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.
I made this and it was excellent. wondering where is the garlic sauce
I will post the garlic sauce at some point. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
This recipe is the bomb. Tried schawarma for the first time a little while ago and wondered if I could make it at home…apparently I can thanks to this.
Great stuff. Thanks muchly 🙂
You’re most welcome 🙂
I have traveled the Middle East and ate so many different types of Chicken Shawarma’s. I have to say this is FAR BETTER than any Chicken Shawarma I have tasted! It was VERY simple to make. I made a Garlic sauce with Melted butter (cooled) with one garlic clove minced and added some Sour Cream. Tasty, tasty, tasty!
Absolutely the best shawarma I’ve ever made. Way better than our local Lebanese spit ever produced.
Thank you so much for sharing this Tori.
Gary
You’re welcome Gary 🙂
Just came accross this recipe and site. Marinated overnight and cooked this morning- waiting all day to try it- did not disappoint!!
The whole family loved it and wanted to know when I could make more!!!
Great Jenn!
Tried this last night. And it was so goood! Made a proper shawarma roll with toum and pickles. Thank you so much for posting this.
I made this, albeit significantly more half-assed than the recipe, and it came out delicious!! I will for sure be making this again 🙂 Thank you!!
This is so good and tastes very similar to the shawarma we used to eat at a place too far away from us to eat now, plus they are somewhat pricey. I usually make a garlic hummus (my version) which is a blended mixture of oil, plenty of garlic, garbanzo beans, cumin, lemon and salt. We used to get the garlic sauce at the restaurant but I have not been able to replicate it, so my substitution has worked for us.
I sometimes reduce the cinnamon, but other than that, I love this recipe. Thanks!
Do you use sweet or smoked paprika? I have both, but each have very different flavor profiles. I want to be sure to use the correct kind. 🙂
I recently have had my first chicken shawarma experience, as I had never had it before. I love it!!! I was so happy to find you recipe and I plan to make it tomorrow!
In this recipe I generally use sweet paprika. Enjoy!
I made this recipe and I love it! I did reduce the amount of cinnamon just a bit, I have Saigon Cinnamon, so it is very pungent. The recipe is delicious. I cut it up into large chunks, marinate it and then grill it in batches and then cut it into smaller pieces and re-fry it in a hot skillet to get it nice and brown. I paired it the first time with the tahini sauce, and it was horrible… maybe it was the brand of tahini sauce I purchased, but it was super bitter, and I tried everything to smooth out the flavor, but I mostly just wasted $8 on a jar of tahini that didn’t want to be improved. LOL Instead, I took soft butter, olive oil, salt and raw garlic to make my own “sauce”. The local restaurant I go to has a “butter” they serve with the bread, and I love it on the Shawarma, so while mine isn’t the typical recipe of vegetable oil, egg, garlic, I liked mine better. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
You’re welcome Heidi! 🙂
Hi
I just read your recipe for chicken shawarma. Looks yummy. Am heading straight to the kitchen to try it right away. Will let you how it turns out to be. Thanks for the recipe
The reciepe was great taste like it did at the restaurant love it thanks
Hi Tori,
Your website is my go-to recipe finder now.
I made shawarma, classic baba ghanoush, and tahini accordingly to your recipes last weekend. About 17 lbs of shawarma, for the party of about 40 people (my b-day party). People just went ecstatic about it (there were many Israelis at the party and shawarma available at Mediterranean restaurants locally is, well, subpar). Had to share the recipe with almost everyone:) (I never pretended it’s my own:)
Thank you so much and please keep posting more. You are so talented!!!
You are awesome Michael, thank you so much for helping me spread the word! 🙂
I have been trying several of your recipes and they all turned out fantastic. The chicken shawarma is out of this world and I had to write something. I followed the recipe exactly and when I took the first bite, it was like being back in Israel. Many thanks for the recipe.
Great to hear that Shanna! 🙂
This is THE BEST recipe for Chicken Shawarma I have ever used. I am lazy so I marinate longer and bake all of my chicken pieces in the oven – even tightly packed when I am doing a large serving. EVERYONE compliments me – even people who swear they hate Mid-Eastern food – on this recipe and, aside from making a few little changes (I cut up onions, marinate and bake with the chicken), I use the spices exactly as prescribed. Wonderful. I add to this the accoutrement of Tabouli salad, Saffron rice, lots of Tzatziki sauce and homemade Hummus with both white and wheat pita breads. Some tomatoes on the side along with a nice mix of Greek olives really makes an all around delicious meal.
I’ve been cooking this 2x a week for weeks, now! The family loves it, and it’s easy to make a double-batch on Sunday, and cook them up on Monday & Wednesday after work. 🙂
Great idea Bill. The longer it marinates the tastier it becomes!
Hubby has been playing around with our rotisserie. I jumped on Google when he asked me to try a chicken shawarma.
You have absolutely nailed it! I used your marinade, then alternated chicken breasts with onions, rotating the breasts as I loaded the skewers. I set the timer for 1.5 hours, but shut it off after about and hour. Fantastic!
Great to hear that Syeda! Thanks for reporting back.
The Tomato Garlic Fish Dish sounds fantastic! Can’t wait to try this for dinner:) Love your pictures too. Thanks for sharing the recipes, Cindra
Wowww I doesnt know how to tank u about dis recipe
i will really want to no more about shawarma making
I was skeptical that it could taste anything like schwarma….. boy was I wrong! It was great and not difficult to make. Do you have a recipe for Lamb or turkey schawarma?
I added zaatar in the marinade and a bit more salt. Yummm.
Adding zaatar is a great idea when I use this recipe for Lamb Shawarma! I pretty much use the same recipe for lamb or turkey, too.