Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Easy homemade chicken shawarma recipe made with chicken thighs and a shawarma marinade that has been passed down through my Middle Eastern family for generations.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
- 10" Cast Iron Skillet
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.
Video
Notes
The nutrition label is for the chicken only and does not include pita or toppings.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 2-3 days in the fridge.
Make Ahead Tips: You can make the marinade up to a week in advance, and you can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours in advance.
Original recipe
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into smaller pieces
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.
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
Serving: 6oz | Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 394mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
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