Charcoal Grilled Chicken Shawarma with Charred Chickpea Hummus

Take your grill on a trip to the streets of the Middle East with this charcoal-grilled chicken shawarma, wrapped in warmly toasted pita bread with fresh tomatoes, sumac onions, and a must have tzatziki sauce. And, why not take it to the next level with a FOGO special – a creamy and toasty hummus dip, made by charring some chickpeas before blending. 

Tip: I particularly like charring only a portion of the chickpeas rather than the entire batch. It gives you the best of both worlds: the silky texture of traditional hummus from the fresh chickpeas, and the smoky, nutty complexity that comes from the fire-roasted ones. 

Whether you're building pita wraps for a crowd, serving shawarma bowls for family dinner, or looking to explore new flavors over live fire, this recipe proves that mastering the fire means going beyond traditional BBQ and discovering what charcoal can really do.

And, to our melancholic, “OG” subscribers… like Mr. FOGO once said, “Let me show you how to do it!”

RECIPE:

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

Build flavor with the marinade. In a large bowl, add the chicken thighs and combine the virgin olive oil, yellow mustard, grated garlic, salt, and all spices, then mix until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to fully penetrate the meat.

Step 2: Prepare the Grill

Fill your grill with natural lump charcoal, for this cook we're using FOGO Black Bag, whose medium-sized lumps make it easy to light, quick to reach cooking temperature, and versatile enough for both direct and indirect grilling.

Light the charcoal with your favorite method: chimney, or the FOGO Blazaball. Once the charcoal is fully ignited, set up a two-zone cooking environment with one side for direct grilling and the other for indirect cooking. This setup gives you the best of both worlds: high heat for caramelization and a cooler zone for gentle finishing.

Target a grill temperature between 400°F and 450°F (it will take approximately 15 minutes)

Step 3: Our go-to Tzatziki sauce 

Grate the cucumber and squeeze out as much liquid as possible using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. *Tip: Add ½ tablespoon of salt to the squeezed cucumber to pull out even more liquid. In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, dill, and mint (if using). Then season with salt and pepper to taste, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (1–2 hours is even better) to let the flavors develop.

Step 4: Make the Creamy and Toasty Hummus Dip

Grill and char directly over the hot charcoal 5 - 10 oz (depending on how smoky you want your hummus to be) and let it cool. Add the tahini and lemon juice to a food processor and blend for about 30 seconds until creamy, then add the garlic and salt. Then add the grilled and fresh chickpeas. Blend for 1–2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. With the processor running, slowly add cold water until the hummus reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust with more salt, lemon juice, or tahini if needed.

Step 5: Grill the Chicken 

Place the marinated chicken thighs over direct heat and grill for 4–5 minutes per side until a deep char begins to develop.

Move the chicken to the indirect side of the grill and continue cooking for another 10–15 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 175°F. Most recipe blogs stop at 165°F, but grillers know thighs become significantly better around 175-185°F to allow fat to fully render.

Step 6: Rest and Slice 

Remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for 5–10 minutes.

Slice the chicken thinly across the grain into shawarma-style strips. For extra crispy edges, return the sliced chicken to the grill for 1–2 minutes over direct heat (optional but recommended). 

Step 7: Build Your Shawarma

Warm your pitta bread on the grill, then add a healthy spread of the Tzatziki sauce. Pile the grilled chicken into the warm pitta with fresh sliced tomatoes, sumac onions (easily made by thinly slicing red onions, 1.5 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of sumac). Optional, finish with a sprinkle of paprika for an extra hint of smokiness. 

Now comes the best part: dipping that fire-grilled shawarma into the nutty, creamy goodness of your charred hummus.

Master the Fire Tip

Don't be afraid to let the chickpeas pick up a little color from the fire. Those lightly charred edges create a subtle smoky depth that pairs perfectly with the warm spices of the shawarma and reinforces what live-fire cooking does best: turning simple ingredients into something unforgettable.