This Chicken Shawarma recipe is going to knock your socks off! Just a handful of every day spices makes an incredible Chicken Shawarma marinade that infuses the chicken with exotic Middle Eastern flavours. The smell when this is cooking is insane!
Chicken Shawarma
This is one of my signature recipes that will be very familiar to all my friends because I make this so often. It’s off the charts for effort vs output: just a handful of everyday spices, garlic, a splash of lemon and olive oil transforms into the most incredible flavour.
When this chicken is cooking, the smell is incredible. Incredible!!!
This Chicken Shawarma is how I met most of my neighbours when I lived in a townhouse complex. The courtyard was out the front and when I had friends round for a BBQ, random people I had never met before popped their head up over the fence, wanting to know what on earth I was making. They were elated when I handed out samples!
Great food for gatherings
This, along with the Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken, are two of my most frequently made foods when I’m cooking for a crowd because it’s easy to make loads, they are both great “lay it all out and let everyone serve themselves” type foods (I’m a big fan of food like that), and it travels well. I’ve made this multiple times on camping trips (along with the Vietnamese Noodles and Greek Gyros!).
Plus, there are always willing blokes around to take control of the BBQ (beer in hand) while us girls sit back sipping wine. That’s an arrangement that suits me great! 😉
How to Serve Chicken Shawarma
There are two main ways to serve Chicken Shawarma. As Chicken Shawarma wraps – with tomato, lettuce, and a simple yoghurt sauce on the side. Other optional extras include: red onion, cheese (query authenticity? But that’s ok!!), hummus, hot sauce / chilli sauce.
And the other way is with rice and salads on the side. Thought I usually do serve pita bread or another type of flatbread as well, just because it’s very on theme. ☺️ Here, the Chicken Shawarma is pictured with Mejadra which is a Middle Eastern lentil rice (seriously so good you can / will want to eat it just by itself!) and a Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad (I skip the spicing of chickpeas otherwise there’s just too much kapow spices going on).
A few other things that would be very much at home alongside Chicken Shawarma:
- Lemon Rice Pilaf
- Rice Pilaf with Nuts and Dried Fruit
- Chickpea Rice Pilaf
- Juicy Greek Salad – the flavours in Greek salad pair really well with Middle Eastern food
- Middle Eastern Shredded Cabbage, Carrot, Mint Salad
- Middle Eastern Roasted Vegetables with Tahini Drizzle
This recipe was part of a 7 course Arabian Feast menu that I shared 2 years ago. I didn’t get around to redoing all the recipes, but I will one day! I love that menu because so much of it can be prepared ahead, and there’s lots of common ingredients. Get yourself organised, eliminate distractions and commit to your kitchen temporarily being a war zone and you’ll get most the prep done in 1 hour. 🙂
Be prepared for the amazing smells when you’re cooking this Chicken Shawarma! – Nagi xx
PS Try your hand at making your own flatbreads. My recipe is made without yeast so they’re super easy!
Chicken Shawarma
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Chicken Shawarma recipe video! You can almost smell the heady aroma through the screen….almost!!!?
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Chicken Shawarma (Middle Eastern)
Ingredients
- 2lb /1 kg chicken thigh fillets , skinless and boneless (Note 3)
Marinade
- 1 large garlic clove , minced (or 2 small cloves)
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground cardamon
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (reduce to 1/2 tsp to make it not spicy)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Yoghurt Sauce
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt
- 1 clove garlic , crushed
- 1 tsp cumin
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
To Serve
- 6 flatbreads (Lebanese or pita bread orhomemade soft flatbreads)
- Sliced lettuce (cos or iceberg)
- Tomato slices
Instructions
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag (or bowl).
- Add the chicken and use your hands to make sure each piece is coated. If using a ziplock bag, I find it convenient to close the bag then massage the bag to disperse the rub all over each chicken piece.
- Marinate overnight or up to 24 hours.
- Combine the Yoghurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover and put in the fridge until required (it will last for 3 days in the fridge).
- Heat grill/BBQ (or large heavy based pan on stove) on medium high. You should not need to oil it because the marinade has oil in it and also thigh fillets have fat. But if you are worried then oil your hotplate/grill. (See notes for baking)
- Place chicken on the grill and cook the first side for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely charred, then turn and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes (the 2nd side takes less time).
- Remove chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
To Serve
- Slice chicken and pile onto platter alongside flatbreads, Salad and the Yoghurt Sauce.
- To make a wrap, get a piece of flatbread and smear with Yoghurt Sauce. Top with a bit of lettuce and tomato and Chicken Shawarma. Roll up and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
* Chickpea Rice Pilaf- slightly less spiced than Mejadra
* Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad (a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe, skip the spicing of chickpeas to keep it fresher)
* Also see 7 Course Arabian Feast (summary below recipe)
* 5. BAKING: Cooking on a BBQ or stove is best to get the caramelisation. Baking doesn't yield quite the same flavour - but still very good! Bake at 425F/220C for 20 - 25 minutes until a browned. 6. Nutrition for chicken only because flatbreads vary so much in size and calories.Assuming 6 servings.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published December 2014, updated with fresh stories, fresh photos and a recipe video!
Arabian Feast Menu
Here is a summary of the Arabian Feast Menu that I shared 2 years ago! I haven’t updated all the recipes yet – I’ll get to them eventually!
To Nibble: Classic Hummus, Herb Chili Feta, Chargrilled Vegetable Platter
For the Men to Grill: Lamb Koftas, Chicken Shawarma (this recipe)
Because we must have Greens (and cater for Vegetarians): Shredded Red Cabbage Carrot Salad, Spiced Chickpea Salad
LIFE OF DOZER
This shot pretty much encompasses how utterly predictable Dozer is:
✅ Skulking near a big pile of meat
✅ Squeezing himself under a tiny table laden with said food
✅ Eyes sparkling at the possibilities
✅ Licking his lips in anticipation
Fast, delicious and nutritious! I’m all about this kind of fast food and totally appreciate you posting this recipe. We eat it with tabouleh.
Is this mild spicy or spicy for kids?
Hi El, this isn’t too spicy, but just leave out the cayenne – the kids will love it!
Delicious! My husband spoke about shawarmas and how delicious they were – it was true! Great recipe! I used chicken breast and let them marinate overnight – they were moist and delicious! Paired it with the chickpea salad, wowsers!! Thanks for the delicious recipes!!
You’re so welcome Lucy, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Looks tempting, will try it soon.
Btw when I ate shawarma in Netherlands, sometimes they have onion, coriander & tomato in olive oil condiment. Do you know the name and the recipe. Thanks
Hi Nagi! I really want to try this out but I am confused about the cardamom powder. We have two types of cardamoms, right? The black and the green one. So which one’s powder are you using here?
This is another winner of a recipe. Nothing is better than your carnitas recipe, but this is close. Thank you for so many GOOD recipes that can actually be made by regular people.
If dairy free, what can I sub for the yogurt?
I love love love this Shawarma recipe with the rice pilaf, thank you Nagi. Your recipes are amazing and so easy to follow, such a fan of so many dishes 😀
Thanks so much Amanda! ❤️
Dear Nagi!
First; I love the content you post and I‘m so thankful for that BIG WORK you do, to bring this closer to us.
Second; A question. My partner and I are away for holidays. And on the day we get back I have to serve a big dish for us and our guests (yes, I‘m so planning to do your chicken Shawarma) Here is the actual question: Is it possible to put the chicken together with the marinade into a ziplock bag and put this into the freezer? When I get back (two weeks after) the first thing I‘ll do is remove the chicken from the freezer and work on the side dishes. Could this work out? How long can I keep the marinated chicken in the freezer?
Yes definitely Jasmin! I’d keep the marinated chicken no longer than a month in the freezer – N x
This was my first time with your recipes, and it was wonderful, so easy to do and so wonderful. Thank you Nagi, for all you do.
You’re so welcome Pat, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Nagi… i love your recipes. Taste so delicious and presentation are anazing. From middle eastern to chinese I have tried your recipes and looking forward to try other cuisines. So far, i emjoyed guest wonderful comments and showed them your website to try your recipes too ! Thank you
Love your recipes ❤️
By the way, would like to know if I could use beef instead of chicken?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Nagi, do you know if this would work out well in a slow cooker instead?
I love this recipe and have made it for parties as well as smaller gatherings. I want to do it again soon but need a vegetarian alternative. Have you ever substituted the chicken for mushrooms? I’ve seen other recipes online for mushroom shawarma but none are rocking my boat!
Hi Stephanie! Raw mushrooms just don’t suck up normal marinades. What you need to do is cook them first to make them porous then marinade them. Which, for this marinade, means you’d need to recook them. So what I’d do is this: Roast mushrooms for 20 minutes until softening, then while HOT, pour over this marinade. Leave for a while – few hours, overnight. Then pan fry them in olive oil to caramelise the outside of the mushrooms and cook out the spices 🙂 Now THAT is a mushroom shawarma that would rock your boat! (I think 😂) N x
This recipe for shawarma and flatbread was simply divine!! Chicken was deliciously tender and my 1st ever attempt at flatbread was WOW!! Thank you so much for sharing it x
Wahoo, that’s great to hear Shelagh!