Chicken Shawarma
This no-spice-left-behind chicken shawarma recipe is bursting with flavor packed inside tender, juicy chicken strips. And it is oh so very easy to make.
Ingredients
Chicken Shawarma
- 10 chicken thighs about 1200 grams, 2.6 lbs, 1.2 kg
- 1 bell pepper, sliced optional
- 1 onion, sliced optional
Chicken Shawarma Marinade
- 1 lemon, juiced about 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced about 4 garlic cloves OR 3/4 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup yogurt
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper optional
Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic about 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper
- mint leaves optional
Pickled Onions
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ tbsp sugar
- ½ tbsp salt
Instructions
Chicken Shawarma Marinade
- Combine all the spices – cumin, turmeric, coriander, cardamom, smoked paprika, cinnamon – along with salt and pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and yogurt in a bowl or Ziploc bag.
- Add the chicken to the bowl and toss to marinate OR in the Ziploc bag with the marinade and massage the outside of the bag with your hands to thoroughly smother each piece.
- Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Around 24 hours is ideal. The longer you leave it, the more flavorful the chicken.
Make Chicken Shawarma
- Pull the marinaded chicken out of the fridge and let it sit out at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
- While you wait for the oven to get hot - 12 to 15 minutes - is a good time to slice up onions and bell peppers if you'll be roasting those alongside the chicken.
- Arrange the chicken on a large sheet pan. Add the bell peppers and onions at the bottom of the sheet pan, the part that is facing you, and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
- Place the whole thing in the hot oven and let bake for around 20 to 25 minutes.
- If you're roasting veggies, about 10 minutes in, open the oven and gently tilt the oven pan so that the chicken juices can run down to coat the vegetables.
- When the chicken is done, let it sit for a couple minutes and then cut the fillets into thin strips. Coat them in the leftover chicken juices and serve.
Pickled Red Onions
- Mix together lemon juice, sugar and salt.
- Cut a red onion into thin slices and add it to the mixture. Toss to coat.
Yogurt Sauce
- If you're using mint leaves, grind the mint leaves with the garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle. Add that to the yogurt along with lemon juice and a bit of salt and pepper.
- If you won't be using mint leaves, mix together minced garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Notes
Skip the pan. This chicken shawarma recipe is ideal for oven cooking. Because the yogurt marinade makes pan a sticky mess of an ordeal. Go for the oven or a grill – skip the stovetop.
If you want to make ahead. Do so without the yogurt. Combine all the marinade ingredients (minus the yogurt) with the chicken and store in the freezer for up to 3 to 4 months. Yogurt-marinated chicken will ultimately be okay in the freezer but as it defrosts, the yogurt can split and get a bit too watery. To avoid this, add in the yogurt after you remove the chicken from the freezer, let it sit in the yogurt as it defrosts.
Take advantage of the chicken juices. As the chicken bakes, it will release some deliciously marinated chicken juices. Make use of this stuff! Coat roasted bell peppers and onions in it. And once you’re done cooking and cutting the chicken strips, give them a good bath in the chicken juices before serving.