Chicken Shawarma

5 from 11 reviews

This Chicken Shawarma Recipe is loaded with flavor and one of the easiest and most delicious Mediterranean recipes to make at home. Chicken marinates in a simple spice blend and cooks in the oven or on the grill until perfectly tender, juicy and golden brown.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 339kcal

Author Chef Kathy McDaniel

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.

Notes

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