Goatland Eatery
Air-Fryer Chicken Shawarma Pitas
Warmly spiced air-fryer chicken tucked into whole-wheat pitas with cucumber, tomatoes, hummus, and tzatziki. An easy Mediterranean-inspired dinner.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 12–15 min
- Total
- Approximately 25–30 min
- Servings
- 3
- Calories
- 540 per serving
- Pan
- Air fryer
- Oven
- 390°F
Ingredients
Chicken shawarma
- 1¼ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Pitas and toppings
- 3 whole-wheat pita pockets
- 1 medium cucumber diced
- 2 Roma tomatoes diced
- ¼ cup hummus
- ¼ cup prepared tzatziki sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken Preheat the air fryer to 390°F. Pat the chicken dry and slice into strips approximately ½ inch thick.
- Mix the spices In a bowl, combine olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, garlic powder, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Coat the chicken Add chicken strips and toss until evenly coated.
- Fill the basket Arrange chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer, cooking in batches if needed.
- Air fry Air fry at 390°F for approximately 10–12 minutes, shaking or turning halfway through. Cook until the thickest pieces reach 165°F internally.
- Prepare the toppings While the chicken cooks, dice the cucumber and tomatoes.
- Warm the pitas Warm the whole-wheat pita pockets briefly in a dry skillet or microwave until flexible.
- Add hummus Spread approximately 1 tablespoon hummus inside each pita.
- Fill the pitas Divide the chicken, cucumber, and tomatoes evenly among the three pitas.
- Finish and serve Drizzle each pita with approximately 1 tablespoon tzatziki and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving, based on three equal servings of all listed ingredients. Actual values vary with pita size, sauce brands, and portions.
- Calories
- 540
- Total Fat
- 16 g
- Saturated Fat
- 3.5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 140 mg
- Sodium
- 980 mg
- Total Carbohydrates
- 45 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 7 g
- Total Sugars
- 6 g
- Added Sugars
- 0 g
- Protein
- 52 g
Nutrition Assumptions
- Chicken: 1¼ lb (about 567 g) raw boneless, skinless chicken breast, without added brine. Includes the entire 1 tbsp olive oil and all seasoning, including ½ tsp salt.
- Pitas: three standard whole-wheat pockets, about 60 g each. Representative values per pita: 170 calories, 6 g protein, 35 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 1.5 g fat, and 340 mg sodium. Larger or specialty pitas can differ substantially.
- Includes a medium cucumber (about 200 g), two Roma tomatoes (about 124 g total), and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- Hummus: the full ¼ cup (about 56 g), using 70 calories, 2 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, and 130 mg sodium per 2 tbsp. Tzatziki: the full ¼ cup (about 60 g), using 35 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, and 100 mg sodium per 2 tbsp. These are representative profiles; use your package labels for tracking.
- The instructions use about 1 tbsp of each sauce per pita, which leaves about 1 tbsp of each from the listed amounts. Nutrition conservatively counts the entire ¼ cup of each sauce, divided three ways. Eating only the stated tablespoon portions would reduce the estimate slightly.
- Added sugar is estimated at 0 g for pita and sauce versions without added sugar; check labels. Trans fat rounds to 0 g. Values are rounded estimates, not laboratory measurements.
- Allow 10–12 minutes of air-frying per batch; the 12–15 minute cooking estimate includes brief pita warming. Total time allows for preheating and assembly. Additional batches can take longer.
A Note From the Kitchen
These chicken shawarma pitas bring warm Mediterranean spices together with cool cucumber, fresh tomatoes, hummus, and tzatziki. The air fryer makes the chicken easy to prepare without much oil, and the whole-wheat pita turns everything into a satisfying handheld dinner. It's a great way to change up the usual chicken breast routine without making dinner complicated.