You need this Chicken Shawarma recipe in your life! With juicy chicken thighs marinated in an aromatic mix of spices, lemon and olive oil, this flavor-packed dish can be cooked in a skillet, the oven or on the grill.

Slice up the shawarma chicken and serve in flatbread or pita with arugula, sliced cucumber, tomatoes and a drizzle of tahini sauce. It is so good!

Three chicken shawarma wraps stacked on a plate.

We’ve Been Making this Chicken Shawarma on Repeat

This chicken shawarma is one of my top 3 favorite meals. The flavor is just incredible. And it doesn’t hurt that it’s also really easy to make!

What makes this recipe so good is the marinade. It’s actually hard to believe that you get this much flavor using such simple ingredients, but you do! This chicken shawarma is warm, earthy, smoky, citrusy, just an all-around party of flavors thanks to the shawarma spice blend. The spices are all pantry staples, and the only other ingredients you’ll need for the marinade are olive oil and lemon juice.

I love to cook this chicken shawarma in a skillet or on the grill, to get that extra flavor that comes with browning against a hot pan or grill grates. I’ve also tested this recipe in the oven, and that was delicious too, just not quite as much browning on the chicken.

Cooked shawarma chicken thighs stacked on a plate.

What is Shawarma?

Shawarma is a popular street food in the Middle East, made with spiced chicken, beef or lamb that’s slow cooked on a rotating vertical spit and then shaved off when serving. It’s typically served in a wrap, bowl or salad, often with a sauce like tahini sauce.

Making shawarma at home is super easy, no rotisserie required! This chicken shawarma is one of our go-to weeknight meals, especially since you can let the chicken marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then all that’s left to do is cook it, serve it up, and devour!

Chicken Shawarma Ingredients

Here’s a look at what you’ll need to make this recipe. Find the full printable recipe in the recipe card below.

Ingredients for chicken shawarma recipe.

The Marinade and Shawarma Spice Blend

The secret to the best shawarma is in the marinade! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Olive Oil: Helps the spices to coat the chicken.
  • Lemon Juice: Brings citrusy flavor and tenderizes the meat.
  • Ground Cumin: Rich, warm and earthy, the cumin adds lots of flavor.
  • Ground Coriander: It’s citrusy, fresh flavor pairs well with the cumin and garlic.
  • Smoked Paprika: Smoky, woodsy, and earthy, smoked paprika is one of my favorite seasonings for the delicious flavor it brings.
  • Ground Cardamom: Cardamom’s unique flavor is hard to describe. Some say it has a hint of eucalyptus, lemon and mint.
  • Garlic Powder: For garlicky flavor.
  • Cayenne Pepper: With the 1/2 teaspoon listed in this recipe, you’ll get a touch of spice in some bites, but the chicken won’t be “spicy.” Feel free to scale the cayenne pepper up or down, to your tastes.
Chicken thighs and marinade in a zip-top bag.

Boneless Chicken Thighs are Preferred

Chicken thighs are often used to make chicken shawarma, and they are my preference because the dark meat is typically more juicy and flavorful, plus it’s harder to overcook them. You can use chicken breasts if you prefer, and I’ve done so when my grocery store was out of chicken thighs. It was still delicious, but I do prefer this recipe with the more flavorful and moist dark meat of chicken thighs.

Sliced chicken shawarma served on pita bread with arugula, cucumber, tomato and tahini sauce.

For Serving

My favorite way to serve this chicken shawarma is in a wrap or pita pocket. Some suggestions for serving:

  • Pita bread (I use my homemade Whole Wheat Pita Bread) or flatbread.
  • Greens. I love this with baby arugula. You could also use baby spinach or shredded lettuce.
  • Thinly sliced cucumber.
  • Tomatoes. Halved cherry tomatoes, chopped whole tomatoes, sliced tomatoes, whatever you like!
  • Thinly sliced red onion.
  • A sauce. My favorite with this recipe is a drizzle of Tahini Sauce. You could also use Tzatziki.

Chicken shawarma is also delicious served in a bowl with rice, hummus or chickpeas, roasted potatoes, olives, feta cheese, fresh parsley or cilantro, and/or any of the ingredients listed above. Or, use similar ingredients but swap the rice for chopped romaine to make a chicken shawarma salad.

Cooking chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet.

How to Make Chicken Shawarma

  1. Marinate the chicken. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and spices in a large zip-top bag or bowl. Squeeze the bag or whisk to combine. Then add the chicken and coat with the marinade. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
  2. Cook the chicken. (See below for details.)
  3. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice it.
  4. Serve, as desired.

Cooking Options

I’ve tested this recipe in a skillet on the stove, on the grill and in the oven. All were delicious, it just depends on your preference! The oven is definitely the most hands-off way to cook this, but you lose a bit of the flavor/browning that you get with the skillet/grill methods. The recipe card below includes all of the details on cooking times and temperatures for each method.

I bet this would also turn out delicious in the air fryer, I just haven’t tried it yet!

Three chicken shawarma wraps with pita bread, arugula, cucumber, tomato and tahini sauce.

Just look at that spiced chicken, wrapped in soft pita bread with crisp veggies and creamy tahini sauce. Dinner perfection! I hope you’ll give this recipe a try – I think you’re going to love it!

Three chicken shawarma wraps stacked on a plate.
5 from 1 rating

Chicken Shawarma

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Marinate: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Author: Kristine Roseblatt
This Chicken Shawarma is one of my top 3 favorite meals. It is so good! With juicy chicken thighs marinated in an aromatic mix of spices, lemon and olive oil, this flavor-packed dish can be cooked in a skillet, the oven or on the grill.
Slice up the shawarma chicken and serve in flatbread or pita with arugula, sliced cucumber, tomatoes and a drizzle of tahini sauce. Yum!
Print Recipe Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

For the Chicken and Marinade

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

For Serving

  • flatbreads or pita
  • tahini sauce*
  • toppings as desired, such as baby arugula or shredded lettuce, sliced cucumber, chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, fresh cilantro, etc.

Instructions
 

  • Marinate the chicken: To a large zip-top bag or bowl add the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cardamom, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Squeeze the bag or whisk to combine. Add the chicken and coat the chicken in the marinade. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
  • Cook the chicken. You can bake it in the oven, grill it, or cook it in a skillet on the stove, directions follow.
  • To Cook on the Stove: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan (work in batches if needed) and cook for 8-10 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165° F.
  • To Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the hot grill and reduce the heat to medium. Grill for 7-10 minutes per side, or until chicken registers 165° F at the thickest part when tested with an instant read thermometer.
  • To Bake: Preheat oven to 425° F. Place the chicken thighs in a 9×13-inch baking dish and discard the used marinade. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of at least 165° F.
  • Let the cooked chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice. Serve chicken in flatbreads or pita with tahini sauce or tzatziki sauce and desired toppings.

Notes

  • Instead of the tahini sauce you can serve this with Tzatziki Sauce.
  • Chicken shawarma is also delicious served in a bowl with rice, hummus or chickpeas, roasted potatoes, olives, feta cheese, fresh parsley or cilantro, and/or any of the ingredients listed above. Or, use similar ingredients but swap the rice for chopped romaine to make a chicken shawarma salad.
  • Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
  • Nutrition estimate is for the seasoned chicken only, since what you serve it with will vary.
Calories: 271kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 144mg, Sodium: 719mg, Potassium: 430mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 447IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Course: Main Course
Author: Kristine Roseblatt
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