in the cast iron skillet while assembling your salad next.
assemble the pita pizzas
- Marinade the chicken with the oil, garlic, lemon juice and seasoning.
- Transfer the marinated chicken to a heated cast iron skillet.
- You’ll know it’s done cooking when it’s charred, fragrant the juices run clear. You can let the chicken shawarma rest in the cast iron skillet while assembling your salad next.
watch me make this pita pizza
Tips for making pita pizza
- Use thin pita bread. Try to look for authentic Arabic bread that is thinner in style that Greek pita bread. It will more closely mimic the taste of a shawarma sandwich and allow the chicken and toppings to shine.
- Thinly slice the toppings. Because the pita bread is so thin, don’t overload it with heavy and large toppings. That way it doesn’t break apart when you try to pick up a slice.
- Be careful not to burn the pita. The pita bread may brown before the cheese melts. That’s because it only takes a few minutes to crisp it up and it can actually burn pretty quickly if left unattended especially since every oven is different.
popular substitutions & additions
- Use Lebanese garlic sauce. You can slather this on top of the pita bread instead of the cheese or even add dollops of it on top of the pita pizza instead of the tahini sauce.
- Use beef shawarma. I have an authentic beef shawarma recipe I learned from my mom that you can swap for the
- Make it vegetarian. Instead of chicken or beef, you can also make this pita pizza with chickpea shawarma. Toss the chickpeas in the marinade, bake in the oven and add it to the pitas.
- Add fattoush on top of it. If you have leftover fattoush salad, the flavors of this Middle Eastern style would go perfect with this pita pizza, so feel free to add that on top instead of the vegetables.
This pita pizza has all the flavors of a traditional shawarma sandwich I grew up eating but in an open-faced pizza style meal.
More shawarma recipes:
If you try this feel good Chicken Shawarma Pita Pizza recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Chicken Shawarma Pita Pizza
Ingredients
For the chicken shawarma
For assembly
- 4 pita breads
- 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 roma tomatoes sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 2 ounces pickled sliced banana peppers
- ½ cup tahini sauce
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place the marinade ingredients in a large bowl: olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, paprika, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon and crushed red pepper; and whisk to blend.
- Add the chicken into the large bowl with the marinade and stir with a spoon to evenly coat the chicken with the marinade. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add the marinated chicken to it. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place two pitas on each baking sheet and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake until the bread is lightly toasted and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken shawarma on top of the mozzarella cheese. Top with the tomatoes, red onions and banana peppers, and drizzle with tahini sauce. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
- Cut each pita pizza into fourth and enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
This shawarma pizza is delish — loved the seasoning and of course, the tahini sauce. This is a great lunch or light dinner dish and I’ll be making it often.
So glad to hear it! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback!!
Yummy Yummy. Thanks for another great recipe,Yumna. Love tahini sauce
Love the idea of Open faces shawarma! I’ve been cooking my shawarma ( whole boneless thigh and breast) in my Instant Pot then I follow up with a sear in a cast iron skillet… comes out sooo moist and delicious!
Yum! I love that idea Vanessa! I’m trying that next time!
Awesome idea for a pizza.
Thanks Al!