This Chicken Shawarma Recipe is loaded with flavor and is one of the easiest and most delicious Mediterranean recipes to make at home. Chicken marinates in a simple and fragrant spice blend and cooks in the oven or on the grill until perfectly tender, juicy and golden brown.
Make the absolute best Chicken Shawarma Wrap for lunch or dinner with this easy to make non-yeast homemade Flatbread Recipe!
Chicken Shawarma
Homemade Chicken Shawarma is by far one of my favorite chicken recipes to make for weekly meals and my go-to dinner party dish. This crowd pleasing Middle Eastern recipe delivers lots of flavor with very little effort. What can be better than that?
Why this Recipe Works
- For this easy homemade version of traditional shawarma, you don’t need a fancy rotisserie or special pit to achieve amazing flavor. You can cook this recipe on the grill or in the oven (sauté in a pan works too).
- You won’t need to travel to enjoy this Middle Eastern street food favorite.The easy shawarma spice mixture delivers authentic flavors right in your own kitchen. As an added bonus, the simple spices used in this recipe are pantry staples.
- Chicken Shawarma is healthy, light, gluten-free, easy to make and budget friendly.
What is Shawarma?
Authentic Chicken Shawarma is cooked by stacking spice-marinated chicken on a vertical spit, like a roaster. While the meat rotates, it gets basted with fat and its own juices until tender and juicy.
Shawarma is then shaved right from the spit and served, tipically piled up on pita bread with yogurt garlic sauce, hummus or tahini sauce and different toppings. Shwarma can also be made with beef, lamb, turkey, and veal.
What is the Difference Between Shawarma and Gyro?
The main difference between shawarma and gyro is the place of origin and the spices that are used to season the meat.
- Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish vs Gyro which is a Greek (Mediterranean ) dish.
- Shawarma meat is seasoned with turmeric and warm spices like cinnamon and all spice vs Gyro meat which has a lighter seasoning made with rosemary and oregano.
- Both recipes can be made with chicken, beef, lamb, etc., but Gyros made from lamb are by far the most popular.
Chicken Shawarma Ingredients
- Chicken: Boneless and skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- Olive Oil: I use extra virgin olive oil.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is a must.
- Shawarma Spice Mix: Ground cumin, paprika, allspice, garlic powder, turmeric, salt, a pinch of ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper (optional) and ground black pepper.
Is It Better To Use Fresh or Frozen Chicken When Making Shawarma Chicken?
To make shawarma, you can use fresh chicken or defrosted (thawed out) chicken. If your chicken is chilled from the fridge, allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking it in the oven. Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly than refrigerator cold chicken.
What is Shawarma Sauce Made Of?
Yogurt Garlic Sauce (optional)
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Ground Cumin, Salt and Ground Black Pepper
How to Make Shawarma Chicken
- Making Swarma Chicken at home couldn’t be any easier. Simply mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl or a resealable plastic bag (which makes for easy clean up). Add the chicken and marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
- If you want to grill the chicken, heat the grill to medium high heat. Grill the chicken until nicely charred, about 4-5 minutes on the first side. Flip and grill for about 3-4 minutes or until cooked through. The second side usually takes less time to cook. Remove from the grill and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- If you prefer to cook the chicken in the oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the chicken in a baking dish and bake for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
How Do I Serve Chicken Shwarma?
Chicken Shawarma Sandwich
Shawarma sandwiches are a great meal option that the entire family will agree on. My son loves making his own shawarma sandwich with veggies like fresh baby spinach, peppery arugula and sliced tomatoes slathered with creamy avocado hummus and tahini sauce.
Shawarma Plate
A vibrant and filling Shawarma plate with rice pilaf and veggies, is an excellent customizable gluten-free meal option. The options are limitless ere!
Shawarma Salad
A veggie filled salad with a simple lemon vinaigrette is a great meal option especially if you are eating healthy or are on a diet. I like to top this nutritious, light and healthy Lentil Salad with slices of chicken shawarma for a spectacular Mediterranean meal that can be served for lunch or as a light dinner. Especially perfect if you are following a Mediterranean type lifestyle.
Chicken Shawarma Wrap
These Swarma wraps or pita pockets are my version of the popular Middle Eastern street food. I love serving this perfectly seasoned sliced chicken on homemade flatbread or pita bread smothered with hummus or creamy shawarma sauce (yogurt garlic sauce). Sometimes I add both!
When it comes to the wrap toppings, the sky is the limit! Fresh vegetables like sliced cucumbers, lettuce, sliced onions, tomatoes, bell peppers and avocados are great options. Some feta cheese and chopped fresh herbs like parsley and mint make these wraps out of this world delicious!
You have questions? We have answers!
Can I Make Shawarma Chicken In Advance?
Yes! You can marinate the chicken and freeze it in a freezer safe resealable bag for up to 2 months. Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight. The chicken will marinate while thawing.
You can also cook the chicken up to 3 days ahead and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
What Does Chicken Shawarma Taste Like?
The exotic combination of spices makes this Middle Eastern chicken incredibly flavorful but not overpowering. The Shawarma seasoning is very well balanced with hints of warming spices like cumin and allspice.
Where Does Shawarma Originate From?
Shawarma originated in the Ottoman Empire (roughly modern day Turkey). A quick search on the internet shows shawarma as a Levantine dish. The Levant region centers around modern Syria, Israel, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and parts of Turkey.
Shawarma Chicken Tips
- This Chicken Shawarma recipe is perfect for entertaining big groups of people. It is easy to make, easily doubled, budget friendly and can be made ahead of time!
- You can oven bake or cook the chicken in an indoor grill pan.
- Although you can marinate the chicken for 20 minutes, it is best to marinate it for at least an hour or overnight for extra flavor.
- If marinating in the fridge, always allow the chicken to come to room temperature before cooking.
- To prevent over cooking, always check the chicken temperature with an instant read thermometer. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F before consuming.
What Do You Eat With Chicken Shawarma?
Shawarma is traditionally served on pita pockets or in a pita wrap with an array of veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce and is topped with a creamy sauce like garlic sauce (and if I have Tzatziki sauce handy, I smother some of it instead!). If you would like to serve a side dish with this tasty wrap, you could serve it with rice (check my easy tutorial on how to make rice perfect every time), couscous, sweet potato fries, roasted potatoes or this Moroccan Rice Pilaf!
Other Delicious Easy Recipes:
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Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ lemon juiced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pinch each of ground cinnamon cayenne and black pepper
FOR THE YOGURT GARLIC SAUCE
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper to taste
TO MAKE WRAPS
- 4-6 Flatbreads Pita bread or Naan can be used
- 8 ounces hummus store bought or homemade
- 1 head of romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half or 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cucumber sliced
- 1 avocado sliced (optional)
- About ½ cup sliced red onion (optional)
- Parsley roughly chopped
- 8 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- Lemon wedges optional
Instructions
- In a bowl or a large Ziploc bag, add the olive oil, water, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, allspice, garlic powder, turmeric, salt, cinnamon, cayenne (optional) and black pepper. Add the chicken. Cover or seal and marinate for at least 20 minutes (marinate overnight for fullest flavor)
- Prepare the garlic yogurt sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring well. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- If grilling, heat the grill or grill pan to medium high.
- Grill the chicken for about 8-10 minutes per side or until lightly charred and cooked through, turning once. Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest, covered for 5 minutes. Slice.
- If baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, place the chicken into a baking dish and bake in the oven for about 35 -45 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken from the oven and let it rest covered for about 5 minutes. Slice.
- To Serve: Slice the chicken and put it on a plate with the flatbread, veggies and yogurt sauce.
- To Make a Wrap: Warm up the flatbread (you can use the grill, grill pan, oven or toaster oven). Spread each piece of flatbread with hummus, top it with sliced chicken and veggies and drizzle it with the yogurt sauce. Top it with Feta cheese and parsley. Wrap and enjoy.
Chef’s Tips
- Although you can marinate the chicken for 20 minutes, it is best to marinate it for at least an hour or overnight for extra flavor.
- If marinating in the fridge, always allow the chicken to come to room temperature before cooking.
- To prevent over cooking, always check the chicken temperature with an instant read thermometer. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F before consuming.
Nutrition
This post was first published in 2018 and has been updated to provide the reader with additional information. The recipe remains the same.
Amy Ebert says
It was really a good meal that was simple to make!
Kathy says
Thanks Amy! I am happy to hear you liked it.
Kelly Mahan says
Wow, I’d love to try this oven roasted version. Seems so good!
Kathy says
It’s so easy and the oven does all the work!! 😉
Kathy says
Thank you Kelly! It’s a winner for sure The oven does all the work and the chicken is tender, juicy and so flavorful!
Michele says
Schwarma always intimidates me… but this was effortless and nothing less than spectacular! My nieces LOVED it and we ate every single bite of it!
Kathy says
Thank you. I am so glad everyone
liked it!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
oh. my. goodness!!
This is exactly what I’ve been craving. This looks like a great recipe for my family
Kathy says
Thank you. It’s so tasty!