Give Your Chicken Burger A Shawarma Twist For A Major Flavor Upgrade

If your burger needs a Mediterranean spin, or, rather, just a new and refreshing take, shawarma could be the way to go. Instead of traditional seasonings (we see you, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper), go a different route and give your meat a bit of a twist. Though it may seem or sound exotic, shawarma is pretty approachable. If you aren't familiar with shawarma, it's a popular cooking method from the Middle East in which thin pieces of meat — usually chicken, beef, or lamb — are slow cooked by turning on a vertical spit in front of a heat source. Shawarma literally means "to turn" in Arabic, which makes sense when you see those slowly spinning, dripping, juicy hunks of meat sizzling away.

In terms of the meat itself, it must be well-marinated and spiced before being layered on the spit. Many recipes call for leaving your meat of choice to sit and hang out with a combination of good and flavorful olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and cinnamon — a combination of punchy flavors that bring a warmth to the meat.

If you're looking to give your chicken burgers (which are different from chicken sandwiches) a shawarma twist, you can take your knowledge of shawarma and the way it's served and simply adapt it to live between two buns. Since you won't be dealing with a spit and layers of meat and, instead, ground chicken, simply add those warming spices like cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and coriander to your grind. You can also add in a dash of lemon juice and potent crushed garlic before gently combining everything and breaking into patties. Grill over an open flame if possible to give the meat that kiss of smoke that shawarma has.

Once the meat is ready, give the entire burger a shawarma twist. Top with sumac pickled onions, cilantro, and briny feta cheese — all toppings you could arguably see at the shawarma stand. Then snuggle it all into a pita if you're willing to part with a pillowy bun. Lean in to the shawarma appeal!