Chicken Shawarma

Chicken shawarma needs no introduction, known globally for its irresistible combination of bold spices and tender, juicy meat. Hailing from the vibrant streets of the Levant, this Middle Eastern delight is made by marinating chicken in a rich blend of cumin, coriander, garlic, paprika, and other aromatic spices, then slow-cooked to perfection. Wrapped in warm pita or flatbread and topped with a variety of fresh veggies, creamy garlic sauce, and zesty pickles, each bite offers a mouthwatering balance of savoury, tangy, and aromatic flavours. Whether you’re looking for an on the go lunch or a satisfying meal, chicken shawarma is a flavorful journey that brings the heart of the Middle East straight to your plate.

Components of a perfect shawarma

• Spiced chicken shawarma
• Fresh bread (tandoor bread/pita bread)
• Garlic toum sauce
• Pickles
• Pomegranate molasses
• Cabbage slaw

Chicken Shawarma Marinade

• Coriander seeds
• Cardamom
• Middle eastern 7 spice
• Smoked paprika
• Cumin
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Yogurt
• Garlic

Tips to keep the chicken juicy

Pound out the chicken breast- this ensure the chicken breast is relatively similar in thickness to the chicken thighs so they all cook at the same pace. Pounding out the chicken also helps to tenderize it, ensuring a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth texture that absorbs the marinade more effectively for enhanced flavour.

Marinate for at least 3-4 hours, ideally even longer—this gives the lemon juice, yogurt, and salt enough time to penetrate the meat and break down the protein fibres, resulting in a more tender and flavorful chicken.

Alternate chicken skin in between the chicken thighs and chicken breast – the fat will release slowly during the cooking process and continuously baste the chicken to keep everything juicy

Bake low and slow- 375 degrees in the oven for about 2 hours – Allows the chicken to cook all the way through without overcooking the chicken and drying it out.

Cooking Methods for chicken shawarma

Vertical Spit Stand: You can imitate a shawarma shop spit by using this mini vertical spit stand which conveniently fits Into the oven. This is a really fun way to make chicken shawarma at home and effective especially if you do place chicken skin in between for the self-basting this cooking format offers.

Bamboo skewer: If you don’t have a vertical split stand, no problem. create a similar concept by aligning the chicken on bamboo skewers and laying them horizontally over a baking tray to catch the chicken juices. To get some colour of the entire surface area of the chicken, you will want to remove from the skewers once they’re cooked and reverse sear in a hot pan for 1-2 minutes per side. This method is great if you want the chicken to cook faster as the bake time would only be about 45 minutes since the chicken is aligned in the direction the heat comes from in the oven.

Pan-sear: This is the quickest, hassle free method compared to all the above. simply sear the chicken in a hot skillet to get some colour then cover and cook on medium for 20-30 minutes until cooked through. Optionally slice up the chicken and return to the pan to sear once more on a high heat for 2-3 minutes for a more charred flavour.

Serving suggestions

In a wrap: Make it into shawarma wraps using my soft and chewy naan & garlic toum sauce recipe

In a bowl: Use it for delicious shawarma bowls over yellow rice & white sauce and a fresh salad

Watch how its made

5 from 3 votes

Chicken Shawarma

This chicken shawarma recipe brings the vibrant flavours of the Middle East to your kitchen with tender, marinated chicken infused with a blend of spices like cumin, paprika, and garlic. Whether you choose to serve in a warm fresh bread for a delicious shawarma wrap or over fluffy rice for a satisfying bowl, it's a versatile dish that’s both bold in flavour and easy to make at home. Perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep, this recipe will quickly become a favourite.

Recipe Keys: C Chicken

Print Recipe

Prep Time 1 hr Cook Time 2 hrs Total Time 3 hrs

Ingredients

Shawarma spice mix

• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 pc cardamom pod
• 2 tsp Middle eastern 7 spice
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp salt
• ¹⁄₄ tsp cinnamon

Shawarma chicken

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ¹⁄₄ cup lemon juice (1.5 lemons)
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• Shawarma spice mix
• 2 lbs. Chicken (1 lb. chicken breast/ 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs)

Other ingredients

• Fresh bread
• Garlic toum sauce
• Pomegranate molasses
• Pickles
• Cabbage Slaw
• Sumac

Instructions

1. Pound out chicken breast using a mallot so that the thickness is more consistent all the way through. Slice the chicken breast in half so that it is roughly a similar size to the chicken thighs.
2. For the spice mix, grind coriander seeds and a cardamom pod using a mortar and pestle. Combine the ground coriander and cardamom with middle eastern 7 spice, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, and salt. Whisk well to combine.
3. In a large bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, yogurt, minced garlic, and the shawarma spice mix. Whisk well to combine again then add in the chicken. Massage the spice mixture into the chicken and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour (ideally 3-4 hours and up to overnight).

4. Skewer the marinated chicken onto the roasting spit alternating chicken thighs and chicken breast together. Start with an onion on the bottom to lift the chicken off the pan floor. Pour ½ cup- 1 cup water to the base so the chicken juices that drip down do not burn.

   Note: if you don't have a spit, read the blog post above on other methods to cook the chicken.
5. Place the roasting spit in a preheated 375 degrees f oven and bake for about 2 hours.
6. Once the chicken is cooked, carefully remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Place a bench scraper or some vessel to catch the chicken from falling into the juices on the floor of the pan then slice the chicken vertically into thin slices. Once you get halfway through the chicken, it is easier to remove the chicken from the spit and slice on a cutting board.

7. To make shawarma wraps with the chicken, grab a fresh pita or bread and add a generous dollop of garlic toum, sliced pickles, the sliced chicken shawarma, a drizzle of pomegranate molasses and cabbage slaw. Wrap the shawarma tightly.

8. Dip a basting brush into the chicken juices at the bottom of the roasting tray and brush this onto on side of the shawarma wrap. Sprinkle on top with sumac. Toast the shawarma in a pre-heated pan on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes until golden and crispy.

Note

Tip 1: Make a simple cabbage slaw by combining ready made cabbage mix from the grocery store with a couple tablespoons of mayonnaise, a dash of white vinegar and a sprinkle of salt.

Tip 2: Use my soft & chewy naan recipe to make fresh bread for this chicken shawarma for the ultimate wrap.