Chicken Shawarma is a Mediterranean dish made by marinating delicious chicken thighs and grilling or baking. Serve in warm pita bread or naan with fresh veggies. For a low-carb option, serve it plain.

Chicken Shawarma

CHICKEN SHAWARMA RECIPE

I’ve been obsessed with homemade chicken shawarma lately. Although I realized I was spelling it wrong for some time now. Something about the spice infused chicken wrapped in warm naan with fresh tzatziki, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and feta. I make this recipe often and my whole family loves it!

WHAT IS CHICKEN SHAWARMA?

Chicken Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish that marinates in spices and can be grilled or baked. It’s one of their popular street foods.

INGREDIENTS

  • LEMONS
  • OLIVE OIL
  • GARLIC CLOVE
  • WARM SPICES: CUMIN, PAPRIKA, TUMERIC, CINNAMON
  • BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS
  • RED ONION

TOPPINGS:

  • naan bread for serving
  • tzatziki sauce
  • Greek yogurt
  • peeled and diced cucumbers
  • chopped tomatoes
  • diced red onion
  • crumbled feta
  • (optional) tahini sauce

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SHAWARMA

  1. Prepare the marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and onion toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. You can marinate the chicken ahead of time, up to 12 hours.
  2. For Baking: When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove chicken and onion from the marinade and spread evenly in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and the internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 2 minutes. Slice into about 1-inch pieces. Optional: For extra crispy chicken, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown or until desired crispiness.
  3. For Grilling: Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Remove chicken and onion from marinade and grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink and onions are tender. Remove from the grill and let rest for about 2 minutes. Slice into thin slices of meat, about 1-inch pieces. Note: If your onions fell apart when marinating you can place a piece of foil on the grill and heat the onions on top.
  4. For serving: Serve in warm naan topped with tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and crumbled feta. Add tahini sauce if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Chicken Shawarma

CHICKEN THIGHS VS CHICKEN BREASTS

A question I get asked a lot is if chicken breasts can be used in place of thighs. Yes. Chicken breasts do not have as much fat and will not be as moist as thighs. Chicken breasts cook faster so the cooking time will need to be reduced by at least 10 minutes.

HOW TO SERVE CHICKEN SHAWARMA

This can be served by itself over salad or rice. The most traditional way is served wrapped in warm naan or pitas topped with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, feta, and tzatziki. 

Chicken Shawarma

OTHER EASY RECIPES

Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma

4.20 from 5 votes
Chicken Shawarma is a Mediterranean dish made by marinating chicken thighs and grilling or baking. Serve in warm pitas or naan. For a low-carb option, serve it plain.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Marinating: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • ½ cup olive oil , (plus more for baking)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • a pinch ground cinnamon
  • red pepper flakes, to taste
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 large red onion, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

TOPPINGS:

  • naan for serving
  • tzatziki sauce
  • peeled and diced cucumbers
  • chopped tomatoes
  • diced red onion
  • crumbled feta
  • (optional) tahini sauce

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and onion toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Mixture can be marinated up to 12 hours.
  • For Baking: When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove chicken and onion from the marinade and spread evenly on the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 2 minutes. Slice into about 1-inch pieces. Optional: For extra crispy chicken, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes or until desired crispiness.
    For Grilling: Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Remove chicken and onion from marinade and grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink and onions are tender. Remove from the grill and let rest for about 2 minutes. Slice into about 1-inch pieces. Note: If your onions fell apart when marinating you can place a piece of foil on the grill and heat the onions on top.
  • For serving: Serve in warm naan topped with tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and crumbled feta. Add tahini sauce if desired.

Notes

Source: NY Times Cooking
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Course: All Recipes, Main Course
Author: Christy Denney
Chicken Shawarma