Homemade Chicken Shawarma Recipe [Video]

This homemade chicken shawarma recipe is made with a special spice mix that makes it very delicious. Served with pita bread and salad, it’s a Middle Eastern classic.

Nothing beats classic Middle Eastern recipes. From homemade falafel and hummus to kibbeh, every dish is a celebration of flavors. Chicken shawarma is one of those dishes that almost everyone has tried at some point, usually in a restaurant. Today, I’m going to show you how to make this classic recipe at home. The key is in the spices!

What is chicken shawarma?

Chicken shawarma is a Middle Eastern street food that’s packed with flavor thanks to the special spice mixture that brings it all together. Traditional chicken shawarma is made with marinated chicken pieces layered on a spit, rotating and roasting for a few hours until it’s fully cooked. Shawarma is juicy and flavorful with crispy bits. It can be served on a plate with salads (such as Mediterranean salad) and spreads or as a wrap with fresh and warm pita.

Since we love shawarma but don’t own a spit at home, I worked out a recipe for chicken shawarma that uses an easy technique to make the chicken juicy and flavorful like (or even better than) you local shawarma joint!

The spice combination

What makes shawarma so unique and delicious is the combination of spices that’s used to marinate the chicken. Spices used to make chicken shawarma are:

• Cumin
• Cinnamon
• Paprika
• Cardamom
• Coriander
• Turmeric
• Cayenne
• Salt

These spices are available at many supermarkets and stores, and of course you can purchase them online. There are shawarma spice mixes available as well but I have found making my own shawarma spice mix to yield better and stronger flavors.

What cut of chicken should I use?

The best cut to use for chicken shawarma is boneless skinless chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are juicier and make the perfect shawarma. However, if you’d like to use chicken breast, you can do that too. Just keep an eye out to make sure it doesn’t get dry.

How to make chicken shawarma

This is a recipe for oven roasted chicken shawarma which means no grilling or spits are needed. Start with preheating the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

Marinade the chicken

The key to a tasty shawarma is the marinade. You need to marinade the chicken for at least 30 minutes; however, the longer it marinates the juicier and more flavorful the chicken will be. To make the marinade for this recipe, mix all the spices in a large bowl and add in olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Mix well and then add the chicken to the marinade. Let it marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.

Bake in the oven

Place the chicken thighs in one single layer on the baking sheet and brush the remaining marinade on them. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Take the baking sheet out of then oven and raise the temperature to 425°F.

Chop and get it crispy

Place the chicken thighs on a board and slice them into bits. Return them to the baking sheet and stir to make sure they absorb the juice. Bake in the oven at 425°F for an additional 10 minutes until they have crispy bits and ends.

Serving suggestions

You can serve chicken shawarma in so many different ways. Here’s a couple of ideas:

• Shawarma plate: Serve with some spicy hummus, white rice, tabouli salad and tahini sauce.
• Chicken shawarma wrap:  Heat some pita and top it with chicken shawarma. Add some cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. Top with tahini sauce or a simple yogurt and garlic sauce. Roll the wrap and serve.

A few note and tips

• Instead of roasting in the oven, you can grill marinated chicken to make shawarma. Grill the chicken thighs until they are fully cooked then slice them into pieces and either place them on the grill to be crispy or broil them for a few minutes.
• Another way to crisp up the chicken slices is to heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and then simply crisp the chicken slices in the skillet as quickly as possible.
• As I have mentioned above, I advise using boneless skinless chicken thighs for this chicken shawarma recipe. However if you prefer chicken breast, pound it to it’s even on all sides and then marinate and cook it according to the instructions.
• Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.