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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 from a previous meal. It’s the ultimate way to repurpose the ingredients!
Oops, I guess it’s too late because I just did. To me, a pizza is some type of flat carb/dough/bread/flatbread that is loaded with toppings. That’s as basic as it gets, and we all know the possibilities are endless with the shapes of pizza, the sauce varieties, or lack thereof, and the wide array of pizza toppings imaginable.
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.
How do you make pita pizza
- Marinate sliced chicken breast for a few hours
- Make the tahini sauce
- Assemble the pita pizza
Ok I know I make it sound easier than it is, but it’s actually a pretty quick recipe and very adaptable depending on what vegetables you have on hand or what you prefer to use.
You can buy a shawarma spice blend or make your own, then grill the chicken, slice it up, and add it to a large traditional pita bread. Then you can add whatever toppings you like. I love adding tomatoes, roasted red peppers, banana peppers and red onions. But the most important part is the finishing touch of the lemony tahini sauce that goes on top!
This pita pizza has all the flavors of a traditional shawarma sandwich I grew up eating but in an open-faced pizza style meal. What would you top yours with?
More shawarma recipes:
More flatbread recipes:
Chicken Shawarma Pita Pizza
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 6 4 oz pieces boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon shawarma seasoning see notes
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
For the Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup Tahini paste
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
To Assemble
- 6 Large pita breads
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
- Roma tomatoes sliced
- Pickled banana peppers sliced
- Roasted red peppers diced
- Red onion sliced
- Flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
Instructions
- To make the marinade, whisk the olive oil, shawarma seasoning, garlic and lemon juice until well combined.
- Coat the chicken with the marinade and let it sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, preferably a few hours. Heat a grill or griddle pan over medium heat, and grill the chicken until well cooked and browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and slice.
- To make the tahini sauce, place all the ingredients together in a food processor and blend until well combined. You can also do this by whisk or with a fork, but it may take more time that way.
- Divide the mozzarella cheese among 6 pitas and lightly toast the pita in a toaster oven, on the grill or in the oven until the cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes
- Top the pita with the sliced chicken, tomatoes, banana peppers, red peppers, red onions and parsley. Drizzle the tahini sauce on top. Cut and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Storage: It’s best to assemble the pita pizzas right before eating, but if there are any leftover pita pizzas, just reheat in a toaster oven to ensure a crispy crust on the pita. Store any leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container for 3 days.
- Sourcing: You can find shawarma seasoning at Middle Eastern markets and natural-foods stores, often located with other Middle Eastern ingredients. If you can’t find it, you can mix the following spices:
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp AllSpice
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Nutrition
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!