Shawarma Chicken and Mushroom Kebabs

The Stuff:

Lemon-Garlic Tahini Sauce

• 1 cup tahini
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons fresh juice (from 1 lemon)
• 1 teaspoon grated garlic (from 2 small garlic cloves)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Never Not Eating Chraime
• 3/4 cup to 1 cup warm water, as needed

Chicken and Mushroom Kebabs

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 11 medium garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted cumin seeds
• 3 tablespoons Never Not Eating Shawarma
• 1/2 medium-sized red onion
• 1 pound fresh oyster mushrooms (torn into 2-inch pieces) and/or hen-of-the-woods mushrooms (cut into large wedges, stems trimmed)
• Pitas, tomato slices, cucumber slices, chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, hot sauce, and lemon wedges, for serving

The Method

Make the tahini sauce

1. Whisk together tahini, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and Chraime in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in 3/4 cup warm water, adding up to an additional 1/4 cup water and whisking until the sauce is smooth and the desired consistency is reached.

Make the kebabs

1. Place chicken thighs between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken to an even 1/8-inch thickness. Stack pounded thighs onto each other to create 1 or 2 even rectangular stacks. Using a sharp knife, cut stacks crosswise into thirds. Place chicken pieces in a large ziplock plastic bag.
2. Process 1/2 cup oil, garlic, lemon juice, tomato paste, and Shawarma spice in a blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Measure 1/4 cup mixture into a small bowl; cover and reserve in refrigerator for mushrooms. Add remaining 3/4 cup mixture to the chicken in the bag; seal the bag, and gently massage the chicken to distribute the marinade. Place sealed bag in refrigerator; let marinate at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
3. Meanwhile, cut the onion in half lengthwise into 2 wedges; remove and discard root ends. Separate the wedges into 4 large petals each. Set petals aside.
4. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Arrange chicken pieces on a rimmed baking sheet in 3 even stacks, rotating chicken pieces as needed to keep stacks as neat and cylindrical as possible. Top each stack with 2 onion petals.
5. Into the centre of one stack, insert 3 (12-inch) metal or soaked wooden skewers 1 inch apart, forming a triangle. Use fingers to slide chicken up skewers. Position skewers over the second chicken stack; skewer stack. Repeat with remaining stack. Add the remaining 2 onion petals to the end of shawarma. Lay skewered chicken on a baking sheet. Press meat and onions together to form a compact, 8- to 9-inch-long cylindrical roast.
6. Open the bottom vent of a charcoal grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with briquettes. When briquettes are covered with gray ash, pour them onto the bottom grate of grill, and push to one side of grill.Place grate over coals, and lightly oil. Cover grill, and open holes of lid vents; preheat grill 10 minutes. Place shawarma on oiled grates over direct heat. Grill, uncovered, turning often, until outside of shawarma is crisp and charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Move shawarma to side of grill without coals. Grill, covered (the open vent holes should be above the chicken), turning often, until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 155°F, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove shawarma from grill; tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest about 15 minutes. (Internal temperature of chicken will continue to rise to 165°F.)
7. While chicken cooks, gently toss together mushrooms and reserved 1/4 cup marinade in a large bowl. Let marinate at room temperature 15 minutes. Thread marinated mushrooms evenly onto 3 (12-inch) metal or soaked wooden skewers, threading through mushroom stems when possible to hold firmly in place. Brush kebabs all over with remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
8. While chicken rests, place mushroom kebabs on oiled grates over direct heat. Grill, uncovered, turning occasionally, until edges are crisp, about 10 minutes. Move kebabs to side of grill without coals. Grill, covered, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from grill.
9. Hold chicken shawarma upright on a cutting board. Using a large knife, carve downward from top of stack, cutting meat into thin strips and rotating shawarma with each cut.
10. Serve sliced chicken and grilled mushrooms with pitas, tomato, cucumber, parsley, hot sauce, the lemon-garlic tahini sauce, and lemon wedges.