Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe!!! Carve it up, just like it’s done at the neon-lit kebab shops, then use it to roll up your very own Doner Kebabs or make kebab plates. Marinated in a heady spice mix before roasting the oven or grilled on the BBQ, this is great food for gatherings.
Also, don’t miss Lamb and Beef Doner Kebab Meat – looks and tastes just like the real deal! (Albeit on a much smaller scale…)
Doner Kebab recipe
It’s practically an Aussie right of passage to do the post-pub midnight kebab run at some point in your life.
Usually at the tender age of 18 when we hit the legal drinking limit (*cough, cough, no mum, I never drank a drop before then*). Late night outs with uni friends, being booted out of pubs at closing, drawn like moths to the brightly lit kebab stores.
You can’t miss the giant rotisserie of meat that greets you when you walk into a Kebab store. Sometimes, it’s concerning to think about how long it’s been there, lazily rotating around, waiting for the next customer to wander in before being carved.
In kebab shops, they are giant – like the size of a punching bag.
For this homemade Doner Kebab recipe, we are going a little smaller.
Like – 2% of the size. 😂
What is Doner Kebab meat made of?
While the chicken kebab meat does actually look like meat, the lamb and beef kebab meats have a uniform texture that’s a dead giveaway that there’s plenty of non-real-food fillers in them!
As for seasonings / preservatives / additives…. who knows?? (She says, with an exaggerated shrug of her shoulders)
And therein lies the greatest upside of homemade doner kebabs:
You know exactly what’s in this.
So. This teeny homemade doner kebab scores big points in this field – you know this is made with all real ingredients!
Marinate, thread onto skewers, prop on edges of baking pan and bake.
Then carve up that meat, just like at the kebab shop!
Well, a teeny version of it.(Remember, for today, the rule is that size doesn’t matter!)
What’s the difference between Doner Kebab and Shawarma?
Shawarma and Doner Kebabs are prepared and used in similar ways (ie cooked on a vertical spit, shaved and served wrapped in flatbread) but they have different spice flavourings. Shawarma originates from the Middle East whereas Doner Kebabs originate from Turkey.
What to use Doner Kebab meat for
The two main uses are Doner Kebab Rolls and Doner Kebab plates. However, the meat is also used in Pide, Gozleme and even on pizza – I love them all! 😂
To make Doner Kebab Rolls, lebanese flat bread is smeared with Hummus then topped with Tabbouleh (recipe in notes), shredded lettuce, tomato slices, optional onion then a big pile of the done kebab meat drizzled with sauce of choice (I always go chilli).
Rolled up tightly, wrapped in foil then sometimes toasted to make the bread crisp before slotting it into a paper sleeve (like pictured below).
Kebab Plates are a great alternative for something a bit different. I love the variety you get on the plates. It comes with Hummus, Tabbouleh (recipe in notes), tomato, lettuce, Mejadra (Middle Eastern Spiced Lentil Rice that’s so tasty, you can eat it plain) OR Curried Basmati Rice, and Lebanese Bread (aka pita bread). This is pretty much the standard selection that comes on Kebab plates.
Kebab plates are also a good option for a low carb meal – skip the rice and bread, go heavy on the fresh veg.
Whether you make Doner Kebab rolls or plates, both are equally delicious because of the meat! it’s loaded with flavour, juicy with caramelised edges. Just like from the kebab shop! – Nagi x
Doner Kebab recipe
Watch how to make it
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Doner Kebab recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2 lb chicken thighs , skinless and boneless (Note 1)
- Olive oil , for drizzling
Marinade:
- 1 cup plain yoghurt , unsweetened (I use Greek)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper , optional
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For Serving (choose):
Instructions
- Mix Marinade in a large bowl. Add chicken and mix to coat well.
- Cover and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours, 24 hours is ideal. If only 3 hours, add an extra 1/2 tsp salt.
- Preheat oven to 220C / 430F (standard) or 200C / 390F (fan / convection).
- Choose a pan of a size such that the skewers will stay propped up on the pan walls (see photos in post or video) and the chicken will be elevated off the base. Line with foil.
- Remove chicken from fridge. Divide the chicken into 2 piles.
- Take one piece of chicken, fold in half then thread onto two skewers (see video). Repeat and push the chicken snugly up against each other. Repeat with other skewer.
- Prop the 2 skewers on the edges of the baking pan. Drizzle surface with oil.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the surface is golden with some charred bits (char is good!).
- Spoon the pan juices over the chicken. Then turn, drizzle with oil and bake for 20 minutes (or 25 - 30 minutes if you had large thighs). If you need / want more colour, switch to grill/broil for a few minutes on high - I don't do this.
- Baste again with pan juices and stand for 5 minutes.
- Carving: Stand the skewers upright or on an angle, and slice meat fairly thinly. Use to make Doner Kebabs or Kebab Plates.
Doner Kebabs:
- Place a lebanese bread (or pita bread or other flatbread) on a piece of foil. Spread with a generous dollop of Hummus (or yoghurt - Note 2). Top with shredded lettuce, slices of tomato, Tabbouleh (for a truly authentic experience! Note 3), cheese (I usually go this) and Chicken. Drizzle with chilli sauce if desired (I use Sriracha, it's perfect).
- Roll up tightly and wrap in foil. Consume and be happy!
Kebab Plates:
- Serve chicken with Mejadra (Middle Eastern Spiced Rice with Lentils), shredded lettuce, tomatoes, slices of red onion, tabbouleh, dollop of hummus. Optional to serve flatbread / lebanese bread on the side.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
At the local markets – no dogs allow inside so Dozer gets ditched in the Dog Parking Area!!
Jenna says
My partner loves this recipe. He says its the best, beats the kebab he gets at the local cafe
Nagi says
Wahoo, that’s great Jenna! N x
April says
This was amazing! I didn’t have a lot of pan juices because I trimmed most of the fat–truthfully, I dislike thighs–but this was great. I still had enough to baste them halfway through.
My husband thought the yogurt sauce was “too yogurty” so I added more EEVO, lemon juice, and added some “Feta & Herb Dipper” by Olivelle. It was fabulous.
I also made saffron rice and garlicky salty broccoli as a side. It went great with the meal. We ate the chicken in pitas, although we’d prefer flatbreads if we can find them.
This recipe is a keeper!
Brenda says
Would it work if I had to use chicken breast instead of thighs? Or do you think it would dry up? Thanks
Gareth says
I’ve just made these using chicken breast instead of thighs (all I had in on lockdown!). Absolutely stunning. Because I used breasts I made the chunks smaller and reduced the cooking time a little (you can tell when they’re ready by sight). They turned out perfect. So tasty, especially with a little homemade chilli sauce (recipe from the BBCGoodFood website). Will be using this recipe again, and again, and again…
Gareth says
I said I’d make this again and again…we’ve just finished eating it as a family again for about the 5th time in a couple of months. It really is a fantastic recipe. thank you so much again Nagi! We’ve been eating it with Pitta breads, salad and chilli sauce, but will have to try your homemade flatbread recipe next time.
Nagi says
Hi Brenda, this is the only suitable cut – I talk about this in the recipe notes 🙂 N x
Kim Bambrough says
I made this tonight. I knew it would be good from the list of ingredients. It was delicious! I made the yogurt sauce and the tabbouleh as you suggested. They just made the meal complete. I followed your recipe to the letter and it was perfect. It was really easy too.Another great one Nagi!!
Nagi says
WOOT! Sounds like you nailed it Kim! 🙌 N x
Narelle says
“That is the best kebab I’ve had in a long time” said my husband with wide eyes!! An absolute winner from ‘My Recipe Lady’ as you are called in our family!! Thank you.
Nagi says
Wahoo! Thats great to hear!!! N x
Sarah Blansett says
Wondering if it would work to use the same chicken cooking method shown here for the Chicken Gyros recipe? Love both!
Nagi says
I don’t see why not Sarah! Great idea! N x
Elizabeth says
Somehow I read this as Dozer Kebabs…..
Nagi says
Ba ha ha funniest typo I’ve done all year!!! He would be no good for kebabs. He might be well seasoned, but he’s just not meaty enough! 🤣
Marwa Eldakroury says
Made it for dinner, and it was super delicious! I am thinking of trying it in the air fryer. Do you have any idea what temperature should I go for and how long roughly would it take?
Nagi says
I haven’t tried to be honest Marwa! N x
Marwa Eldakroury says
Well, it worked!! I tried it yesterday in my Philips air fryer. I preheated the air fryer to 350F, threaded the chicken in air fryer skewers and cooked 2 at a time for 16-18 minutes at 350F. They turned out juicy and yummy. You are the best! Thank you for your awesome recipes!
Sherry says
This was amazing!!!!!!!!!! So flavorful. The only thing I did different was decrease my oven to 375 as I have both a bottom and top heating source with a fan as 390 was burning the chicken too much. But I wouldn’t change anything. You don’t even need bread or anything it’s good plain or maybe a side salad. But thank you for sharing!
Sherry says
Can I make this using your chicken shawarma flavors or can you suggest other flavor?
Jennifer Colson says
This was soooo good.
Nagi says
Thanks so much Jennifer!!
Steven says
Made this last night and it is absolutely delicious! Whole family loved it, wanted more. Another gluten free option (check the yogurt) for my coeliac daughter. Many thanks
Nagi says
Perfect Steven!
May says
Man oh man, this was excellent. We marinated for just under 3 hrs. What a surprisingly simple meal that was just bursting with flavor morsels!
Mm says
Wow!
I’m pregnant and was craving a kebab big time – felt like it could be a bit dicey to eat a kebab while UTD so I came across this recipe.
It was absolutely spot on! I can’t believe we made that! Great recipe!!!!
Nagi says
Wahoo!!!! That’s great!
Jonathan says
A succelent and very fulfilling and tasty kebab when combined with hummus and flat bread. The guests went WOW….you made this? Thanks for sharing Nagi! Will be making it again.
Nagi says
Wahoo! That’s great to hear Jonathan!
Simon Thomas says
The chicken was very delicious and moist and i received many compliments on it, so thanks for this great recipe!
Nagi says
Sounds like you nailed it Simon!
Randall Clark says
What kind of cheese would you use, feta?
Nagi says
Hi Randall, store bought ones here use shredded tasty but you could use that or feta – whatever you prefer!
G. M. says
EXCELLENT, That is all I can say. Thank you so much for an amazing recipe.
Nagi says
You’re so welcome! I’m so glad you loved it!
Leslie says
SO GOOD! The chicken looked and tasted exactly as the recipe showed. We will definitely be having this again!
Nagi says
Woot! That’s greta Leslie – N x
JUDITH M ESTRADA says
In the recipe note 3 for Tabbouleh, the recipe calls for “1 car ripe tomato deseeded and diced.” What does that mean please? Thank you!
Nagi says
Sorry Judith, typo – just one large ripe tomato
Himal Vaghela says
Hi Nagi, this looks fantastic, i am thinking of making it this saturday, Can this also be done in the slow cooker? exactly the same recipe? obviously it wont have those crisp grilled edges, but it will have the same taste right?
Nagi says
Hi Himal, the golden colour really does give this the true flavour – I haven’t tried it in the slow cooker but i feel the meat would be too tender and would fall apart – N x
Himal Vaghela says
Thanks Nagi. I am still going to try it, but use Breast instead of Thigh, i will let you know how i get on!