Sheet-Pan Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Steps

1. Whisk (how to whisk)

   Whisk Beat ingredients with a whisk to mix them smoothly or to add air. 1. Use a bowl big enough to whisk without splashing; set it on a damp towel to stop it spinning.2. Hold the whisk loosely and move it in quick circles or side to side, touching the bottom.3. For lumpy mixtures, add liquid a little at a time and whisk after each.4. For sauces on the stove, keep the whisk moving across the whole bottom of the pan. Done when: The mixture is even with no lumps or streaks of egg. How to whisk: mistakes to avoid

   the oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Add the chicken and turn to coat it all over. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
   ⏱ Marinate: 1 hr
3. Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper third.

   Line (how to line a pan)

   Line a pan Cover the bottom (and sometimes sides) of a pan with parchment or foil so food doesn't stick and lifts out easily. 1. For a sheet pan, tear parchment the size of the pan and lay it flat.2. For a round cake pan, trace the bottom on parchment, cut the circle out and press it in.3. For brownies and bars, leave two long sides hanging over to make handles (a "sling").4. A little grease under the paper holds it in place. Done when: The paper lies flat with no folds where the batter could run under it. How to line a baking pan with parchment: mistakes to avoid

   a sheet pan with foil or parchment.
   425°F
4. Spread the chicken on the pan in one layer, scatter the onion wedges around it and throw away any leftover

   marinade (how to marinate)

   Marinate Soak food in a seasoned liquid before cooking, to flavor the surface (and, with salt, keep it juicy). 1. Mix the marinade in a bowl or zip-top bag.2. Add the food, turn to coat, and press out the air.3. Marinate in the fridge, never on the counter: fish 15 to 30 minutes, chicken 1 to 12 hours, beef and pork up to 24.4. Lift the food out, let the extra drip off and pat it dry so it browns. Done when: The food is coated and has soaked the time the recipe asks; longer isn't always better, as acid can turn meat mushy. Safety: Throw away marinade that touched raw meat, or boil it for a full minute before using it as a sauce. Raw meat, poultry and fish juices carry germs: use a separate board, wash your hands and tools after, and cook to a safe temperature checked with a thermometer.How to marinate meat safely: mistakes to avoid

   .
5. Roast (how to roast)

   Roast Cook food uncovered in a hot oven so the outside browns while the inside cooks through. 1. Heat the oven fully before the food goes in, usually 400 to 450°F for vegetables.2. Toss vegetables with oil and salt; dry and season meat.3. Spread everything out on a sheet pan or in a roasting pan with room around each piece.4. Roast, turning vegetables once halfway, until browned at the edges.5. For meat, check the center with a thermometer. Done when: Vegetables are browned at the edges and tender in the middle; meat reaches its safe temperature. Safety: Use dry oven mitts (wet ones pass heat straight through) and tilt hot pans away from you to avoid the fat and steam.How to roast meat and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   until the chicken is browned at the edges and reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece.
   425°F⏱ Roast: 25 min
6. Stir together the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and salt for the sauce while the chicken roasts.
7. Rest (how to rest)

   Rest Leave cooked meat, baked goods or dough alone for a while before you cut, slice or shape it. 1. Move meat to a board or plate as soon as it is done (a few degrees shy of target for big roasts; it keeps rising).2. Tent it loosely with foil if the kitchen is cool.3. Rest steaks and chops 5 minutes, roasts 15 to 20, a turkey 30.4. For dough, cover it so it doesn't dry out while it relaxes. Done when: Meat juices stay in when you slice; dough rolls out without springing back. Safety: Rest at room temperature for under an hour, then refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.How to rest meat and dough: mistakes to avoid

   the chicken on a board, then

   slice (how to slice)

   Slice Cut food into flat pieces of the same thickness. 1. Give round food a flat side to sit on.2. Hold it with your fingertips curled under.3. Cut with long strokes, pushing the knife forward and down rather than straight down.4. Move your guiding hand back the same distance each time so every slice matches. Done when: The slices are even. For meat, slicing across the grain (across the lines of muscle) gives the tenderest bite. Safety: Keep the fingertips of your guiding hand curled under, knuckles toward the blade, and set the board on a damp towel so it can't slide. Slice hot roasts on a board with a groove for the juices.How to slice evenly: mistakes to avoid

   it thinly across the grain.
   ⏱ Rest: 5 min
8. Fill the warm pitas with chicken, onion, tomato and cucumber and spoon on the yogurt sauce.

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Tips

• For crispier edges, broil the sliced chicken on the pan for 2 minutes before serving.
• Skip the pita and serve it over rice with the sauce, tomatoes and cucumber for a bowl.

Storage

Refrigerate the chicken up to 4 days and the sauce up to 4 days. Freeze the cooked chicken up to 3 months. Reheat until 165°F.

Make ahead

Marinate the chicken in the fridge up to 24 hours ahead.

Cook once, eat twice: Double it (8 servings instead of 4), eat half and freeze the other half. It keeps 3 months frozen, by the storage note above. Print a freezer label · More freezer meals

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: tomatoes (July to September), cucumbers (June to September).