Crunchy Shawarma Tacos blend the flavors of traditional Middle Eastern Israeli shawarma with the crispiness of Mexican tacos, creating a unique fusion dish. What sets these tacos apart is the crispy texture contrast provided by the taco shell. Instead of the soft tortillas typically associated with tacos, crunchy taco shells are used here. These shells are filled with the savory shawarma dark chicken (pargiyot), along with a medley of vibrant and fresh toppings. I made sure to include the traditional shawarma fillings like “chips” (a.k.a. french fries), Israeli Salad, marinated vegetables, hummus and techina (tahini). Mamash taim v’tov meod!!!
Shawarma Tacos
I’ve really been into fusion cuisine lately. I love the idea of taking food and making it into something totally different and often unexpected. Shawarma Tacos are the perfect example of blending Israeli cuisine with the classic, crunchy Mexican corn taco. The crunchiness of the taco and shawarma ingredients make a fabulous combination. My family inhaled them!
I made a Shawarma Tacos Buffet where everyone could make their own Shawarma Tacos with their own personal touches.
And… before I talk more about Shawarma Tacos… Can you say 10,000!!!
It was with incredible, tremendous excitement and gratitude to Hashem that @koshereveryday hit 10,000 followers on Instagram this week!!!
For many years it’s been my professional goal to do a media 10k marathon. After speaking with many brands and other Food Media Professionals, I realized that one of my first social media milestones would be to reach 10,000 followers on Instagram. Not by buying follower from a service, but by gaining them through providing quality content that my loyal readers would enjoy – and keep coming back to.Last night it happened!
I was nearly speechless. Almost.
The reason I’m not speechless is because I need to speak out my gratitude to those that helped make this goal happen…
THANK YOU!!!
To you, my readers and followers who keep coming back for more. Who send me feedback, encouragement and your own thanks for the content I put out. Thank YOU!
To my Dear Social Media Guy/personal pain in the neck 😀 😉 , Adam Sokolowsky who fields my calls, questions, rants and has helped me to significantly improve the quality of the content I’m sharing with you, my readers. Adam has helped to come up with new content ideas, vetoed questionable ones and has marveled when I “showed him” that sometimes I’m actually right. Thank you Adam!!!
To my Dear Family and Friends. Thank you for being my metaphorical guinea pigs (I don’t want to insult Jiggly and Patches) – by eating new recipes and indulging my attempts to create new and innovative dishes. Mostly successfully. For humoring the almost constant stuff covering the kitchen counters and dishes in the sinks because I was too wiped to clean any of it up. Thank you!!!
Most important. Thank you to my Dear Husband. You are my Ezer K’negdo, my constant support and cheerleader. You lift me up when I’m crashing and bring me dinner in bed when I simply can’t move anymore. For making the best Lemon Pepper Salmon and anything on a sheet pan. You are my biggest supporter, my biggest food “critic” giving me helpful, constructive feedback after wiping your plate clean nearly every time. You are my everything. Thank you. I love you KIH ad meah v’esrim.
And now back to Shawarma Tacos
There are a lot of simple elements in Shawarma Tacos that when put together make a most excellent dish. Here’s a little more about each one.
Corn vs Flour taco shells
I decided to go with corn rather flour taco shells for the Shawarma Tacos for several reasons. 
First, it’s easier to get corn taco shells gluten free than flour ones. Second, shawarma traditionally comes in a pita which is very similar to a flour taco shell. To make the “fusion” more distinctive, I used a corn taco shell rather than a flour one – otherwise it would just be a shawarma and that’s not really fusion…just Israeli.Third, I really really liked the crunchy aspect of the corn taco shell. Once the shell was crisped in the oven it had great flavor and texture that really went well with the whole Shawarma Taco thing.
Corn taco shells make a great Shawarma Tacos holder.
What Shawarma Spice to use for Shawarma Tacos
There are two brands that I regularly work with, both affiliates, that have excellent shawarma seasonings. The first, Pereg Gourmet, makes a shawarma seasoning that contains coriander, cumin, salt, turmeric, sweet paprika, allspice and garlic crystals. The second, The Spice House, makes a shawarma seasoning that contains coriander, sumac, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, turmeric, cloves and allspice. Both would work for this recipe, with a notable difference being that The Spice House shawarma spice does not contain any garlic. It’s a bonus for garlic sensitive people like me.You can also use any other brand of shawarma spice that you like. I even have a trusty, authentic one that I brought back from Israel. In the interest of authenticity, I used that one in the recipe but you can use your favorite. I’ll provide links below.
This recipe is loaded with shawarma flavor. I even used shawarma spice on the caramelized onion.
The Shawarma Chicken in Shawarma Tacos
One thing that’s essential in this recipe is to use boneless dark chicken, known as “pargiyot” in Israel.
Boneless dark meat chicken is marinated in garlic oil and shawarma seasoning before broiling for maximum flavor.
It retains moisture best and is super flavorful in this recipe. It doesn’t dry out after broiling either. I sliced it similar to how you might find the meat sliced for your favorite shawarma in Israel.
The salads in Shawarma Tacos
I made two simple salads to go in the Shawarma Tacos, a traditional Israeli Salad and a pickled vegetable slaw. Both can be found in the ubiquitous shawarma pita. I’m including the recipe for both below. Feel free to serve them with the tacos or as vegetable side dishes.
Simple Cabbage & Carrot Slaw
Here’s the recipe for Shawarma Tacos
I tried to make Shawarma Tacos as authentic as I could, using ingredients you might have handy but that you might find in a traditional shawarma pita/laffa. I even included french fries, optional, that I air fried to make them a little lighter. You can include traditional toppings like techina (tahini), hummus or charif (spicy). As with most Kosher Everyday recipes – it’s totally up to you!
Checkout all the shawarma goodness in these Shawarma Tacos!
Shawarma Tacos
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Marinade time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 80 minutes
- Yield: 8 Shawarma Tacos 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Gluten Free
- Diet: Kosher
Description
Crunchy Shawarma Tacos blend the flavors of traditional Middle Eastern Israeli shawarma with the crispiness of Mexican tacos, creating a unique fusion dish. What sets these tacos apart is the crispy texture contrast provided by the taco shell. Instead of the soft tortillas typically associated with tacos, crunchy taco shells are used here. These shells are filled with the savory shawarma dark chicken (pargiyot), along with a medley of vibrant and fresh toppings. I made sure to include the traditional shawarma fillings like “chips” (a.k.a. french fries), Israeli Salad, marinated vegetables, hummus and techina (tahini). Mamash taim v’tov meod!!!
Ingredients
For the Shawarma Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons shawarma seasoning
- 2 tablespoons garlic oil or 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 2 cloves minced garlic
- additional oil and shawarma seasoning to finish
For the Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 8 ounces shredded purple cabbage, around 3 cups
- 8 ounces shredded carrots, around 2 cups
- 1 cup green onion, cut into 1-inch pieces (1 bunch)
For the Israeli Salad
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1 medium English cucumber, diced
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dead Sea salt, or kosher salt
For the Shawarma Onions
- 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons garlic oil or 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon shawarma seasoning
To Finish
- 8 corn taco shells, baked to crisp
- 8 ounces prepared french fries
- shredded lettuce
- hummus and tahini for serving
Instructions
For the Shawarma Chicken
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the garlic oil until completely coated. Massage the shawarma seasoning into the chicken.
- Allow the chicken to marinade for 30 minutes.
- Place the chicken on a greased baking sheet and broil in the center of the oven under medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and lightly browned.
- Let the chicken cool slightly then slice thinly.
- Sprinkle with a little oil and extra shawarma seasoning before serving.
For the Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
- In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar and water. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Lower the heat and cook for an additional minute. Allow to cool.
- In a large bowl combine the cabbage, carrots and green onion. Pour the cooled liquid over the salad. Allow the salad to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.
For the Israeli Salad
- In a medium bowl combine the tomato, cucumber, lemon juice and salt.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Shawarma Onions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and slightly caramelized.
- Sprinkle the shawarma seasoning over the onions and sauté for an additional minute until the onions are completely coated and the seasoning is dissolved into the onions.
- Set aside.
To Assemble the Shawarma Tacos
- Place some of the sliced shawarma chicken on the bottom of a taco shell. Top with fries, onion, slaw, Israeli Salad and shredded lettuce.
- Top with tahini and hummus if desired.
- Repeat with the remaining taco shells.
Equipment
Colavita Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Low FODMAP, 32 Fl Oz
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HexClad 12 Inch Hybrid Nonstick Frying Pan and Tempered Glass Lid
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Pereg Shawarma Seasoning – use code KOSHEREVERYDAY for 15% off
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The Spice House Shawarma Seasoning
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Pereg Fine Red Sea Salt – use code KOSHEREVERYDAY for 15% off
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You can use a flour taco shell if you like.
Feel free to include any of the taco ingredients that you prefer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Shawarma Taco
- Calories: 319
- Sugar: 9.8 g
- Sodium: 94.2 mg
- Fat: 11.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.9 g
- Fiber: 3.7 g
- Protein: 28.2 g
- Cholesterol: 82.7 mg
Here’s how I made it on Instagram @koshereveryday!
View this post on Instagram
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