Shawarma originates from the Middle East and in essence, is deeply seasoned, marinated meat (typically lamb, beef or chicken) that has been stacked on a vertical spit, to roast low and slow for hours on end while slowly turning, nestled up to the gas-burning grill. Shawarma translates to "turning" in Turkish. Once roasted, the meat is tender, juicy, and full of incredible flavor from the spices, and is often thinly sliced and folded into pita, or wraps, or made into a shawarma plate.

What spices are used in chicken shawarma?

Toasting whole spices gives the shawarma marinade a more intense flavor, but using ground spices is quicker and easier and works well too! Use toasted whole seeds or ground spices, or a combo! Cumin, coriander, garlic cloves, salt, cayenne pepper, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, and allspice.

What is shawarma sauce made of?

Shawarma is often served with a "White Sauce" that can be whipped up in a food processor or blender. It is typically made with garlic, lemon, salt, and olive oil, similar to a creamy aioli (but without the egg). More often than not, I prefer serving shawarma with yogurt-based Tzatziki.

Can I use a grill pan on the stove?

Though we prefer the flavor of a real grill here, a grill pan or skillet works in a pinch! We also have a recipe for Baked Chicken Shawarma on the blog.

Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Name: Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 ¼ lbs to 2 ½ lbs chicken thighs (boneless and skinless, or skin on- see notes) leave whole or cut into bite-sized pieces for skewers.; 2 tablespoons ground cumin; 2 tablespoons ground coriander; 6- 8 garlic cloves, finely minced; 2 teaspoons salt (use 1 teaspoon salt per pound of chicken); 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 teaspoons turmeric; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon allspice; 6 tablespoons olive oil

Description

A simple delicious recipe for chicken shawarma that can be grilled or baked – full of Middle Eastern flavor. Serve with homemade pita bread and tzatziki or over Israeli Salad.

Ingredients

Scale

2 1/4 lbs to 2 1/2 lbs chicken thighs (boneless and skinless, or skin on- see notes) leave whole or cut into bite-sized pieces for skewers.

Shawarma Marinade:

2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
6- 8 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons salt (use 1 teaspoon salt per pound of chicken)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon allspice
6 tablespoons olive oil

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Soak skewers in water if using.
Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix, or pulse in a food processor to make a paste.
Rub the chicken on all sides with the marinade and let it sit for at least 20 minutes (or up to 24-48 hours for the best flavor, refrigerated). You can also cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and marinate for skewers.
Grill chicken on a preheated grill over medium-high heat, closing the BBQ lid, until all sides have nice grill marks, about 8 minutes per side.
Move to a cooler part of the grill or finish cooking chicken in a 350 F oven until cooked all the way through ( 175F) , about 10-15 minutes. *Alternatively, you can bake the chicken thighs in a 375 F oven for 30-40 minutes or use a grill pan on the stovetop.
Taste and adjust salt to taste. Enjoy the chicken shawarma over Israeli salad, tabouli, Lebanese Slaw, or with Middle Eastern rice and veggies, or as a sandwich with tahini yogurt, tzatziki, pita bread, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. See the recipe for Toum (White Garlic Sauce) below.

Notes

Feel free to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, understanding grilling time will shorten. I prefer thighs because they are pretty hard to overcook/dry out.

If using skewers: Make sure to soak wood skewers in water, at least 30 minutes so they don’t burn. Marinate the cubes of chicken in a bowl for at least 20 minutes, before skewering.

To make Toum (Garlic White Sauce). Place ½ cup garlic cloves in a food processor with 1 teaspoon salt; pulse until finely ground, and scrape down the sides. Pulse in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, scraping down the sides, then continue adding a tablespoon at a time until creamy (about 1 ¼- 1½ cups olive oil total), until thick like mayo, then pulse in 3 tablespoons lemon juice.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 4 ounces
Calories: 213
Sugar: 0.1 g
Sodium: 693.7 mg
Fat: 12.1 g
Saturated Fat: 2.3 g
Carbohydrates: 3 g
Fiber: 0.6 g
Protein: 23 g
Cholesterol: 106.5 mg