Chicken Shawarma
Updated Apr 07, 2025
Easy homemade chicken shawarma recipe with chicken thighs and a shawarma marinade that's been passed down through my Middle Eastern family for generations.
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My Chicken Shawarma is So Good!
In fact, it’s so good that I put this Chicken Shawarma recipe on the cover of my cookbook!
While my kids crave chicken nuggets now, I used to crave chicken shawarma growing up because it meant my dad would be making me stuffed pita with the shawarma marinated chicken, garlic sauce, and veggies, and I loved nothing more!
It’s tough to replicate authentic chicken shawarma at home since most of us don’t have a vertical spit in our kitchen like they use in the Middle East. But this homemade version makes it doable for everyone to make at home. You get the same bold spices, same crispy edges, just way easier to pull off.
My original recipe, which I shared in May of 2020, uses chicken thighs that are first baked in the oven, then sliced and seared in a cast-iron skillet (you can still find this version in the Notes section of the recipe card if you want to try it!). While writing my cookbook, I decided to make a faster version of chicken shawarma that all happens on the stovetop.
Chicken Shawarma Ingredients
- Chicken: I use chicken thighs in this recipe for the best flavor and texture. You can substitute with chicken breast but the result will not be as tender and juicy.
- Oil: For marinating. I prefer to use olive oil, but a neutral oil like avocado works too.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice.
- Garlic: Use fresh minced garlic because it makes all the difference!
- Seasonings: I use my family’s seasoning blend, which is made with paprika, salt, cardamom, cumin, crushed red pepper, and cinnamon.
Popular Variations
- Make it in a loaf pan: Tightly pack the chicken in a loaf pan. Nestle the loaf pan in a shallow pan (to catch any juices that may drip during roasting) and roast at 400°F until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the chicken registers 165°F, about 45 minutes. Check out the full recipe variation that I shared with the Food Network.
- Marinate Shawarma with onions: You can marinate the onion slices with the shawarma and then cook it all together on the skillet. I recommend one small onion thinly sliced and it’s something my mom does in her beef shawarma recipe.
- Add yogurt: The traditional shawarma recipe does not have yogurt. However, I have seen this variation to add to help tenderize the chicken. If you’re adding yogurt, use plain or greek yogurt and add about 2-3 tablespoons. But I would only recommend it if you’re using chicken breast slices since chicken thighs will be plenty tender!
How to Make Chicken Shawarma
My Best Chicken Shawarma Tips
- Marinate the shawarma for at least one hour before cooking it. This not only helps to add flavor, but it also helps to break down the fibers so you have the most tender meat.
- Let the chicken come to room temperature before cooking. 10 minutes should do and it will help the chicken cook more quickly and evenly without the risk of drying it out.
- Use a cast iron skillet if you have one. I love it for cooking chicken shawarma because of its amazing heat retention, which lets the chicken cook more evenly without drying out any parts. It creates juicy, tender chicken with a crispy crust, without needing to add too much oil.
- Don’t be tempted to stir the chicken at first. To get that signature char on the chicken shawarma like the street vendors, you want to make sure the skillet is hot, but more importantly you want to leave the chicken to cook on one side undisturbed for 8 minutes. Then you can stir occasionally after that point.
Serving Ideas
I like to serve the chicken shawarma street style the authentic way, in pita with pickles, pickled turnips, tomatoes, lettuce, and garlic sauce or tahini sauce. You can also serve it with these side dishes:
- Lebanese Rice
- Tomato Rice Pilaf
- Turmeric Rice
- Lebanese Spicy Potatoes
- Mediterranean Rice Salad
- Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad
- Lebanese Fattoush Salad
- Lebanese Cabbage Salad
- Shirazi Salad
- Roasted Cauliflower Salad
More Mediterranean Chicken Recipes:
- Shish Tawook
- Baked Za’atar Chicken
- Oven Baked Chicken and Rice
- Greek Chicken Gyros
- Lebanese Chicken and Rice
- Lebanese Freekeh with Chicken
- Lemon Chicken Piccata
- Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken
If you try this Chicken Shawarma recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
This Chicken Shawarma recipe was originally published on May 14, 2020 and has recently been updated to a stovetop recipe instead of in the oven. It also includes new photography, step-by-step images, recipe tips and ingredient substitutions to help make the recipe. If you loved the original recipe, you can find it in the notes section in the recipe card below.
Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Toum for serving
- Vegetables for serving
- Arabic-style pita
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, and crushed red pepper. Add the chicken and gently toss to coat. (If you’d like to marinate the chicken, cover the bowl and rest in the fridge for up to 24 hours.)
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and allow it to cook on one side undisturbed for 8 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces and continue cooking on the other side, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through, 4-7 more minutes.
- Transfer the chicken shawarma to a serving platter and enjoy with the Toum, vegetables, and Arabic-style pita, if desired.
Equipment
- 10" Cast Iron Skillet
Notes
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
6 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
¾ teaspoon cardamom
¾ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Place the marinade ingredients in a large bowl: ¼ cup olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cardamom, paprika, cumin, crushed red pepper and cinnamon; and whisk to blend.
Add the chicken into the large bowl with the marinade and stir with a spoon to evenly coat the chicken with the marinade. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Roast the chicken until cooked through, about 15 minutes, turning halfway through.
Remove the chicken from the oven and use a sharp knife to thinly slice the chicken into thinly sliced pieces. If you’d like to give the chicken shawarma seared edges, you can transfer it to a skillet with its juice and saute until they start to brown, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcrowd the skillet though.
Serve with rice or in a pita with pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and garlic sauce or tahini sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Comments
Can you grill the chicken after marinating?
Yes, absolutely!
I tried this recipe, and it turned out perfect! The instructions were super detailed, and the tips section was really helpful. I loved it! Definitely trying more of your recipes!
Aww, thank you so much! So glad you found the tips section helpful and the instructions thorough, Natacha!
Love your recipes. Can we make ahead the whole shawarma and freeze it for later?
Good question! Yes, you can absolutely can. I recommend freezing the cooked chicken shawarma to thaw and eat at a later date.
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