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posted by Christy Denneyon Jul 27, 2021 (updated Oct 28, 2022) 6 comments »
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Chicken Shawarma is a Mediterranean dish made by marinating delicious chicken thighs and grilling or baking. Serve in warm pita bread or naan with fresh veggies. For a low-carb option, serve it plain.
CHICKEN SHAWARMA RECIPE
I’ve been obsessed with homemade chicken shawarma lately. Although I realized I was spelling it wrong for some time now. Something about the spice infused chicken wrapped in warm naan with fresh tzatziki, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and feta. I make this recipe often and my whole family loves it!
WHAT IS CHICKEN SHAWARMA?
Chicken Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish that marinates in spices and can be grilled or baked. It’s one of their popular street foods.
INGREDIENTS
- LEMONS
- OLIVE OIL
- GARLIC CLOVE
- WARM SPICES: CUMIN, PAPRIKA, TUMERIC, CINNAMON
- BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS
- RED ONION
TOPPINGS:
- naan bread for serving
- tzatziki sauce
- Greek yogurt
- peeled and diced cucumbers
- chopped tomatoes
- diced red onion
- crumbled feta
- (optional)tahini sauce
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SHAWARMA
- Prepare the marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and onion toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. You can marinate the chicken ahead of time, up to 12 hours.
- For Baking: When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove chicken and onion from the marinade and spread evenly in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and the internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 2 minutes. Slice into about 1-inch pieces. Optional: For extra crispy chicken, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown or until desired crispiness.
- For Grilling: Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Remove chicken and onion from marinade and grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink and onions are tender. Remove from the grill and let rest for about 2 minutes. Slice into thin slices of meat, about 1-inch pieces. Note: If your onions fell apart when marinating you can place a piece of foil on the grill and heat the onions on top.
- For serving: Serve in warm naan topped with tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and crumbled feta. Add tahini sauce if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
CHICKEN THIGHS VS CHICKEN BREASTS
A question I get asked a lot is if chicken breasts can be used in place of thighs. Yes. Chicken breasts do not have as much fat and will not be as moist as thighs. Chicken breasts cook faster so the cooking time will need to be reduced by at least 10 minutes.
HOW TO SERVE CHICKEN SHAWARMA
This can be served by itself over salad or rice. The most traditional way is served wrapped in warm naan or pitas topped with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, feta, and tzatziki.
OTHER EASY RECIPES
- Spinach Artichoke Chicken
- Greek Gyros
- Thai Coconut Chicken
- Chicken Salad
- Grilled Hawaiian Chicken
- Chicken Tacos with Feta Cream
- Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken Shawarma
4.20 from 5 votes
Chicken Shawarma is a Mediterranean dish made by marinating chicken thighs and grilling or baking. Serve in warm pitas or naan. For a low-carb option, serve it plain.
PrintPinRate
Prep Time: 45 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Marinating: 1 hour hr
Total Time: 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 lemons, juiced
- ½ cup olive oil , (plus more for baking)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- a pinch ground cinnamon
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large red onion, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
TOPPINGS:
- naan for serving
- tzatziki sauce
- peeled and diced cucumbers
- chopped tomatoes
- diced red onion
- crumbled feta
- (optional) tahini sauce
Instructions
Prepare the marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and onion toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Mixture can be marinated up to 12 hours.
For Baking: When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove chicken and onion from the marinade and spread evenly on the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 2 minutes. Slice into about 1-inch pieces. Optional: For extra crispy chicken, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes or until desired crispiness.
For Grilling: Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Remove chicken and onion from marinade and grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink and onions are tender. Remove from the grill and let rest for about 2 minutes. Slice into about 1-inch pieces. Note: If your onions fell apart when marinating you can place a piece of foil on the grill and heat the onions on top.
For serving: Serve in warm naan topped with tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and crumbled feta. Add tahini sauce if desired.
Notes
Source: NY Times Cooking
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Course: All Recipes, Main Course
Author: Christy Denney
All Recipes Chicken Grilled Healthy Main Dishes
originally published on Jul 27, 2021 (last updated Oct 28, 2022)
6 comments Leave a comment »
100 of my favorite recipes! This is the family-friendly cookbook for anyone looking to plan quick-and-easy meals and wants a way to bring people together, feasting on food which can only be described as scrumptious.
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6 comments on “Chicken Shawarma”
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GOD — Reply
Your gluttony knows no bounds, this food is made to corrupt a man with how much they are to enjoy it and cause them to lose their way
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Layne — Reply
Made this Again, but for a group of 20, as evening meal at the lake. Everyone is asking for the recipe and the kids loved it too! Wonderful as lunch leftovers too! Just as good the second day. So fresh and healthy.
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Christy Denney — Reply
Oh my gosh that makes me so happy!
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Layne — Reply
Seriously easy, inexpensive and DELICIOUS. A fantastic summer meal.
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Christy Denney — Reply
Thank you!
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caroline — Reply
waiting for more
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