In a bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients: tahini, laban, seven spices, cardamom, salt, pepper, shawarma spices, lemon and orange juice, wine, and vinegar.
Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and mix well.
Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
For cooking, first option: remove the chicken from the marinade and cook it in a skillet over medium heat until it turns golden. Add the sauce when the chicken is almost dry.
Second option: place the chicken with all the marinade in a Pyrex dish and bake in the oven until the liquid has evaporated.
While the chicken is cooking, slice the pickles into thin strips.
When the chicken is ready to serve, open a pita bread or small Arabic bread.
Spread garlic cream to taste on the inside.
Add the chicken shawarma, then the pickles.
You can also toast the sandwich afterward so it is served nice and crispy.
(Credit: Aly Baalbaki)
8 food questions
When did you start cooking? Today, to be exact, for this column!
What is your relationship with cooking? I'm a "taker," meaning I take. This is really the first time I'm getting involved. My family is very proud…
Sweet or savory? Savory, savory…
Foodie or gourmet? More gourmet. What I most enjoy, especially when traveling, is discovering local dishes.
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Breakfast. It's the best way to start your day, preferably with eggs Benedict.
The chef you admire? Alan Geaam. What he has done for Lebanese cuisine abroad is remarkable.
Your favorite cuisine? Greek. I could eat a Greek salad at every meal — breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Even though in a parallel, more discreet life, this former student of Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour is an entrepreneur with a master's degree in international relations from Saint Joseph University (USJ) and a master's degree in business management from Singapore Management University, comedy seems to have taken up most of John Achkar's time over the past two years.
Funny without trying too hard or overdoing it, with a tender voice and a natural tone, as well as stories that all Lebanese people can relate to, this young Lebanese man has seen his career take off since 2024 with an international tour, two shows in Lebanon this summer, and the Olympia, « a dream, » in October 2025.
This innate talent, which he has cultivated effortlessly since childhood, combined with a keen sense of observation and a quick ability to adapt—at each stop around the world, he finds stories that relate to the diaspora—have propelled him to the level of an internationally renowned stand-up comedian. Like his mentor Gad Elmaleh, for whom he opened in Dubai, and to whom he is increasingly compared...
When he walks into the kitchen with his arms full of bags of ingredients and takes them out one by one with a big smile, John Achkar looks like a big kid ready to take an exam. "My wife Katia has put in everything I need. At least, I think so...". He then places the spices in bowls, the chicken breast on a plate, and puts his yoghurt within easy reach. Equipped with gloves and a professional apron, he embarks on this new adventure, not entirely sure of himself, constantly seeking the approval of an impromptu audience. When asked how long he has been cooking, he replies, "Half an hour!" He then confides, with a certain pride, that his whole family has been notified and is secretly watching for the results. For his cooking debut, he has chosen his grandmother's shawarma. "Easy, and almost done, since she prepared the marinade the day before! "
Even though the dish is a success, despite him forgetting some of the ingredients added at the last minute and changing some of the measurements, John Achkar behind the stove is a lot like John Achkar on stage: natural, funny and touching. Delicious at its best.
Even though in a parallel, more discreet life, this former student of Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour is an entrepreneur with a master's degree in international relations from Saint Joseph University (USJ) and a master's degree in business management from Singapore Management University, comedy seems to have taken up most of John Achkar's time over the past two years.
Funny without trying too hard or overdoing it, with a tender voice and a natural tone, as well as stories that all Lebanese people can relate to, this young Lebanese man has seen his career take off since 2024 with an international tour, two shows in Lebanon this summer, and the Olympia, « a dream, » in October 2025.
This innate talent, which he has cultivated effortlessly since childhood, combined with a keen sense of observation and a quick ability to adapt—at each stop around the world, he finds stories that relate to the diaspora—have propelled him to the level of an internationally renowned stand-up comedian. Like his mentor Gad Elmaleh, for whom he opened in Dubai, and to whom he is increasingly compared...
When he walks into the kitchen with his arms full of bags of ingredients and takes them out one by one with a big smile, John Achkar looks like a big kid ready to take an exam. "My wife Katia has put in everything I need. At least, I think so...". He then places the spices in bowls, the chicken breast on a plate, and puts his yoghurt within easy reach. Equipped with gloves and a professional apron, he embarks on this new adventure, not entirely sure of himself, constantly seeking the approval of an impromptu audience. When asked how long he has been cooking, he replies, "Half an hour!" He then confides, with a certain pride, that his whole family has been notified and is secretly watching for the results. For his cooking debut, he has chosen his grandmother's shawarma. "Easy, and almost done, since she prepared the marinade the day before! "
Even though the dish is a success, despite him forgetting some of the ingredients added at the last minute and changing some of the measurements, John Achkar behind the stove is a lot like John Achkar on stage: natural, funny and touching. Delicious at its best.
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Offer sent. We hope to welcome you among our subscribers.
Would you like to support L’Orient Today?
Lebanon is in danger of collapse. We need you more than ever. By supporting us, you will allow us to continue to fulfill our mission and provide you with continuous, independent, quality information.
