Turkish kefta traditionally grills over charcoal, but sheet pans at 425°F create identical char without the smoke.
Sheet Pan Chicken Kefta Wraps
Get ready to savor a flavor explosion with these Sheet Pan Chicken Kefta Wraps! Juicy ground chicken is infused with aromatic spices and roasted to perfection, then lovingly wrapped up with a crunchy salad and a drizzle of creamy roasted garlic sauce. It's a simple yet sensational meal that will have everyone coming back for seconds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
60
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This Turkish-Lebanese kefta got its sheet-pan makeover from 1980s California health-food fanatics who couldn't be bothered with individual meatball rolling—what started as street-cart finger food in Ottoman Beirut became suburbanite meal-prep gold when Persian-American chefs realized you could feed eight people with one tray and zero fuss.
Regional Twist
In Damascus, they replace the turmeric with Aleppo pepper and fold pomegranate molasses directly into the ground chicken mixture, creating tangy-sweet kefta that'll make your regular tomato paste version seem positively pedestrian.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 cup (237 ml) cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup (79 ml) fresh cilantro
- 1 cup (79 ml) fresh parsley
- 1 cup (59 ml) greek yogurt
- 1 ½ lbs ground chicken
- 1 juice lemon
- 1 large red onion
- roasted garlic (to taste)
- 2 tsp (10 ml) sumac
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 1 large or 2 medium yellow onions
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black pepper (to taste)
- cumin (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- mayo (to taste)
- 4 tbsp (59 ml) olive oil
- paprika (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- smoked paprika (to taste)
- turmeric (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Slice the tops off two garlic heads, drizzle with olive oil and salt, wrap in foil, and roast for 45–60 minutes until golden and soft.
- 2
Grate the onion, squeeze out all liquid with a paper towel or cheesecloth. In a large bowl, combine chicken, tomato paste, minced garlic, spices, parsley, cilantro (if using), and the grated onion. Mix with your hands for 2–3 minutes until sticky and well combined.
- 3
Spread onto the sheet pan in a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. With a knife, score into 1-inch strips. Drizzle evenly with 4 tbsp olive oil.
- 4
Bake for 12–15 minutes, then broil for 2–5 minutes until golden and slightly crisp on top.
- 5
While baking, toss onion, tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper, sumac, and lemon juice in a bowl.
- 6
Squeeze roasted garlic cloves into a bowl, mash, then mix with mayo, yogurt, lemon juice, paprika, and pepper until smooth.
- 7
On lavash or pita, slather sauce, add 1–2 strips of chicken kefta, top with salad. Roll tight. For extra magic, crisp the wrap in a lightly oiled skillet for 1-2 mins per side.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Squeeze grated onion until bone dry using cheesecloth - excess moisture creates steam that prevents proper browning and makes kefta mushy instead of developing a crispy exterior.technique
- ✓Mix the chicken mixture by hand for exactly 2-3 minutes to develop myosin proteins, which creates the sticky, cohesive texture that prevents kefta from crumbling during baking.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Score the kefta into strips before baking so heat penetrates evenly and edges get maximum surface area for Maillard browning - unscored sheets cook unevenly with soggy centers.technique
- ✓Broil for the final 2-5 minutes at 500°F+ to trigger Maillard reactions on the surface, creating the essential crispy crust that contrasts with the tender interior.timing2-5 minutes at 500°F+
- ✓Use ground chicken with 15-20% fat content - leaner meat will dry out during the 12-15 minute bake time, while higher fat creates greasy kefta that won't hold together.ingredient15-20% fat content
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
60
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Turkish kefta traditionally grills over charcoal, but sheet pans at 425°F create identical char without the smoke.
Sheet Pan Chicken Kefta Wraps
Get ready to savor a flavor explosion with these Sheet Pan Chicken Kefta Wraps! Juicy ground chicken is infused with aromatic spices and roasted to perfection, then lovingly wrapped up with a crunchy salad and a drizzle of creamy roasted garlic sauce. It's a simple yet sensational meal that will have everyone coming back for seconds!
The Story
This Turkish-Lebanese kefta got its sheet-pan makeover from 1980s California health-food fanatics who couldn't be bothered with individual meatball rolling—what started as street-cart finger food in Ottoman Beirut became suburbanite meal-prep gold when Persian-American chefs realized you could feed eight people with one tray and zero fuss.
Regional Twist
In Damascus, they replace the turmeric with Aleppo pepper and fold pomegranate molasses directly into the ground chicken mixture, creating tangy-sweet kefta that'll make your regular tomato paste version seem positively pedestrian.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 cup (237 ml) cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup (79 ml) fresh cilantro
- 1 cup (79 ml) fresh parsley
- 1 cup (59 ml) greek yogurt
- 1 ½ lbs ground chicken
- 1 juice lemon
- 1 large red onion
- roasted garlic (to taste)
- 2 tsp (10 ml) sumac
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 1 large or 2 medium yellow onions
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- black pepper (to taste)
- cumin (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- mayo (to taste)
- 4 tbsp (59 ml) olive oil
- paprika (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- smoked paprika (to taste)
- turmeric (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Slice the tops off two garlic heads, drizzle with olive oil and salt, wrap in foil, and roast for 45–60 minutes until golden and soft.
- 2
Grate the onion, squeeze out all liquid with a paper towel or cheesecloth. In a large bowl, combine chicken, tomato paste, minced garlic, spices, parsley, cilantro (if using), and the grated onion. Mix with your hands for 2–3 minutes until sticky and well combined.
- 3
Spread onto the sheet pan in a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. With a knife, score into 1-inch strips. Drizzle evenly with 4 tbsp olive oil.
- 4
Bake for 12–15 minutes, then broil for 2–5 minutes until golden and slightly crisp on top.
- 5
While baking, toss onion, tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper, sumac, and lemon juice in a bowl.
- 6
Squeeze roasted garlic cloves into a bowl, mash, then mix with mayo, yogurt, lemon juice, paprika, and pepper until smooth.
- 7
On lavash or pita, slather sauce, add 1–2 strips of chicken kefta, top with salad. Roll tight. For extra magic, crisp the wrap in a lightly oiled skillet for 1-2 mins per side.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Squeeze grated onion until bone dry using cheesecloth - excess moisture creates steam that prevents proper browning and makes kefta mushy instead of developing a crispy exterior.technique
- ✓Mix the chicken mixture by hand for exactly 2-3 minutes to develop myosin proteins, which creates the sticky, cohesive texture that prevents kefta from crumbling during baking.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Score the kefta into strips before baking so heat penetrates evenly and edges get maximum surface area for Maillard browning - unscored sheets cook unevenly with soggy centers.technique
- ✓Broil for the final 2-5 minutes at 500°F+ to trigger Maillard reactions on the surface, creating the essential crispy crust that contrasts with the tender interior.timing2-5 minutes at 500°F+
- ✓Use ground chicken with 15-20% fat content - leaner meat will dry out during the 12-15 minute bake time, while higher fat creates greasy kefta that won't hold together.ingredient15-20% fat content