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 (like Gyros and Doner kebabs) – 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.
- 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
- Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Pine Nuts
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
So delicious and easy to make! I don’t usually cook with chicken thigh but I thought I’d give it a try and I was not disappointed! The chicken was so tender and marinated perfectly. As you said the smell on the BBQ was unreal! I served the chicken with yogurt sauce, pita, lettuce, and tomato.
Wow! Unbelievable flavor. I’m not a chicken thigh fan but this was delicious! Made homemade pita and my family said it was better than any restaurant.
WOOT! Sounds like you absolutely nailed it Cheryl! N x
Thank you so much for this recipe! I followed the chicken portion of the recipe and had flavorful, juicy, spectacular chicken. I will definitely be making this again!
For the chicken shawarma, if I use chicken breasts will I filet them or simply cut them in half horizontal wise? Can’t wait to make this and thank you!!
Hi Kathy, I mention breasts in note 3 🙂 N x
Ok, it was confusing for some reason to me at first. I ended up filleting the breasts and they turned out beautifully with the most amazing flavor. I slathered hummus and the yogurt sauce over pita and wrapped it with pickled onions and cucumbers. I felt like I was in Brussels again eating Lebanese. I am over the moon to find this recipe!
This was absolutely delicious. It was a hit in my family. It was so flavorful, left me satisfied.
No words. So simple yet SO delicious. We live next to a Lebanese bread factory which makes the freshest bread and, paired with this, it was amazing.
I replaced the tomato slices with a homemade tabbouleh salad and cut the thighs into cubes so it could really soak up that marinade. This is definitely becoming a staple recipe in our household!!
Oh my GOD I can’t even begin to describe just HOW flavoursome this chicken is, I was not expecting this at all despite seeing all the amazing reviews!!!! I could have never imagined this dish to be so tasty, it’s honestly sublime and I will hold it close to my heart from hereon and forevermore! Wrapping the chicken in foil after cooking makes an incredible difference, it’s so juicy and succulent. I made some toum to have along with these wraps and served with batata harra – probably the most delicious meal I have made to date. I cannot thank you enough for sharing this masterpiece!
I used a different tzatziki recipe but I used this chicken one and made it over the stove top after letting the chicken sit for two days. Everything was delicious, served with sauce, lettuce, fixed tomato, and some sautéed red onions. Lemon rice as a side. Will definitely make this again!
I am from middle east and have to say that this recipe has the perfect mix of spices. The shawarma had exaclty the taste I was looking for.
Best shawarma ever… but I used half lamb and half goat! same spices, Also lettuce, giardiniare, sliced jalapeno. Rolled inside 10′ thin pita bread. Spread yogurt sauce overall. Messy but a meal in your hand!
Made this three times in the past two months. No need to change anything about it.
I can’t stand cumin. So I replaced with carroway in this recipe and it was brilliant. The whole family loved it. Thank you so much!
I cooked this on the weekend.
It was easy and tasted beautiful.
I will be cooking this again.
Thank you for sharing.
This recipe is SO delicious! Since the first time I made it, it has been a regular for our dinners. I personally like it better cooked in a skillet or grill pan. Cooking it on the charcoal grill loses the pan drippings. Great recipe! We serve it with a tomato cucumber cous cous salad.
PERFECT Chicken Shawarma! My family loved your recipe! This meal will be one of our GO-TOs from now on.
This recipe is outstanding. This is better than the restaurants. The spices are what makes it. Love, love, love this recipe. I put it on a plate with lettuce, pickled turnips, tomatoes, hummus, pickles, garlic sauce, tihini and I make it with a cilantro rice. You will not be disappointed!!
This is five stars!!!!!!
Perfect Alexandra!!! N x
This was amazing the smell I carnt explain the whole house smells unreal x
It’s simply amazing isn’t it Johanna – one of my favourite things to cook! N x
9h Nagi i made your chicken shawarma tonight. I can’t thank you enough.absolutely delicious. Made your flatbread also. U r such an incredible cook but I love that u share this all with us. I have made a few of your recipes but never commented. I’m now making up for it. I make your Charlie stir fry sauce all the time. It us my go to. Your flatbreads r my go to. Thank you again Nagi. Your recipes r easy to understand, fully doable and most importantly, successful thank you
Making this for the second time and cannot wait for dinner. One of my favourites from your site!