Chef Jake Thompson - Comfort Food Specialist
👨‍🍳 Flavor Fusion Master

Recipe by Mitchell

🎓 Street Food Aficionado ⏰ 18+ Years Experience 🍽️ BBQ & Grill Master

❤️ My Recipe Story

"This recipe was inspired by a late-night food truck stop in the city. The combination of hot, salty fries catching the flavorful drippings of shawarma meat, all cut through by a sharp garlic sauce, was a revelation. I knew I had to recreate that magic at home in an easy, shareable format."

Jake specializes in elevated comfort food that brings bold flavors to classic dishes. He loves exploring global street food traditions and adapting them for the home cook, ensuring maximum flavor impact with accessible ingredients.

View All Mitchell's Recipes →
Overhead view of a large white bowl filled with golden french fries topped generously with spiced shawarma chicken, white garlic sauce, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and parsley.

The Shawarma Spice Blend

The soul of this dish lies in the aromatic spice blend used for the chicken. A generous mix of cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika creates that signature savory, earthy, and slightly smoky profile associated with authentic shawarma.

Turmeric adds a beautiful golden color, while a touch of cayenne provides a gentle background heat. Using chicken thighs instead of breasts ensures the meat stays juicy and flavorful even when seared at high heat to get those desirable charred bits.

💡 Professional Tip

For the best flavor, let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes. If you're short on time, even 10 minutes while the oven preheats for the fries will make a difference. Get your skillet smoking hot before adding the chicken to get a good sear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, for a quicker version! Shred the rotisserie chicken and toss it in a pan with a tablespoon of oil and half the spice quantity listed in the recipe just to warm it through and bloom the spices.

The key is to cook the fries until they are very crispy, almost overdone. Assemble the dish immediately before serving. Do not let the assembled platter sit, as the sauce and chicken juices will eventually soften the fries.

Absolutely. Substitute the Greek yogurt in the sauce with a plain, unsweetened plant-based yogurt (like almond or coconut yogurt) or use a dairy-free mayonnaise base seasoned heavily with garlic and lemon.

The tahini adds a nutty depth, but the sauce is still delicious without it. You can omit it entirely or add a tablespoon of mayonnaise for extra creaminess instead.

Yes, thinly sliced sirloin steak or lamb leg works beautifully with this spice rub. Adjust the cooking time slightly depending on the meat you choose, aiming for a nice sear.

As written, it has a very mild warmth from the paprika and optional cayenne. You can make it completely mild by omitting the cayenne, or spicier by adding hot sauce to the finished dish.

You can marinate the chicken and make the garlic sauce up to a day in advance, stored in the fridge. Chop the vegetables earlier in the day. Cook the fries and chicken just before assembling.

Thick-cut fries, steak fries, or battered fries hold up best to the heavy toppings. Shoestring fries tend to get soggy too quickly.

Recipe Troubleshooting Guide

✅

Soggy Fries

Problem: Fries lost their crunch immediately upon assembly.

Solution: Ensure fries are cooked extra crispy initially. Drain chicken well of excess oil before topping. Serve instantly. Consider serving sauce on the side for dipping instead of drizzling.

✅

Chicken Lacks Flavor

Problem: The chicken tastes bland compared to the toppings.

Solution: Ensure you used enough salt in the marinade. The marinade needs time to penetrate; try to give it at least 20 minutes. Make sure your spices aren't expired.

✅

Sauce Too Intense

Problem: The garlic sauce is overpowering/too sharp.

Prevention: Raw garlic intensifies over time. Use slightly less garlic or let the grated garlic sit in the lemon juice for 5 minutes before adding yogurt to mellow the bite. Add a pinch of sugar to balance acidity.

✅

Dry Chicken

Problem: Chicken turned out tough and dry.

Recovery: Use chicken thighs instead of breasts as they are more forgiving. Avoid overcrowding the pan, which causes steaming instead of searing. Don't overcook.

✅

Vegetables Made It Watery

Problem: The tomato and cucumber made the dish wet.

Prevention: After chopping the tomatoes and cucumbers, pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture before adding them to the fries.

✅

Flavor Balance

Too Sweet: A drizzle of pomegranate molasses adds a nice sweet-and-sour tangy finish.

Too Salty: Add crumbled feta cheese over the top for an extra salty kick.

Bland: Serve with pickled turnips or hot peppers on the side for acidity and heat.

Raw ingredients for shawarma fries including frozen french fries, raw marinated chicken, yogurt sauce ingredients, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and parsley on a marble counter.

The Essential Garlic Sauce

A shawarma platter isn't complete without the white sauce. While traditional toum (a potent garlic emulsion) is delicious, a yogurt-based sauce is lighter and easier to whip up for this loaded fries application.

The acidity from the lemon juice and yogurt cuts through the richness of the fried potatoes and savory meat. Grating the garlic on a microplane ensures it melts into the sauce without leaving large chunks.

Essential Ingredient Notes

  • Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are preferred over breasts for their higher fat content, ensuring juicy, flavorful meat that doesn't dry out under high heat.
  • Greek Yogurt: Use whole milk plain Greek yogurt for the thickest, creamiest sauce base. Regular yogurt can be too runny for drizzling nicely.
  • Frozen Fries: Choose a sturdy, thick-cut frozen fry variety. They hold their structure better against the heavy toppings than thin shoestring fries.
A cast iron skillet with spiced chicken strips searing until browned and slightly charred.

Assembly Strategy

When assembling loaded fries, speed is key to preserve the crunch. Have all your components ready before the fries leave the oven: chicken cooked and chopped, sauce mixed, and veggies prep-sliced.

Use a wide platter rather than a deep bowl. Spreading the fries out ensures more surface area for toppings and prevents the bottom layer from steaming under the weight of the ingredients above it.

The Hard Sear

Don't overcrowd your pan when cooking the chicken. You want high heat and space so the chicken sears and develops caramelized, charred edges rather than steaming in its own juices. Cook in batches if necessary.

Loaded Chicken Shawarma Fries

Prep 25 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 6 servings
Level Easy

📋 Ingredients

The Base & Protein

  • 1 cup Greek Yogurt
    Plain, whole milk preferred
  • 2 cloves Garlic
    Finely grated or minced
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
    Freshly squeezed
  • 2 tbsp Tahini
    Optional, adds nutty depth
  • 1 cup Tomatoes
    Chopped
  • 1 cup Cucumber
    Chopped
  • 1/2 cup Red Onion
    Thinly sliced
  • Fresh Parsley
    Chopped, for garnish

The Garlic Sauce & Toppings

  • 1 kg Frozen French Fries
    Thick-cut variety recommended
  • 700g Chicken Thighs
    Boneless, skinless, cut into strips
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
    Divided for marinade and cooking
  • 3 cloves Garlic
    Minced, for marinade
  • 1 tbsp Ground Cumin
    For spice marinade
  • 1 tbsp Ground Coriander
    For spice marinade
  • 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
    Adds smoky flavor
  • 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
    For color and earthy flavor

Instructions

  1. Marinate Chicken

    In a large bowl, combine chicken strips, 2 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, cayenne (if using), salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes (or up to 4 hours in the fridge).

  2. Cook Fries

    Cook the frozen french fries according to package directions (baking or air frying is recommended for crispiness) until golden brown and crispy. Season lightly with salt right after cooking.

  3. Cook Chicken

    While fries are cooking, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary). Sear for 3-4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. Remove from heat and roughly chop into smaller pieces.

  4. Make Garlic Sauce

    In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, tahini (if using), and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy. Add a teaspoon of water if needed to reach drizzling consistency.

  5. Assemble

    Arrange the hot, crispy fries on a large serving platter. Top generously with the cooked chicken. Drizzle the garlic yogurt sauce over the entire platter. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion slices, and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Serving Tip

This dish is best served immediately. If you need to hold it for a few minutes, keep the components separate and assemble right before eating to prevent soggy fries.

Spice Heat

The spice level is mild. For a spicy kick, add 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to the marinade, or drizzle the finished dish with your favorite hot sauce or sriracha.

Vegetable Variations

Feel free to add other toppings like pickled turnips, sliced jalapeños, crumbled feta cheese, or olives to customize your loaded fries.