Chicken Shawarma Recipe
- By Amy Dong
- Published Jul. 14, 2022
- Updated May. 24, 2024
This Easy, Healthy Chicken Shawarma recipe is incredibly tender and scrumptious! It’s a hit every time we serve this flavorful dish. It happens to be Whole30 and Paleo approved.
In This Article
1-Minute Video: Chicken Shawarma
What is chicken shawarma?
Chicken Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish that’s loaded with aromatic spices that make your mouth water. Traditionally, shawarma consists of paper-thin slices of meat from a vertical rotating slow-roaster. The result is a deliciously tender, flavorful plate of chicken, beef, or other protein.
Most of us don’t own a monster-sized rotating spit at home. Despite that tidbit, you can absolutely make tantalizing homemade chicken shawarma. All you need is a great dry rub for your chicken to marinade in, an oven that reaches 400F and doubles as a broiler for the great finish.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken thighs are essential here; boneless, skinless thighs are your friend when it comes to tender and flavorful shawarma
- Extra-virgin olive oil is used to bind seasonings to the chicken. You can opt to use a bit more oil if needed, but don’t omit it
- Dry rub seasonings are what makes all the difference in this chicken shawarma’s big bold flavors. As always, use the freshest seasonings/spices because you probably already know that the older those pantry spices are, they less flavor they hold.
- Smoked paprika, cumin, allspice, cayenne, garlic and onion powders, ground tumeric, and cinnamon are all included in this powerhouse dry rub mixture. Skip nothing, if at all possible, as each spice adds its own unique flavor profile to the finished dish.
Key Recipe Steps
- Mix seasonings together in a bowl.
- Dry chicken thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Coat chicken with seasonings.
- Place chicken in a single layer and bake.
For full recipe ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Pro Tips for Success
Giant cone-shaped spit aside, we home cooks can still make some outrageous chicken shawarma at home.
- Even if you’re normally a die-hard white meat cooker, go with chicken thighs here. Skinless, boneless chicken thighs are actually quite lean and turn out so much more tender (translation: they’re harder to mess up.)
- Rest the chicken in an aromatic dry rub marinade at least 3-4 hours, preferably overnight in fridge.
- Speaking of which, double check that all your spices/seasonings are fresh and haven’t lost their zing.
- Be sure the oven is well preheated to 400F when ready to cook. Use the preheat time to let your chicken come close to room temperature. Better results will happen if your chicken isn’t super cold. Roast the chicken in a single layer for even browning.
- Slice just-cooked chicken as thinly as you can, arrange slices in a single layer on sheet pan, and broil to perfection.
Note: Using the grill or skillet for cooking chicken is always an option, but oven-roasting is by far the easiest.
Commonly Asked Questions
Chicken Shawarma is a Levantine Arab method of cooking meat. Thin shavings are cut off a large block of meat. Because most home cooks don’t have access to machinery used by restaurants, we achieve a similar effect by thinly slicing with an ultra sharp knife.
We definitely include chicken shawarma as part of a healthy diet. Lean, skinless chicken, olive oil, and plenty of fresh spices means this dish is both nutritious and delicious.
Absolutely. Chicken Shawarma is excellent for meal prepping, as it keeps well in the fridge, and can be served up multiple ways throughout the week. Try it with rice, salad, or pita.
This part is actually imperative for nicely browned chicken. If excess moisture is not removed from the surface of chicken pieces, they’ll tend to steam in the oven, rather than brown.
Did you make this?
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Chicken Shawarma (Easy & Healthy)
Ingredients
For the Dry Rub:
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp ground tumeric
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ tsp cayenne
- 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
For the Chicken:
- 3 lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 1 TB extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together all the spices to combine well. Add 2 TB olive oil and mix into a paste. Set aside.
- Thoroughly towel-dry the boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Slice each thigh into quarters, and coat with 1 TB olive oil. Add chicken into the bowl with marinade. Use tongs or clean hands to thoroughly coat all pieces of chicken evenly, on all sides. Cover tightly with cling wrap and chill overnight (at least 3-4 hours.)
- Let chicken come to room temp as you preheat oven to 400F, with rack on upper middle position. Once oven is heated, place chicken pieces in a single layer on a large, foil-lined baking sheet. Take care not to overlap or overcrowd the pieces. Roast 15 min or until just cooked.
- Let chicken cool enough to handle. Slice all chicken into thin slices. Place back onto the baking sheet in an even layer. Broil on high for 7-10 minutes or until edges are nicely browned. Serve immediately with pita bread, basmati rice, or green salad.
Notes
- Chicken thighs are highly recommended in this recipe, as it’s much more forgiving and stays tender even if slightly over-cooked. If you prefer to use chicken breasts, you may need to cook a bit less time to avoid the meat becoming dry.
- Chicken Shawarma can be served bowl-style with basmati rice and your choice of toppings, or wrapped in a pita with toppings. It’s delicious with garlic hummus and any Mediterranean style salad. Garnish ideas include cilantro, red onions, or pickles.
Nutrition (per serving)
More to Cook and Eat
- Chicken Tinga Tacos (Meal Prep, Freezer Friendly) – perfect for making big batches at the beginning of the week. Chicken tinga isn’t only for tacos; try it over salad or make it into a rice bowl.
- Chicken Tikka Masala – How to Make This Restaurant Dish At Home – Oh, yes. This fragrant, saucy Indian chicken dish can easily be made right at home.
- Easy, Healthy Orange Chicken (One Pan Technique) – this popular take-out dish is made healthier at home, and is full of big flavors.
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken – this is hands-down our favorite way to cook and eat teriyaki chicken. It’s genuinely better than restaurants; you’ll forever be making your own teriyaki once you try this.