This Chicken Shawarma recipe is going to knock your socks off! Just a handful of every day spices makes an incredible Chicken Shawarma marinade that infuses the chicken with exotic Middle Eastern flavours. The smell when this is cooking is insane!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Chicken Shawarma
This is one of my signature recipes that will be very familiar to all my friends because I make this so often. It’s off the charts for effort vs output: just a handful of everyday spices, garlic, a splash of lemon and olive oil transforms into the most incredible flavour.
When this chicken is cooking, the smell is incredible. In fact, it’s how I met most of my neighbours when I lived in a townhouse complex, random people I had never met before popping their head over the fence wanting to know what on earth I was making. They were elated when I handed out samples!
What is Chicken Shawarma, actually??
Shawarma is a popular dish originating from the Middle East. It’s a popular street food that is traditionally made in the form of spiced meats that are stacked on a vertical rotisserie with thin slices shaved off as it rotates. But don’t worry! We can cook our horizontally in a good old pan or on the BBQ!
Shawarma was traditionally made with lamb, mutton and chicken though these days you see it with beef too. It’s commonly served in the form of a wrap, though in some countries you see it served on plates with sides such as seasoned rice or fries, and salads. In this recipe, I’m giving you both options!
Ingredients in Chicken Shawarma
Here’s what you need to make Chicken Shawarma. I’m betting you have most if not all of the spices in your pantry already!
Chicken – I like to make Shawarma with boneless, skinless thighs as its juicier than breast. But chicken breast and tenderloin both work great.
Lemon juice – Fresh!
Olive oil – For a touch of flavour but also to dilute the lemon juice so it doesn’t “cook” the chicken (like we intentionally do with ceviche!).
Spices – Nothing out of the ordinary here! The only one you might not have in stock is cardamom, though these days its easily found at any grocery store. It has a piney, sort of citrusy flavour and it is a key ingredient that distinguishes the Shawarma marinade from other cuisines, such as Mexican, that regularly uses the other spices used in this recipe. In short, don’t skip it!
Spice control – The spiciness in the Shawarma marinade comes from the cayenne pepper. It’s not a key element of the flavour so if you don’t want it spicy, either reduce or eliminate it altogether. I promise you won’t feel robbed. Lots of other flavours going on in this dish!
Sauce options for Shawarma
Shawarma is traditionally served with either a tahini sauce (common in Israel) or a Yogurt Sauce. If you’d like to use a tahini sauce, use the one in this Roasted Broccolini recipe.
For a Lemon Yogurt Sauce, here’s what you need:
How to make Chicken Shawarma
For the best results, it’s best to marinate the chicken overnight. But to be honest, the volume and flavour of the marinade is intense enough that you can get away with a minimum of 3 hours of marinating. Been there, done that plenty of times, and nobody has complained!
Mix marinade – For convenience, just mix the marinade directly in a ziplock bag. A bag works best because the chicken remains nicely coated in the marinade. If you prefer to use a container, either turn the chicken a few times or increase the marinade by 50%.
Add chicken into the marinade. Seal the bag, removing excess air, then massage to coat from the outside. Leave to marinade for 12 to 24 hours in the fridge. If you’re pressed for time, even 3 hours will do!
Yogurt sauce – Make the yogurt sauce simply by mixing the ingredients then set aside for at least 20 minutes to let the flavours meld. This will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
Cook chicken either on the stove or on the BBQ. It will get a great crust on it from the spices, and you will adore the smell. It’s intoxicating!
Rest chicken for at least 3 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the flesh, else they will just run out everywhere when you slice the meat.
To serve, just pile everything on a platter and let everybody make their own wraps! The chicken, lettuce, tomato slices, onion, yogurt sauce and warmed flatbreads – homemade or store bought. If the chicken is on the larger side, I sometimes slice it. But if they are smaller, I tend to just leave them whole.
How to Serve Chicken Shawarma
There are two main ways to serve Chicken Shawarma.
Wraps – As Chicken Shawarma wraps (like Gyros and Doner kebabs), with tomato, lettuce, and a simple yoghurt sauce on the side. Other optional extras include: red onion, cheese (query authenticity? But that’s ok!!), hummus, hot sauce / chilli sauce.
Shawarma plate – With rice and salads on the side. Thought I usually do serve pita bread or another type of flatbread as well, with a big dollop of either Hummus or the Yogurt Sauce in this recipe, just because it’s very on theme. ☺️
Below, the Chicken Shawarma is pictured with Mejadra which is a Middle Eastern lentil rice (seriously so good you can / will want to eat it just by itself!) and a Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad (I skip the spicing of chickpeas otherwise there’s just too much kapow spices going on).
A few other things that would be very much at home alongside Chicken Shawarma:
Juicy Greek Salad – the flavours in Greek salad pair really well with Middle Eastern food
The spread below features the Chickpea Salad referred to above and Mejadra, the lentil spiced rice.
Great food for gatherings
This Chicken Shawarma, along with the Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken, are two of my most frequently made foods when I’m cooking for a crowd because it’s easy to make loads, they are both great “lay it all out and let everyone serve themselves” type foods (I’m a big fan of food like that), and it travels well. I’ve made this multiple times on camping trips (along with the Vietnamese Noodles and Greek Gyros!).
It was also part of a 7 course Arabian Feast menu that I shared way back when I first published this recipe in 2015. I still haven’t gotten around to perking up all the recipes with fresh new photos, but I will one day! I love that menu because so much of it can be prepared ahead, and there’s lots of common ingredients.
Be prepared for the amazing smells when you’re cooking this Chicken Shawarma! – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Chicken Shawarma (Middle Eastern)
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2 lb chicken thigh fillets , skinless and boneless (Note 3)
Marinade
- 1 large garlic clove , minced (or 2 small cloves)
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground cardamon
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (reduce to 1/2 tsp to make it not spicy)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Yoghurt Sauce
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt
- 1 clove garlic , crushed
- 1 tsp cumin
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
To Serve
- 4 – 5 flatbreads (Lebanese or pita bread orhomemade soft flatbreads)
- Sliced lettuce (cos or iceberg)
- Tomato slices
- Red onion , finely sliced
- Cheese , shredded (optional)
- Hot sauce of choice (optional)
Instructions
- Marinade chicken – Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Add the chicken, seal, the massage from the outside with your hands to make sure each piece is coated. Marinate 24 hours (minimum 3 hours).
- Yogurt Sauce – Combine the Yogurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover and put in the fridge until required (it will last for 3 days in the fridge).
- Preheat stove or BBQ – Heat a large non-stick skillet with 1 tablespoon over medium high heat, or lightly brush a BBQ hotplate/grills with oil and heat to medium high. (See notes for baking)
- Cook chicken – Place chicken in the skillet or on the grill and cook the first side for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely charred. Turn and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes (the 2nd side takes less time).
- Rest – Remove chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
To Serve
- Slice chicken and pile onto platter alongside flatbreads, Salad and the Yoghurt Sauce (or dairy free Tahini sauce from this recipe).
- To make a wrap, get a piece of flatbread and smear with Yoghurt Sauce. Top with a bit of lettuce and tomato and Chicken Shawarma. Roll up and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
* Chickpea Rice Pilaf– slightly less spiced than Mejadra
* Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad (a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe, skip the spicing of chickpeas to keep it fresher) Also see 7 Course Arabian Feast (summary below recipe) and above recipe card in post for lengthier list of side options. 5. BAKING: Cooking on a BBQ or stove is best to get the caramelisation. Baking doesn’t yield quite the same flavour – but still very good! Bake at 425F/220C for 20 – 25 minutes until a browned. 6. Nutrition for chicken only because flatbreads vary so much in size and calories.Assuming 6 servings.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published December 2014, updated with fresh photos and an improved recipe video!
Arabian Feast Menu
Here is a summary of the Arabian Feast Menu that I shared back in 2015. I haven’t updated all the recipes yet – I’ll get to them eventually!
To Nibble: Hummus, Herb Chili Feta, Chargrilled Vegetable Platter
For the Men to Grill: Lamb Koftas, Chicken Shawarma (this recipe)
Because we must have Greens: Shredded Red Cabbage Carrot Salad, Spiced Chickpea Salad
Life of Dozer
Throwback to Life of Dozer in 2015 when I first published this recipe – nothing has changed in the years that has passed!
This shot pretty much encompasses how utterly predictable Dozer is:
✅ Skulking near a big pile of meat
✅ Squeezing himself under a tiny table laden with said food
✅ Eyes sparkling at the possibilities
✅ Licking his lips in anticipation
Hi Nagi. I have a quick question: Is your tablespoon measurement 15ml or 20ml? I’d be really grateful if you could clarify this for me. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Hi Lilliz! Mine is 20 ml but for this recipe, the difference is not material enough to affect the recipe so go with whichever you have! N xx
This recipe is fantastic! My husband is part Lebanese and take-out shawarma sandwiches were regular meal for us when we lived in Ottawa (which has a relatively large Lebanese population). When we moved to Calgary we found none of the shawarma shops got it quiet right for our tastes. When this recipe came up on my Pinterest board I thought, why not give it a try. It was easy to throw together, without needing anything I didn’t already have in the pantry. The meat was juicy and flavourful, and best of all we can top it with all our favourite authentic Lebanese toppings!!
My husband was giddy when he came home to find the spread on the table, and is already asking me to make it again!! Thank you so much!
What wonderful feedback Arden, I’m so pleased to hear that, thank you! N xx
Coming from a guy who cooks often, this was world class! Loads of flavor and simple to make, this will be made more often. If possible, be sure to use the smoked paprika as it really adds a ton of great flavor.
That’s so great to hear Rick! Thank you for letting me know! N xx
Hi Nagi – made this for the family on Monday and we absolutely loved it. Fantastic flavour. I wonder if the same rub can be used on pork tenderloin which is one of our favourite cuts of meat to bbq?
Yes yes YES to pork tenderloin!!! N xx
I absolutely love this dish. I’ve tried a few other chicken schwarma recipes but this one knocks their socks off. I thought the spice mix was perfect but my partner’s not a fan of cardamon so I now reduce the amount slightly. It’s so tasty we often skip the flatbreads and just eat the chicken with the yogurt mix and salad as a light midweek dinner, but I’ve also served this to guests as part of a Middle Eastern spread. So easy to put together and it always gets great feedback!
Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe. Can’t wait to try some of your other ones! 🙂
Thanks for trying my recipe Sarah Jane! So pleased you enjoyed it – N xx
Making Shawarma for a dinner party . Please tell me exactly how to cook the chicken thighs “on top of the stove”, I prefer not to BBQ. They are currently marinating , making them tonight, Thanks !!
Hi Betty! Just heat a skillet on medium high, add a tiny bit of oil, then add the chicken. 🙂 Cook for about 4 – 5 minutes on each side until it’s a beautiful dark brown colour like the photos! N x
Lebanese hubby bragged to his authentic completely 100% Lebanese mother …. Yep…. It was that good 😱
HIGHEST PRAISE EVER!
Salivating over this too. And to think We just had leftover Greek Meatballs & chicken for lunch. I find it interesting how Greek yoghurt sauces tend to have grated cucumbers, but not middle eastern yoghurt sauces??? I know realize what Dozer is experiencing. Every time I make one of your dishes, my dogs come out from somewhere and are staring at me. Btw, my house smells like Greece. I had to run back to the market and when I returned those meatballs and all the fresh herbs I’ve been cutting up. Oh my.
I think because Greek uses tzatziki whereas Middle Eastern tends to use yoghurt with lemon and/or tahini? 🙂 How good is it when your house smells like Greece! N x
This is on the menu for tomorrow evening (have my chicken marinating in the refrigerator). Smells so yummy I “almost” licked it off the raw chicken (ewww) but, I restrained myself. ;). I may even try my hand at your flatbread recipe – I do have a question about that but will post on that page.
May your weekend be blessed and please pat that dog for me and give him a nibble. 😉
I hope you love it Eva!! 🙂
Nagi …. So very yummy! Everyone raved over this chicken shawarma, the yoghurt sauce and the flatbread! So flavorful! Highly recommending to my friends. Thank you so much!
That’s SO GREAT to hear Eva! Thanks for letting me know! N xx
This was so flavorful! Baked in the oven, as I don’t have a grill, and totally forgot to make the yogurt sauce, but still great. My house smells amazing and we’re already fighting over the leftovers. Thanks for the excellent recipe!
Thanks Megan! So glad you enjoyed this! N xx
I made this for my family and friends and we absolutely loved it!! It’s definitely going to be a part of our meal planning. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Now if only I could score good pita bread…
That’s wonderful to hear Julee, thank you for letting me know! Hope you are having a lovely weekend – N xx
Made this last night and I can’t wait to have the leftovers tonight. This has to be the best tasting chicken ever! My first attempt at middle eastern food, and this dish has me hooked! Definitely a keeper!
That’s wonderful to hear Bob, thank you for letting me know! N xx
I made this last week and my family was commenting for three days about how tasty this was. I really like Indian and Middle Eastern foods but get resistance on curry. This could go on any cut of chicken or many other meats. This was so good with pita bread and chick pea salad and some tzatzki. This one will be in my regular meal rotation for a while.
WHOOT! So pleased to hear that Jim! N xx
I love chicken Shawarma. Its very easy to prepare at home. I tried it last night by following your recipe. Its like some of the best chicken Shawarma I have ever eaten!
I’m so pleased to hear that John! Thanks for sharing your feedback! N xx
Hi Nagj, I discovered your recipes a couple of weeks ago and have printed out many to try. This was my first (and won’t be the last) and was delightful. Yum. I’ve been advised by the family to add this to my repertoire. I was drawn to your site. By your beautiful food photography and the way that you set up your recipes. Thank you Nagi x
Hi Sally! I’m pleased you enjoyed this and thank you for your lovely compliment! N xx
Hello Nagi,
Just made this one and it was SUPERB. The spices on the chicken go really well with the yoghurt sauce and the freshness of the tomato. Great mix of ingredients, great recipe.
I did make one small change. I have lots of fresh coriander so I added a few chopped leaves into the mix.
I served it up as you suggested, which made it a fun help-yourself meal.
This one is worth six stars, but as you only allow 5 you will have to make do with that!
Thanks as always for sharing.
Oooh YES to fresh coriander! I’m so SO pleased you enjoyed this Lincoln! N xx
I made this for my husband with your easy flat bread recepie along with your cabbage salad and yoghurt dip. I had to fry the chicken on a griddle pan on the cooker but It was absolutely beautiful. Better than any take away kebab I’ve ever tasted. I wondered if you could do this with lamb also ? Thank you for your beautiful recepies :)x
Oooh what a FEAST!!!! Yes this marinade is fantastic with lamb. A really great way is to slow cook a lamb shoulder in the slow cooker then finish it with a sear (and reheat through) on the BBQ. Super tender on the inside, charred on the outside – YUM!
HiNagi,
This is the BEST shawarma I have ever eaten. Everyone in the family loved it. My 2 yr old loved the yoghurt sauce. Thank you so much 🙂.
That’s so wonderful to hear Salmah! Thank you for letting me know – N xx ❤️
Fabulous chicken shwarma (made it with flattened out chicken breast) and soft flatbread recipe… Delicious…thanks for such an inspiring website..
So pleased you enjoyed it Anne! Thanks for letting me know! N xx❤️
Best Schwarma I ever made….thank you
So pleased you enjoyed it Lisa! Thanks for letting me know! N xx❤️