This homemade chicken shawarma recipe is made with a special spice mix that infuses it with classic Middle Eastern flavors. Serve it in a wrap to get the satisfying taste of take-out shawarma at home!
Nothing beats classic Middle Eastern recipes. From shish tawook and homemade falafel to hummus and 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 mix of spices!
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About this recipe
Shawarma is a Middle Eastern street food that's packed with flavor thanks to the special spice mixture that brings it all together. You can find both beef shawarma and chicken shawarma all around the Middle East. Traditional chicken shawarma is made with marinated chicken pieces layered on a spit, rotating and roasting for a few hours until fully cooked.
Shawarma is juicy and flavorful with crispy bits. It can be served on a plate with some salad such as Mediterranean salad and spreads such as toum (garlic spread) or as a wrap with fresh and warm pita or lavash.
Since we love shawarma but don't own a spit at home, I worked out a recipe for that uses an easy technique to make the chicken juicy and flavorful like (or even better than) you local shawarma joint!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken - I prefer using boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because they're juicy and tender after cooking. However, you can also use boneless skinless chicken breast or a combination of thighs and breast.
- Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil is always the best choice.
- Garlic - A few cloves of garlic adds so much flavor to the marinade.
- Lemon - Skip bottled lemon juice and use the real deal for this recipe.
- Spice mix - It's all about the spices when it comes to shawarma. You can find shawarma spice mixes in many shops but I personally love making my own spice mix. The spices used to make the marinade include cumin, cinnamon, paprika, cardamom, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and salt.
How to make chicken shawarma
This is a recipe for oven roasted shawarma which means no grilling or spits are needed. The key is to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes but preferably overnight.
Marinate the chicken: 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: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°F, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat it with cooking spray.
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 make 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.
Pro tip: Another way to crisp 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.
Serving suggestions
You can serve this dish in so many different ways. Here's a couple of ideas:
- Shawarma plate: Serve with some spicy hummus, white rice or rice with vermicelli, tabouli salad, batata harra and tahini sauce.
- Shawarma wrap: Heat some pita or lavash and top it with shawarma. Add some cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. Top with tahini sauce or a simple yogurt and garlic sauce. Roll the wrap and serve. Another way to make a wrap is with garlic sauce (toum), pickles, fries and pickled turnips.
Frequently asked questions
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 serve.
As mentioned above, I advise using boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. However if you prefer chicken breast, pound it until 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.
This dish is best served fresh and warm. However, you can marinate the chicken up to 8 hours prior to cooking.
More Chicken Recipes
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Step-by-Step Recipe
Homemade Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 tsp cumin
- 1.5 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cardamom
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon juice
To serve:
- Pita bread
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 2 Persian cucumbers chopped
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Tahini sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix olive oil, garlic, all the spices and lemon juice.
- Add chicken thighs to the bowl and mix so they are coated in the marinade.
- Cover and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to 8 hours.
- When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non stick spray.
- Place the chicken thighs in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Take the baking sheet out of the oven and raise the temperature to 425°F.
- Place the cooked chicken thighs on a cutting board and slice them into bits. Return them to the baking sheet and give it a stir.
- Bake in the oven for an additional ten minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix chopped tomatoes and cucumbers and add some salt, pepper and lemon juice. Set aside.
- Mix yogurt, minced garlic and salt and set it aside.
- Make chicken shawarma wraps by placing chicken shawarma on warm pita or lavash and add some tomato and cucumber salad with some yogurt garlic sauce.
Video
Notes
- 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.
- 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.
Toni
This is so tasty and delicious!! I can't stop myself from eating more than I usually do! This is amazing!
Katie
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
Sam
I've always wanted to make chicken shawarma at home! This was delicious!!
Natalie Bawart
So, Tahini is on the ingredients. What for?
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
It's tahini sauce (recipe on the blog) which is different from tahini. It's a sauce made with tahini, yogurt and spices that you can drizzle on shawarma to serve.
Naomi
Absolutely amazing. Beyond just delicious spices and flavorings, the cooking instructions are perfect. You get a perfect crust on the chicken. I've made this dish twice and I plan to make it again and again! I only marinated the chicken for 30 minutes and it really tastes phenomenal. Thank you! As usual, Shadi's recipes are amazing!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Naomi, thank you for your kind comment! I'm so happy to know you like this recipe, it's definitely one of our favorites too!
Frannie
Caught your IGLive the other day and knew I had to make this. Wow! The combination of spices , especially the cinnamon and lemon, are so good!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Glad you enjoyed this recipe! And thanks for watching the IG live!
Amanda
Can you marinate the chicken overnight?
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Amanda, yes you can marinade the chicken in the fridge overnight.
pamela
Hi, Shadi! What are the green herbs on top of the yoghurt sauce? Thanks!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Pamela! That's dried mint, it's completely optional 🙂
Mahsa
Can I make it with chicken drum stick?
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
You sure can, simply take the chicken off the bone once it's cooked. Enjoy!
Marie
How much lemon juice? The recipe does not specify.
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Marie, as mentioned in the recipe, you'll need juice of one lemon, which would be about 2-3 tablespoons.
Claudia Lamascolo
The flavors going on in this chicken dish are absolutely mouth watering I have never made anything like it thanks for this recipe
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Thank you Claudia! Hope you enjoy it!
Aimee Shugarman
This recipe did not disappoint. So amazing!!!
Doug
I made this a couple of weeks ago and it was excellent! Very nice spice blend and it baked up perfectly. My go to for shawarma in the future!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Thank you Doug! Happy to know you have a favorite shawarma recipe now!
Tayler Ross
I had never tried shawarma until I tried this recipe, and OMG was it delicious! I can't wait to make it again!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Chicken shawarma is a favorite here too! Enjoy!
wilhelmina
We will be making this flavorful meal on repeat at our house!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Glad to know you guys like it!