When it comes to satisfying, flavor-packed meals, chicken shawarma is one of my all-time favorites. This easy chicken shawarma recipe features boneless, skinless chicken thighs coated in a blend of spices, including cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and turmeric. The result is perfectly crispy, juicy chicken bursting with savory flavors. I serve mine warm in pita bread, topped with garlicky toum, tangy tahini sauce, crisp fries, and a fresh cucumber tomato salad for a satisfying meal inspired by Middle Eastern street food!
What is Chicken Shawarma?
Chicken shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish made from marinated meat, typically chicken, that’s slow-cooked on a vertical rotisserie. However, this recipe skips the rotisserie and cooks the chicken in a skillet or griddle, giving you all the delicious flavors without the need for special equipment. It’s packed with layers of spices that make it incredibly aromatic and savory.
Traditionally, shawarma is served in pita bread or lavash bread with toppings like tahini sauce, toum (garlic sauce), pickles, and fresh vegetables. I provide serving suggestions below, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with different toppings!
Ingredients and Notes
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredients list and instructions.
Chicken Shawarma
- Chicken Thighs – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are perfect for this recipe, because they stay juicy and tender while cooking.
- Tomato Paste – This contributes to the sweet, savory, slightly acidic taste that shawarma is known for having.
- Spices – The spice mix includes cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and a touch of Aleppo pepper for a gentle heat.
- Greek Yogurt – This helps tenderize the chicken and adds creaminess to the marinade.
- Lemon and Vinegar – The acidity adds a tangy brightness that balances the richness of the chicken and marinade.
Toum (Garlic Sauce)
- Garlic – Fresh garlic gives this sauce its signature sweet, savory, pungent flavor.
- Neutral Oil – I recommend using neutral oil to avoid overpowering the sauce, allowing the garlic and lemon to shine through.
- Lemon Juice – The tangy lemon juice cuts through the richness of the oil and garlic. Freshly squeezed is best, but bottled lemon juice will also work.
Tahini Sauce
- Tahini – A smooth, nutty paste made from sesame seeds, tahini brings a creamy texture and earthy flavor to the shawarma. I typically find it in the nut butter or ethnic food section of my local grocery store.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and balances the rich tahini.
Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Olive Oil – This forms the base of the dressing, adding richness and good-for-you fats to the salad.
- Red Wine Vinegar – Sweet and tangy, this combines with the oil to create a simple vinaigrette. I do not recommend substituting any other type of vinegar.
- Sugar – Add as much or as little as you like, depending on your flavor preferences.
- Fresh Produce – Roma tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, and red onion form the bulk of the salad. Then, I include fresh parsley and fresh dill for a bright, slightly peppery taste.
For Assembly
- Pita Bread – I use soft, thin pita bread to create a chicken shawarma sandwich. Lavash bread is my favorite, but any pita bread will work.
- Extras – I like to include Lebanese pickles and French fries for extra flavor and crunch. They’re optional but highly recommended!
How to Make Chicken Shawarma
1. Marinate and Cook the Chicken
2. Make the Toum and Tahini Sauce
3. Prep the Salad
4. Assemble the Shawarma
Nick’s Tips for Success
- Use equal-sized chicken thighs. For the best results, I recommend looking for chicken thighs that are fairly equal in size and weight. This will help promote even cooking.
- Allow plenty of time to marinate the chicken. The longer you marinate your chicken, the bolder the flavor and the more tender the texture will be once cooked. I recommend allowing for at least two hours but no longer than six.
- Weigh the chicken down. I recommend weighing the chicken down with kitchen weights or a small skillet to help the chicken cook evenly and develop a golden crust.
Chicken Shawarma Recipe
This easy chicken shawarma recipe is my homemade take on the popular Middle Eastern street food. Thanks to a few simple tricks, the chicken turns out with a crisp, golden exterior and a juicy center. Served warm on pita bread with crispy French fries, toum, tahini sauce, and salad, it's hearty, flavorful, and packed with satisfying tastes and textures.
Equipment
- 1 Medium Casserole Dish
- 1 Large Skillet or Griddle
- Kitchen Weights or a Small Heavy Skillet
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Small Heat Proof Bowl
- 1 Small Mixing Bowl
- 1 Medium Mixing Bowl
- 1 Baking Sheet (for the fries)
Ingredients
For the Chicken Shawarma
- ½ (50 gram) small yellow onion, grated
- 3 (20 gram) garlic clove, grated
- ¼ cup (70 gram) Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliter) white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliter) lemon juice + zest, from ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon (15 gram) tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon (4 gram) ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoon (9 gram) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (2 gram) ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon (less than 1 gram) ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon (less than 1 gram) ground cardamom
- 2 pound (900 gram) boneless skinless chicken thighs
For the Toum (Garlic Sauce)
- 1 (70 gram) large head garlic, peeled
- ¾ teaspoon (4 gram) kosher salt
- 1¾ cup (414 milliliter) neutral oil, e.g., sunflower, canola
- ½ (15 milliliter) lemon, juiced
For the Tahini Sauce
- ¼ cup (59 milliliter) hot water
- 2 small garlic clove
- ½ cup (100 gram) tahini
- ¼ cup (59 milliliter) lemon juice
- kosher salt, to taste
For the Cucumber Salad
- 2 tablespoon (30 milliliter) olive oil
- 1½ tablespoon (22 milliliter) red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) sugar
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 2 Persian cucumbers, diced
- ¼ small red onion, diced
- ¼ bunch fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ bunch fresh parsley leaves, chopped
For Assembly
- French fries, cooked according to package directions
- thin pita bread or lavash
- Lebanese pickles, sliced into quarters lengthwise
Instructions
For the Chicken
- In a medium casserole dish, add all of the ingredients except for the chicken. Whisk to combine, then add the chicken thighs. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to six hours.½ small yellow onion, 3 garlic clove, ¼ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice + zest, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ¼ teaspoon sugar, ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice, ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and season one side of the chicken with salt and set aside.2 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of neutral oil, and once the oil is shimmering, add half of the chicken, salted side down. Weigh the chicken down with kitchen weights or a heavy, smaller skillet. Cook for three to four minutes, or until deeply golden brown, then flip and repeat the process on the other side.
- Transfer to a cutting board and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Rest the chicken for three to four minutes, then slice it against the grain into ½ inch (1.2 centimeter) strips. Set aside.
For the Toum
- To a food processor, add the garlic, ¼ cup water (59 milileters), and salt. Process until the garlic is fully pureed.1 large head garlic, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- With the food processor running, slowly stream in the oil. This should take about five minutes. Gradually adding the oil will prevent it from splitting.1¾ cup neutral oil
- Once all of the oil is incorporated, add the lemon juice. Process again to combine.½ lemon
- Transfer to a resealable container and set aside.
For the Tahini Sauce
- In a small heat proof bowl, add ¼ cup (59 mililters) hot water. Smash the garlic and add it to the hot water. Steep the garlic for two to three minutes.¼ cup hot water, 2 small garlic clove
- In a small mixing bowl, add the tahini. Then add the steeped garlic water and lemon juice to the mixture. Whisk again to combine. If the mixture is too thick, add more water as needed. It should be pourable, like honey.½ cup tahini, ¼ cup lemon juice
- Taste and season with salt. Set aside until ready to serve.kosher salt
For the Salad
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.2 tablespoon olive oil, 1½ tablespoon red wine vinegar, ¼ teaspoon sugar, kosher salt and black pepper
- Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, dill, and parsley. Gently toss to combine, set aside.2 Roma tomatoes, 2 Persian cucumbers, ¼ small red onion, ¼ bunch fresh dill, ¼ bunch fresh parsley leaves
For the French Fries
- Cook according to package directions.French fries
- Set aside until ready to serve.
For Assembly
- Place one lavash or pita onto a clean work surface. Add two teaspoons toum and spread it vertically down the center of the bread. Next, add the french fries, followed by the chicken, the salad, and the pickles. Drizzle the tahini sauce over the top, then fold the bottom ¼ to just cover the bottom of the sandwich. Fold in the sides, then wrap in tinfoil.thin pita bread or lavash, Lebanese pickles
- Repeat with remaining ingredients and serve.
Video
Notes
Storage: Store the components in separate airtight containers in the fridge. The chicken will keep fresh for up to three days, the toum will keep for one to two days, the tahini sauce will keep for up to one week, and the salad will stay fresh for one to two days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 558kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 44g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Monounsaturated Fat: 26g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 689mg, Potassium: 327mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 223IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Chicken breasts can be used for shawarma. However, they tend to dry out more easily. Therefore, I highly recommend using thighs to maintain a tender, juicy texture.
Can I make chicken shawarma in advance?
Yes, the chicken can be marinated a day ahead and stored in the fridge. You can also cook it in advance and store it in an airtight container for up to three days.
What else can I serve with chicken shawarma?
Serve this recipe with extra sides like hummus, tabbouleh, or roasted vegetables to round out your meal. Or, skip the pita, and pile the ingredients over a bed of rice or couscous for a hearty grain bowl.
LOVE this recipe!