Who knew it was this easy to make oven-roasted chicken shawarma at home? You don’t need a special machine or spit to make juicy, crisp Middle Eastern shawarma. I have developed a simple marinade and cooking technique that results in a delicious batch of chicken shawarma. My Mediterranean recipe can easily be made in the oven or on the grill. I’m excited to share it with you!
What is Chicken Shawarma?
Shawarma is a delicious meat dish that is popular throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East. True shawarma is cooked with stacked, spice-marinated meats such as lamb, turkey, chicken, beef, or a mix of meats on a vertical rotisserie machine or spit.
The shawarma turns and slowly roasts for hours and hours, basted in fat and its own juices. Thin slices of meat are then shaved from the surface and served, either on their own or tucked inside a warm flatbread with fresh veggies, topped with tahini or garlic sauce.
Shawarma-style chicken might be a better name for this recipe. It doesn’t cook on a spit. However, it’s got all the flavor that you might expect from your local Middle Eastern restaurant!
Ingredients and Notes
I tried to replicate the flavor of chicken shawarma at home for months, playing with different spice combinations and cooking methods. At first, I tried buying pre-made spice blends from the Middle Eastern markets. None of them made my mouth happy. I needed more spice, more flavor, more oomph. So I began to experiment. Then, finally, I found what I consider to be the perfect balance!
- Chicken – I use a combination of light and dark meat (chicken breasts and chicken thighs) for this recipe to keep it a little leaner without missing out on any flavor.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – I use this to replace the fat found in chicken skin, adding extra flavor and a boost of omega fats, which are a staple in the Mediterranean diet.
- Spices – A combination of cumin, paprika, allspice, turmeric, garlic powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and black pepper creates a bold, savory flavor with lots of depth, just like you’d find with traditional recipes.
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
How to Make The Best Shawarma Chicken Recipe
You have two choices for cooking this Mediterranean recipe– in the oven or on the grill. To be honest, both cooking methods taste great. There really isn’t a big difference between the two.
- Marinate. Slice the breasts into pieces, and transfer them to a marinating dish or large plastic bag. Whisk olive oil and spices in a small bowl, and pour the mixture over the chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour or ideally up to overnight.
- Cook. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake in the oven. Or, thread it onto skewers and cook it on a grill. Either way, you’ll want to use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning it’s fully cooked and safe to eat.
- Sear. Let the chicken cool slightly. Then, slice it into thin pieces. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, and sauté the chicken pieces until brown and crisp, working in batches so as not to overcrowd the skillet.
- Enjoy. Add extra salt and pepper as needed, and enjoy.
My Favorite Ways to Serve
This recipe goes great with hummus and toum or tahini sauce. If you’re not keeping kosher and don’t mind combining dairy with meat, tzatziki sauce or yogurt sauce are both great accompaniments as well.
I like to serve over a salad or grain bowls with saffron rice or lemony saffron couscous for a boost of protein, or in a pita bread pocket or wrap. Add fresh parsley, lemon juice, cucumbers, red onion, lettuce, or tomato to make your pita sandwiches even more filling.
Video by Entice Films
Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (4 large thighs)
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch cayenne
- Salt and black pepper
- Nonstick cooking oil spray
You will also need
- Grill or baking sheet, tongs, skillet, spatula, plastic wrap.
Instructions
Prepare Marinade
- Slice the chicken breasts into 5-6 pieces each and the thighs into 3-4 pieces each. Place them in a marinating dish or large plastic zipper bag.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, the spices, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper (if you are salt sensitive, use 1/2 tsp of salt). Pour the spice marinade over the chicken pieces. Stir with a spoon till all the chicken pieces are evenly coated in the marinade.Cover the marinating dish with plastic wrap, or close the zipper bag. Place chicken in the refrigerator and let it marinate at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
Oven Cooking Method
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray the baking sheet with nonstick cooking oil. Place the chicken pieces on the sheet, evenly spaced.
- Place the chicken in the oven. Let it roast for about 15 minutes until cooked through, turning the chicken pieces once with tongs halfway through cooking.
- Take chicken out of the oven and let it cool slightly. Use a sharp knife to slice the meat into small, thin shawarma-like pieces.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet on the stovetop over medium. Pour half of the chicken into the skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes till the smallest pieces of chicken turn brown and crisp. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet. Heat another 1 tbsp of oil and saute the remaining chicken in the same way. Serve warm.
Grill Cooking Method
- Spray the grill with nonstick cooking oil and preheat to medium heat. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto wooden skewers.
- Cook the chicken for about 20 minutes, giving a quarter turn every 5 minutes, until cooked through (slice into the thickest piece of meat to check for doneness).
- Let the chicken cool slightly, then remove it from the skewers. Use a sharp knife to slice the meat into small, thin shawarma-like pieces.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet on the stovetop over medium. Pour half of the chicken into the skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes till the smallest pieces of chicken turn brown and crisp. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet. Heat another 1 tbsp of oil and saute the remaining chicken in the same way.
- Serve warm. Goes great with toum – a creamy Middle Eastern garlic sauce – or tahini sauce. It also makes a great pita bread sandwich, garnished with cucumbers, tomato, lettuce, red onions, and Middle Eastern pickles.
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
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FAQs
Yes, this recipe stores and reheats well. So, I like to make a large batch for meal prep and enjoy it for several days. Leftovers will keep fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Or, store them in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To serve, thaw your shawarma in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan over medium to medium-high heat.
This recipe is lighter than options you might find at a local restaurant, thanks to the skinless chicken. As a result, it makes for a fairly healthy option, full of high-quality lean protein.
You can even lighten the recipe even further by skipping the sautèing, which will reduce the amount of oil needed. It won’t taste exactly like shawarma, but it will still be tasty! Of course, please consult your doctor with any specific questions or concerns.
This is the best shawarma I’ve ever made!! I add a quartered onion to the marinade and a Tbsp of salt and I marinade up to 3 days at least one, It’s so good!
The first time I made this recipe I found the flavor to be subtle and bland so the second time I made it I doubled all the spice quantities and thought it was incredible! I also used chicken schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) when I fried it up in the frying pan.
Yes when I saw fourths of tsp I’m like oh no I know that’s not enough! Lol I know some people don’t like seasoning but I love it and the traditional way is heavy on the seasoning. I at least tripled mine. I just needed to know what I was missing from a different recipe which was allspice and cinnamon.
Great! It’s so easy to make at home now. Thanks!
AMAZING!!!! “Better than” our go-to shawarma place! Rave reviews from everyone who tried it! Thanks for sharing!!
Excellent and easy. Not a fan of Tahini so served it with salad (lettuce/tomato/cucumber/spinach), pita bread warmed in the oven after I took out the meat and turned it off, Humus and Tzatziki Sauce. Also ended up sauteing a little longer than called for. Thank you.
Thank you for recipe that a simple mind like mine can understand. I do have a question what kind of white sauce is that in that presentation?
Hi Bobby– it is toum sauce.
This recipe was delicious. My husband loved it.
Super easy recipe with very simple instructions and the meal turned out great.
Very good recipe. Have made it many times and it’s always delicious. Thanks for sharing it!
You’re welcome Jonathan! Thank you for writing.
I loved the process for twice cooking the meat. The spice mixture was not to my taste and I found a mixture at a store in Jerusalem. Your recipes are great and so easy to follow
Hi thanks for the recipe what abput the sauce
This is traditionally served with toum: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/toum-middle-eastern-garlic-sauce/ or tahini sauce: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/tahini-sauce/
I would like to know what dressing you used on the lovely salad that shares this plate of Shawarma. We just experienced Shawarma last night at a Mediterranean restuarant and loved it. Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Several of us living here in Idaho are homesick for the variety of cuisine in big cities, so I made the grilled version of this recipe for a dinner party. It was a huge hit. We swapped stories about Shawarma stands in NYC & Seattle.
I’ve been using this recipe for years and I love it! I had been using an old printed version, but lost it in a move. I’m glad that I lost it so that I could find your new website, and all the new wonderful recipes!
Glad to have you back Bridget!
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!
Hi Tori! I love this recipe have made it often! Thank you! Would I be able to make this with lamb? Would I need to adjust the oven time? Would I need to adjust the spices at all?
Thanks again!
Hi Karolin, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. You can certainly use this spice blend to make lamb shawarma, however we haven’t texted the recipe using lamb so I can’t advise on cook times and oven temp.
My husband and I love this recipe! He asks for it just about every week since i found it! Do you have a Beef Shawarma recipe as well or would this recipe work well with beef too?
Guessing you can do this with beef just as you do w chicken
I woudl be interested in knowing which cut of beef to use …maybe a skirt steak ?
Anyone?
This is the best recipe ever!!!!!
Thank you!
Wow. Simply amazingly. Perfect taste and easy to make. Followed the recipe as is. Thanks!!
This is a keeper! It was so good, even my three-year-old gobbled it up and stole some pieces from my husband’s plate! We all had seconds. I was going to skip the cook-again-in-the-cast-iron-pan part but I’m so glad I didn’t- that made the dish!