Chicken Shawarma Recipe

A plate with three chicken shawarma wraps.

5 from 1 vote

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.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Marinate Time2

Total Time2 50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Keyword: chicken shawarma, chicken shawarma recipe, shawarma chicken

Servings: servings (1/2 wrap per serving)

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 small yellow onion grated
3 garlic clove grated
¼ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice + zest from ½ lemon
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
2 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs

For the Toum (Garlic Sauce)

1 large head garlic peeled
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1¾ cup neutral oil e.g., sunflower, canola
½ lemon juiced

For the Tahini Sauce

¼ cup hot water
2 small garlic clove
½ cup tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
kosher salt to taste

For the Cucumber Salad

2 tablespoon olive oil
1½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon 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

US Customary - Metric

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