Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Add Preferred SourceChicken shawarma is the kind of meal you order out because it looks like it needs a vertical spit you don’t have at home. You don’t need one, and the yogurt marinade does most of the work.
I skewer the thighs, then broil them for 2 or 3 minutes for the crisp edges that give it the cart-style char. One pound of chicken and a handful of pantry spices fill four pitas, so this meal stretches further than takeout, and the leftovers keep for days.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The yogurt marinade keeps the thighs juicy through a long roast, then thins into the sauce, so one tub of yogurt does two jobs and nothing gets thrown away.
- After a 5-minute mix, it’s hands-off. The chicken marinates and roasts on its own while you get on with something else.
- One pound of chicken feeds four in pita, and the flavor comes from spices you likely already have rather than a special shopping trip.
- It reheats well for 3 to 4 days, so a single batch covers lunches into the week.
- You build each wrap yourself, from extra lettuce and cucumber to pickles or a shake of hot sauce.
Ingredients You’ll Need
A few ingredients here need a note before you start. The printable card below has the full list with quantities.
- Boneless chicken thighs. They stay tender through the hour in the oven, where breast tends to dry out. If thighs are on offer, this is a good recipe to buy them for.
- Greek yogurt. It does double duty here, tenderizing the chicken in the marinade and then loosening into the sauce. Buy the bigger tub, since one pot covers both jobs.
- The spice blend. Cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, cardamom, garlic powder and onion powder make up the shawarma seasoning, and every one of them is a pantry spice rather than something you have to hunt down. The smoked paprika stands in for the char you’d get off a real spit.
- Lemon. The juice goes into the marinade to brighten the spices, and the wedges at the table wake everything up again once it’s assembled.
- Pita and the fresh toppings. Red onion, cucumber, lettuce, parsley and mint are what cut the richness of the spiced chicken and yogurt sauce, so don’t skip them.
How to Make Chicken Shawarma
A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Marinate the chicken
Stir together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices in a bowl. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you have time.
The longer it sits, the further the spices work into the meat, and there’s no penalty for going that far ahead.
Roast the skewers
I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicy. Toss them right into the bowl and make sure every piece is fully coated in the marinade.
Then it all goes into the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you have time.
Get the oven ready
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Thread the chicken onto two or three skewers, packed snugly together, and lay them across a high-sided baking dish so the pieces sit up off the base.
Roast for about an hour, turning halfway, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) at its thickest point.
For crisp, browned edges, slide the skewers under the broiler for the last 2 to 3 minutes, watching them closely. It’s an optional finish, and I take it every time.
Whisk the sauce
While the chicken roasts, whisk the Greek yogurt with the olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper.
Taste it and adjust. The lemon and yogurt should taste tangy enough to stand up to the spiced meat.
If you’d rather, this sauce swaps cleanly for toum, tahini, or tzatziki.
Build the wraps
Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before you slice it thin. Warm the pita, spread a layer of sauce, and pile on the chicken, red onion, cucumber, lettuce, parsley, and mint. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- I pull the chicken at 165°F (74°C) using a thermometer rather than going by color, because the spice rub browns the outside well before the inside is cooked through. Color isn’t a safe way to judge spiced chicken.
- Rest the chicken before slicing. Cut it straight out of the oven and the juices run onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
- No skewers on hand is not a problem. Spread the marinated chicken on a lined baking sheet and roast it the same way.
- The oven cooks the chicken through but leaves it paler than a spit would. That gap is what the broiler step closes, and it’s the reason I never skip it.
Recipe Variations
- Ground coriander is a classic shawarma spice this blend leaves out, and half a teaspoon slips into the mix and rounds it out. It’s a supported swap that doesn’t touch the timing, though I haven’t tested that exact version myself.
- Chicken breast works as a swap for the thighs, but check it 10 to 15 minutes early since it dries out faster.
- For more char, cook the marinated chicken in a hot cast-iron skillet on the stovetop instead of the oven. That stovetop route is a tested alternative when you want browner edges.
- A plain dairy-free yogurt goes into both the marinade and the sauce for cooking without dairy, and it’s a tested swap that behaves the same way.
How to Store Leftovers
To get ahead, you can put the marinade on the chicken up to a day before you cook it. Keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to roast.
For cooked leftovers, store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 4 months. Reheat it to 165°F (74°C), and keep the sauce and fresh toppings separate so they don’t wilt against the warm meat.
If you’re setting the shawarma out as a spread, return the chicken to the fridge within 2 hours, or within 1 hour on a hot day
What to Serve With Chicken Shawarma
Because the wrap already carries its own salad of onion, cucumber, lettuce and herbs, it doesn’t ask for much alongside it. A bowl of rice turns it into a fuller plate, and PFR’s Mexican rice is a mild, cumin-warmed option that sits happily next to the spices without competing with them.
If you want more on the table, a quick cucumber and tomato salad, a bowl of pickles, or some hummus for scooping all fit the meal without much effort. None of those need a recipe you’d have to plan around.
FAQs
It can, and this version does, but it isn’t a fixed rule. Traditional Levantine shawarma is often built around parsley, pickles, tomato and sumac onions, though lettuce turns up in some builds too. Plenty of home and Western versions add it for crunch, so use what you like in the wrap.
This blend uses cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, cardamom, garlic powder and onion powder, with dried parsley and black pepper. That’s a legitimate shawarma seasoning. If you want it closer to the fuller classic blends, ground coriander is one of the spices most often added on top of these, along with a pinch of cloves or allspice.
The broiler does it. Once the chicken is roasted through, finish it under direct heat until the edges catch and brown, and the smoked paprika in the marinade deepens that color.
More Marinated Chicken Dinners to Try
If this one goes down well, here’s where I’d point you next.
- Chipotle Grilled Chicken is the one I make when I want the same marinated-thigh idea but faster, smoky instead of spiced, and ready in about 25 minutes.
- Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers scratch the same skewer itch on a night I’d rather have a bold peanut dip than pita.
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken is brighter and more citrus-forward, and it goes with rice and noodles rather than a wrap.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless chicken thighs
For the sauce:
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
To Serve:
- 4 medium pita breads
- ½ red onion sliced (pickled if preferred)
- ¼ cucumber sliced
- ½ cup lettuce chopped
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh Parsley
- Fresh Mint
Video
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, smoked paprika, dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, cardamom, black pepper, salt, and olive oil. Add the chicken thighs, ensuring they are evenly coated, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon cumin powder, ½ tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Thread the marinated chicken onto 2-3 skewers, making sure the pieces are snugly packed together. Place the skewers over a baking dish with high edges and roast for about 1 hour, turning them halfway through cooking.1 pound boneless chicken thighs
- For the sauce, whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, Salt and pepper, 1 lemon
- Once the chicken is done, allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into thin strips. Warm the pita breads, spread a layer of the yogurt sauce, and top with sliced chicken. Add red onions, cucumber, lettuce, parsley, and mint.4 medium pita breads, ½ red onion, ¼ cucumber, ½ cup lettuce, Lemon wedges, Fresh Parsley, Fresh Mint
- Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!
Notes
- Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours; overnight gives a deeper flavor.
- No skewers are needed; spread the marinated chicken on a lined baking sheet and roast the same way.
- Roast until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), then broil the last 2 to 3 minutes for crisper edges.
- Chicken breast can replace thighs, but check it 10 to 15 minutes early because it dries out faster.
- A hot cast-iron skillet on the stovetop is an alternative to the oven for more char.
- A plain dairy-free yogurt can replace the Greek yogurt in both the marinade and the sauce.
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 4 months.
