Chicken Shawarma Salad with Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp olive oil, for the marinade
• 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons), divided
• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated, for the marinade
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• a pinch of cayenne
• 1 3/4 tsp fine sea salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup peeled garlic cloves (about 1 large head), for the garlic sauce
• 1 cup avocado oil, for the garlic sauce
• 2 tbsp ice water
• 2 romaine hearts, chopped
• 2 Persian cucumbers, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
• 2 tbsp olive oil, for the salad
• 1 tsp ground sumac Label: sumac, and salt if any

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken: Whisk the 2 tablespoons of olive oil for the marinade with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the grated garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Toss the chicken in it until every piece is coated, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. Salt works its way into the meat as it sits and seasons it below the surface, and the oil carries the flavor of the spices, which dissolve in fat.
2. Make the garlic sauce: Put the peeled garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides often, until the garlic is minced as fine as it will go, nearly a paste. With the machine running, add the avocado oil a few drops at a time at first, then in the thinnest stream you can pour. After each 1/4 cup of oil, add 1 tablespoon of liquid, first the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for the sauce, then the ice water, until everything is in and the sauce is thick, white, and fluffy, about 8 minutes in all. The crushed garlic holds the oil in tiny droplets, and adding it slowly gives the sauce time to take in each addition; poured too fast, the oil pools and the sauce turns thin.
3. Heat the broiler: Set an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil.
4. Broil the chicken: Lay the thighs flat on the sheet pan, smooth side up, with space between them. Broil for 6 to 8 minutes, until browned and charred in spots, then turn them and broil 4 to 6 minutes more, until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads at least 165°F (74°C). Thighs stay juicy past that temperature, so let the edges char. Rest the chicken on a board for 5 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat before slicing.
5. Dress the salad: While the chicken rests, soak the red onion in cold water for 5 minutes and drain it, which softens its sharp bite. Toss the romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, onion, parsley, and mint in a large bowl with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil for the salad, the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice, the sumac, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
6. Slice and serve: Slice the chicken into thin strips across the grain, the way shawarma is shaved off the spit, and spoon any juices from the board over it. Divide the salad among four plates, pile the chicken on top, and spoon about 2 tablespoons of garlic sauce over each, with more on the side.