Name: Chicken Kefta Wraps - Easy Sheet Pan Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 heads whole garlic heads (tops sliced off); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 800 g ground chicken (regular mince is preferable to extra-lean); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 8 cloves garlic cloves (minced); 2 tsp smoked paprika; 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp salt; 2 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp turmeric; 2 tsp garlic powder; 30 g fresh parsley (chopped); 30 g fresh cilantro (chopped; optional); 1 large yellow onion (grated and squeezed dry); 4 tbsp olive oil; 0.5 large red onion (thinly sliced); 150 g cherry tomatoes (quartered); 15 g fresh parsley (chopped); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 2 tsp sumac; 0.5 lemon lemon juice; roasted garlic cloves (squeezed from the roasted heads); 60 ml mayonnaise; 60 ml Greek yogurt; 0.5 lemon lemon juice; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp black pepper; 6 pieces medium flatbreads

What Is Chicken Kefta?

Chicken kefta is a seasoned minced-chicken preparation shaped here as a flat sheet-pan bake rather than individual logs or skewers. Kefta and kofta are alternate transliterations used for related minced-meat preparations; this recipe keeps “kefta” because it matches its existing identity and the strongest relevant RecipeShare search wording.

The important distinction is the cooking format. The mixture is pressed into one even layer, baked, and cut into portions for flatbreads. That avoids the fragile shaping and extra handling required by individual kebabs while still creating browned edges and a tender centre.

How to Keep Chicken Kefta Juicy

Ground chicken is leaner and less forgiving than many lamb or beef kofta mixtures. Use regular ground chicken rather than extra-lean mince when possible. Grated onion contributes moisture, but squeeze it dry so that moisture stays in the meat rather than pooling around it. The olive oil in the mixture provides additional richness.

Mix until the mixture looks cohesive and slightly sticky. That endpoint is enough to help the sheet hold together; prolonged kneading can make the finished kefta dense. Because this is a binder-free recipe, the flat sheet-pan shape is intentional and more reliable than trying to form loose individual pieces.

Sheet-Pan Baking Details

Use a lined 23 x 33 cm tray and press the chicken into an even layer about 1.5 cm thick. Thin edges cook faster, so square off the corners and avoid spreading the mixture too far. Leave the kefta on the tray while it rests, then cut it into six long portions.

The surface should be browned around the edges rather than deeply charred. Check the thickest part with a thermometer and remove it when it reaches 74C (165F). Colour alone is not a reliable doneness test for ground chicken.

Roasted Garlic Sauce and Salad

This is a roasted garlic sauce made with mayonnaise and Greek yogurt, not tahini sauce or tzatziki. Roasting softens the garlic and gives the sauce sweetness without adding sugar. The sumac tomato salad brings acidity and freshness, which keeps the flatbread from feeling heavy.

How to Assemble the Wraps

Warm the flatbread first, then spread on the roasted garlic sauce, add the chicken kefta, and finish with the sumac tomato salad. Keep the sauce away from the bread edges so it does not squeeze out as you fold. A little extra salad is more useful than an overly thick layer of sauce.

Troubleshooting

Why did the kefta fall apart?

The mixture was probably too wet from unsqueezed onion, or it was spread unevenly. Squeeze the onion firmly, mix until the chicken becomes cohesive, and press the mixture into one even layer. Let it rest for five minutes before cutting.

Why is the chicken kefta dry?

The layer may have been too thin, the chicken may have been very lean, or it may have been cooked beyond 74C (165F). Use the recommended tray size, check the thickest part early, and rest the kefta before cutting.

Why is it not deeply browned?

Sheet-pan chicken will not develop the same char as grilled lamb or beef kofta. Use a fully preheated oven, keep the layer even, and avoid covering the tray. The goal is browned edges and a cooked centre, not a dark crust that dries the chicken.

Meal Prep and Storage

Cook the kefta and roasted garlic sauce ahead, then refrigerate them separately with the salad and flatbreads. Store cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat it covered in a skillet or oven with a splash of water. Warm the flatbreads just before assembling so they stay flexible.

The cooked kefta can be frozen in portions for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until piping hot. Do not freeze the assembled wraps or the tomato salad because the bread and vegetables become soggy after thawing.

Related Recipe Ideas

For a Greek-style chicken wrap with tzatziki, see Chicken Gyro Wraps with Roasted Garlic Tzatziki. For a beef version using a different sheet-pan and laffa method, see Street-Style Oven Kebab Laffa with Creamy Tahina. Crispy Oven-Baked Tortilla Kebabs is a separate beef tortilla-stack recipe rather than a chicken kefta wrap.

Nutrition Note

Nutrition is an estimate for one complete wrap, including one flatbread, chicken kefta, roasted garlic sauce, and salad. Values vary with the fat content of the ground chicken, flatbread size, mayonnaise, and yogurt used.