OVERVIEW
Takeaways were something we never really ate as children. We certainly never got takeaway kebabs as, come rain or shine, the mangal (barbecue) was lit pretty much every weekend. However, on holiday or a rare family visit to a Turkish restaurant, my dad would always order a mixed döner. Tavuk döner (chicken doner kebab) has always been his favourite. I developed this delicious recipe so I could cook it for us all at home, and it works beautifully using the Big Green Egg Rotisserie. For a kebab packed with flavour, I recommend marinating overnight if you can (24 hours maximum). Load the chicken onto the homemade flatbreads, dollop on the sauce, and pile on the salad fillings for a proper treat.
MARINATE THE CHICKEN
Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large, deep bowl. Add the chicken and fully coat in the marinade. Cover the dish with film and place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight. Remove the bowl from the fridge 45 minutes before you’re ready to cook.
MAKE THE FLATBREAD DOUGH
Put the water and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Stir in the sugar to dissolve, then add the yeast. Cover with film and leave for 5-10 minutes until it begins to bubble.
Once the yeast has activated, add the flour, oil and salt to the bowl. Knead in the stand mixer for 10 minutes if using, or else bring together with the end of a large wooden spoon until you have a shaggy dough. Turn onto a clean work surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes until nice and smooth.
Tuck the dough under to form a ball, then place back in a large bowl greased with a little olive oil. Cover the bowl again and leave somewhere warm and cosy to prove for around an hour, until doubled in size.
SPIT ROAST THE TAVUK DÖNER
Set up your EGG for direct rotisserie cooking. The target temperature is 180°C. Secure the bottom fork onto the spit, then skewer the onion half. Skewer the chicken thighs, one by one, onto the spit, pushing any loose ends on the fillets in between the layers, or hooking them onto the fork skewers to secure them. Pack the chicken thighs close together, leaving a little bit of breathing space between each one to ensure they cook all the way through.
Remove the top fork from the spit. Secure the half onion on the bottom fork, then add the chicken thighs onto the spit one by one. Pack them close together but leave a little bit of breathing space between each one to ensure they cook through. Push any loose ends on the fillets up in between the layers or hook them onto the fork skewers so they’re not dangling down too much. Finally, add the lemon half, secure it with the top fork, then tighten the wing screws, again hooking any loose bits of chicken onto the skewers. I like to tightly wrap the tavuk döner in a sheet of greaseproof paper for a few minutes to compact the kebab as much as possible.
Make sure the kebab is centred on the spit, then install it on the EGG. Turn on the motor and watch it rotate. After a few full rotations, close the Dome. Cook for 45-60 minutes, until the chicken juices run clear and the fillets are cooked all the way through.
PREPARE THE FLATBREADS AND FILLINGS
While the tavuk döner cooks, chop all the salad ingredients, and place them on a serving plate in separate piles. In a small bowl, mix up the ingredients for the garlic yoghurt mayo.
When the tavuk döner has been cooking for 20 minutes or so, remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into eight equal pieces of around 100g. Roll into smooth balls, lay all the dough balls on a tray dusted with flour and cover with a light, clean tea towel. Leave to prove for another 20-30 minutes until doubled in size again.
Mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. When the chicken is cooked through, remove the spit from the EGG and place the tavuk döner onto a large platter. Immediately brush with the glaze, cover with parchment paper and foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving into small, thin pieces.
GRILL THE FLATBREADS
Install the Stainless Steel Grid.
While the tavuk döner is resting, roll the dough balls into roughly 20cm diameter disks. Cook them in batches on the EGG for 1-2 minutes per side, with the Dome closed, until soft, fluffy and lightly charred all over. Once cooked, keep them wrapped up tightly in a tea towel to prevent them from drying out.
To serve, spread the garlic yoghurt on a flatbread, followed by salad ingredients and a generous helping of the carved tavuk döner. Squeeze over a little lemon juice, roll up and enjoy.