Our quick and easy Chicken Shawarma is our version of this Middle East classic! Made with all the best, warm spices and served with a homemade garlic white sauce. Perfect for adding to a rice bowl, make into a chicken shawarma wrap, or enjoy over a simple rice pilaf!
The Best Chicken Shawarma
For years, we have absolutely love enjoying traditional Middle Eastern chicken shawarma and knew it was time to make our own homemade chicken shawarma recipe at home! It is cooked on the stove top in a matter of minutes and can be enjoyed so many different ways. Just make sure you enjoy one of our favorite meals with a cool sauce, like our homemade white sauce or tzatziki sauce!
Looking for More Chicken Recipes?
If you love this lean meat as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Balsamic Grilled Chicken or our Chicken Chow Mein!
What You Will Need
- plain yogurt – helps bring a tangy flavor to the marinade and the yogurt sauce. Option to swap out with a dairy-free alternative from your grocery store.
- lime juice – adding a little bit of acidity to the mix will amplify all the other flavors.
- tequila – just a splash adds so much flavor but it can also be omitted, if you prefer.
- minced garlic – everything is always better with some fresh garlic in the mix.
- onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, ground cumin, cinnamon, ground cloves, salt and pepper – a variety of spices that really pack a flavor punch in this middle eastern dish!
- boneless skinless chicken thighs – highly recommend that you use chicken thighs, but you can substitute with boneless chicken breast. Just make sure you adjust the cook time.
- garlic yogurt sauce – it only takes about 6 simple ingredients and 5 minutes to mix up this creamy sauce in a small bowl!
How To Make Chicken Shawarma
The first steps to making this easy recipe are to gather the chicken shawarma marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix together, add the chicken, and toss to coat. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes (no longer than that or the lime juice will start to breakdown the chicken).
In this cooking method, you will bring a large nonstick skillet to a medium high heat. Once it is ready, carefully pull the chicken out of the marinade and place in the hot pan in a single layer. Cook chicken for 1-2 minutes on each side at the high heat and then turn to a low heat and continue cooking for 2-5 minutes or until golden brown with an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (use a meat thermometer).
Can I Make Chicken Shawarma In The Oven?
Absolutely! Feel free to make an oven roasted chicken shawarma by following the instructions for marinating the chicken and then place them on a sheet pan. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and move the entire baking sheet to bake for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reach 165 degrees F (use an instant-read thermometer).
While the chicken cooks, put the garlic white sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Let the meat rest for 5 minutes at room temperature on a cutting board or large platter.
Best Ways To Serve Chicken Shawarma
For easy weeknight dinners, we always find ourselves reaching for this shawarma chicken recipe because it can be enjoyed in so many different ways! We love using it to make a Chicken Shawarma Bowl, chicken shawarma wraps, on pita bread with tzatziki sauce or tahini sauce, or simply on a plate with some garlic sauce on a bed or rice.
Storage
Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days and enjoy this roasted chicken throughout the week.
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Chicken Shawarma
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Marinate Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern-Inspired
Description
An easy and delicious Chicken Shawarma recipe that is perfect for a busy weeknight! Serve with some rice and Garlic White Sauce!
Ingredients
Chicken Shawarma:
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tequila
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Garlic White Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon mayo
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- serving: cooked rice of your choice, mint leaves, lemon wedges
Instructions
- Prep Chicken: In a large bowl whisk together the plain Greek yogurt, lime juice, tequila, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes (no longer than that or the lime juice will start to breakdown the chicken).
- Cook Chicken: Bring a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear on both sides, 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat and cook chicken 2-5 minutes per side or until fully cooked (internal temp. of 165 degrees F.) – don’t add all the marinade to the pan, but it is nice to cook the chicken in a little bit of it. Transfer to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
- Make Sauce: Add Garlic White Sauce ingredients to a small bowl; whisk to combine. Taste and add any additional salt, cumin or garlic – as desired.
- Serve: Serve the sliced chicken over a bed of rice with lot of Garlic White Sauce or make a Chicken Shawarma Bowl.
Notes
- Dairy-Free: to make dairy-free use a plain dairy-free yogurt (unsweetened/unflavored) instead of the plain greek yogurt and use dairy-free feta instead of regular.
- Non-Stick Pan: I typically use a cast iron skillet for cooking and you can definitely use it here, but I have found that when you use yogurt in the marinade, things tend to stick a bit more so a nonstick worked nicely with this recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 391
- Sugar: 2.6 g
- Sodium: 646.2 mg
- Fat: 14.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.5 g
- Protein: 50 g
- Cholesterol: 218.5 mg
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