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!!
Crissie says
Hi Nagi, i’m not the biggest fan of chicken and was wondering if I could make this recipe using lamb instead? Are there any changes that I would need to make? 🙂
Nagi says
Hi Crissie, I would think you could, I haven’t tried yet to be honest!
Shaista Bano says
Amazing recipe. The kids and husband and even neighbours loved it.
Deborah Amor says
My kids love it even my picky eaters
Nagi says
Winning! That’s great Deborah – N x
jeff says
Cooked this on the BBQ, similar temp, no skewers. Taste was excellent but yogurt insulated the meat, forced a longer cook, and chicken dried out and got tough.
Nagi says
Hi Jeff, sorry to hear your chicken dried out – sounds like it may of overcooked. You can always use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure if it’s cooked through. – N x
Pardeep says
Absolutely delicious! Followed your recipe and tasted virtually like the one from the takeaway. Spot on! Thanks for the recipe and will try others soon
Nagi says
That’s awesome Pardeep, thanks so much for the feedback ❤️
Veronica says
Really yummy recipe, a tiny bit spicy for my fussiest eater but still a very successful meal we’ll cook again. Loved the cooking technique too, easy to clean up!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved it Veronica! If it’s too spicy, just omit the cayenne pepper (you can always add chilli on your kebab after if you want to spice things up) ☺️
Dee says
HI can I do this in a slow cooker?
Nagi says
Hi Dee, you really need to get the colour on the chicken for this recipe, you just won’t get the same result in a slow cooker unfortunately!
Huan says
Fantastic and easy to make, I used breast meat as that is all I had but after marinating 24 hrs it was still quite juicy.
Fast to cook as well.
Nagi says
I’m so glad it was still juicy! ❤️
Aung Kyaw Naing says
I will Definately Try it.
I just order Mini Donar Kebab Machine from Alibaba.
So, I will come back with my Donar Kebab 🙂
Thanks
Nagi Maehashi says
I hope you try it and love it!
Alex says
i had these almost every day when i visited Bulgaria. This is the best recipe i’ve seen to make them back home!
Nagi says
Hope you get a chance to try it Alex!
Amy says
Thankyou so much for this recipe! It is my absolute favorite we make it once a week now.
Nagi says
So glad you love this so much Amy!!! I actually made this on the weekend!! 🙂 N x
Sue says
Nagi the skewers I have aren’t long enough sit on top of any oven dish I have, wondering if using bamboo skewers would work. If I soaked then in water first?
Nagi says
Hi Sue! I am not sure if bamboo skewers will last for the cook time required in this recipe. To be honest, it might just be easiest to bake them spread out for about 25 minutes on a super high temp to try to get a nice browning on them – or pan fry them. Then slice them up and use per recipe. To be honest, once all sliced up, it won’t look any different and in fact, you get more browned surfaces which adds flavour. I do it on skewers in the spirit of a doner kebab!!
Lola says
Just done it this way for our super. It was DELICIOUS! We will definitely be making again.
The oven tray on 200C (fan) for 25 minutes cooked the thighs through so they were still juicy, with some crispy bits on top. That said, the bottom ended up cooking in a puddle as a lot of liquid came from the marinade. Next time I shall line a grill tray with foil and cook on that to elevate and attempt a more all round crisp.
TL;dr: you can totally do this without skewers in a hot oven on a baking tray. Still delicious.
Nagi Maehashi says
Yes those crispy bits are to die for, thats why I like to elevate them and get the most I can!
Sue says
Nagi thank you so much for your quick reply. I just went to the shops and neither Coles nor Kmart had any metal skewers ( came home quite grumpy 🙂 ) Might pan fry in my cast iron skillet should get plenty of charring then 🙂 Thanks again, hope you are having a wonderful time in Vietnam x
Nagi says
It is incredible!!! I’ve been wanting to come here for years and years 🙂 PS I think I got mine from Kmart!
Humaira says
What can I used instead of onion pd as I cannot find it here
Stephanie says
Hello,
I see in the recipe it says to only add 1/2tsp of salt if only marinading for 3 hours. How much salt would you add if 5-7 hours? would you still suggest only 1/2 tsp?
Judith says
It said to add an additional 1/2 tsp.😀🇺🇸
Victoria Cash says
Just made this dish and can i just say WOW!!!! Such a great balance of flavors, the chicken came out nice and moist, I got that beautiful slight char on top…. I used the mint dressing recipe instead of doing the yoghurt sauce, and it was amazing on there!!!
erin says
amazing!
Diana says
This looks delicious! I want to make it for my family, but I have a question about the nutrition facts. It says that its 75% cholesterol, do you know what ingredients contribute to that? I want to try to maybe reduce it somehow. Thank you!
Nagi says
Hi Diana! Hmm, I will relook at that, it sounds off. It would include all the marinade, even though who-knows-how-much actually ends up in and on the chicken 🙂
Diana says
Thanks so much Nagi! Can’t wait to try this! I’m so glad I found your website, it has so many recipes that make me excited to cook again! 🙂
Gemma says
So one of my local kebab shops has something better than a kebab: the baked potato kebab. I’ll share how I have used this delicious meat recipe to recreate the wonderful baked potato kebab:
I made up the meat and marinated overnight.
I didn’t quite have a suitable tin to elevate the skewered chicken as described, so when I took my little skeweres out, I sliced them with my electric knife and popped the sliced pieces under the grill and this gave them the charred bits.
In the mean time, I baked the potatoes in the oven then split them and put a 3 cheese mix on to melt in.
I served mine with lettuce, tomato, onion and aoili. The kebab shop also does tabbouleh and carrot and the usual extra options and various sauces.
Many thanks for this lovely recipe for the chicken!
Nagi says
OMG YUM!!!! Baked Potato Kebab for the WIN!!!
carol says
OMG the BOMB ,loved loved the best, I personally do not like or eat lamb, but my husband loves lamb and I do cook lamb for him and guests , and has asked is there a lamb version
thanks for sharing even had leftovers for breakfast, get me through the day till dinner
Nagi says
That’s terrific Carol! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one – thanks for letting me know! N x
Sonal says
This chicken kebab has turned has made my 4yr old even request it for dinner and he rarely gets excited about anything except sausages!!
I tried them with your flatbread recipe last night and both a winner – even my 13month old cleared his plate!
Thanks Nagi am going to try your fish tacos next!
Nagi says
That’s terrific Sonal! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one – thanks for letting me know! N x