Grilled marinated chicken rolled in soft lavash with garlicky yogurt sauce, pickles and fresh herbs, a favorite Turkish street lunch.
Tavuk durum is the everyday grab-and-go lunch of Turkish cities — thin lavash wrapped tightly around grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, and a cooling yogurt sauce, sold from doner stands and casual lokantas alike. The chicken is marinated in yogurt, garlic and paprika, a combination that both tenderizes the meat and gives it a mild tang, then grilled or seared hot until charred at the edges. Rolled up with pickled vegetables, tomato, and a generous spoonful of garlic yogurt, the wrap is pressed briefly on a hot griddle before serving so the lavash crisps slightly on the outside while staying soft within.
Serves 4
Combine chicken with yogurt, garlic, paprika, olive oil and salt; marinate at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours refrigerated.
Grill or sear the chicken over high heat 5-6 minutes per side until charred and cooked through, then slice thinly.
Stir garlic into yogurt with a pinch of salt.
Warm the lavash briefly on a dry skillet or open flame until soft and pliable.
Spread yogurt sauce down the center of each lavash, layer with sliced chicken, tomato, onion, pickles and parsley.
Fold in the sides and roll tightly into a cylinder.
Roll snugly but not so tight the lavash tears — a slightly loose first fold helps.
Press the wrap seam-side down on a hot dry griddle for 1 minute per side to seal and slightly crisp, then slice in half and serve.
Marinate the chicken in yogurt for at least 20 minutes — the enzymes help tenderize the meat even in a short window.
Warm the lavash before rolling; cold, stiff bread cracks and tears when folded.
Slice the chicken thin against the grain so it wraps easily and each bite is tender.
Doner-style durum uses thinly shaved rotisserie meat instead of grilled chicken pieces.
A spicier version adds a spoonful of Turkish hot pepper paste to the yogurt sauce.
Vegetarian durum swaps the chicken for grilled halloumi or seasoned chickpeas.
Best assembled fresh; grilled chicken keeps refrigerated up to 3 days and can be reheated separately before wrapping fresh lavash around it.
Durum wraps grew out of Turkey's doner kebab tradition, adapting the rotisserie-roasted meat into a portable lunch format that became especially popular in Turkish cities from the mid-20th century onward.
Yes, though pita is thicker and less pliable — warm it well so it doesn't crack when rolled.
Even a quick 10-minute yogurt marinade helps; in a pinch, just season the chicken well with the same spices and grill directly.
It was likely rolled too loosely or not pressed on the griddle — press the seam side down briefly to seal it before slicing.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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