Chicken Shawarma will slap your taste buds with a flavor so intense, it will send you straight to shawarma paradise. (That’s a thing.) Chicken Shawarma is a sandwich gone rogue—juicy, garlicky, and spiced like it’s been on a tour of the Middle East…but actually made in your kitchen in 45 minutes, tops. The lettuce, cucumber, and pickled onions offer the perfect crispy foil to the tender, juicy, perfectly grilled chicken. Wrap it all up in fluffy Homemade Naan and slather with the garlicky white sauce of your dreams. Originally published July 2, 2012.
Table of Contents
- Super special announcement!
- Chicken shawarma for life
- The spices
- Rules for the best chicken shawarma
- What you need to make this chicken shawarma recipe
- How to make chicken shawarma
- What to serve with chicken shawarma
- How to store this mess
- Chicken shawarma: frequently asked questions
- Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Eric chose a salad for dinner the other night because he’s trying to lose a few pounds. He mentioned his current weight, and Truman lights up from across the table. “DAD! You weigh 20 pounds more than the top weight limit for a pilot in the French air force back in World War One!”
Why yes, my son IS turning 12 next week, what gave it away?? I honestly have NO IDEA how he keeps so many random facts in his brain. It’s incredibly unfair. Facts seem to fall right out of my head the moment they enter these days. (Important facts! CRUCIAL FACTS! Way more important than French pilot weight limits from 100 years ago!)
It’s the age, I know it is. 12-year-olds have the energy of a jumping kangaroo, and the memory overdrive to match. Imagine if I had those kinds of memory skills as a 37-year-old woman. I could probably take over the entire world. Or at LEAST remember all my sibling’s birthdays.
As it stands now, if you inserted me into the life of a super villain, I wouldn’t even make it into the Bat Cave. Not only would I not be able to remember the password, I would have to call Eric for help retrieving it. (“Everything’s computer” 😂)
Okay but even though I can’t remember my own middle name sometimes, I can still make a mean Chicken Shawarma. (I definitely can’t remember the recipe without writing it down though…hence this entire blog!) But before we get into Shawarma adoration, I have something to share!!
Super special announcement!
I’m SOO excited to share something with you! I’m hosting my first challenge here at The Food Charlatan!
I’m sure you’ve seen other bloggers do this. It’s something I’ve always dreamed about but have never been “together” enough to organize! (thank u, team 🥹)
The details will go out to my email subscribers on Monday, so if you want to be included, be sure to sign up to receive TFC emails! But I will give you a hint, it’s happening in the month of April, and it’s going to help you get dinner on the table 🙌 I hope you will join in!!
I’m beyond excited but ALSO ULTRA NERVOUS, gahh!! I told my mom, if even 5 or 10 people sign up to participate (besides her) I’ll be so happy.
I also have committed, with my name signed in blood, to show up on social media. That’s right, my face, my voice, available for you to criticize to your heart’s content, cooking in the kitchen along with you! It’s going to be SO FUN!! Follow along on Instagram and Facebook, there will be some fun LIVE events! I posted my first reel just this afternoon 😱
The email that explains the challenge will come on Monday. I’ll get you all the details for how to participate, prizes you can win, the charity organization we are supporting, and of course, the recipeS we are making!!
Chicken shawarma for life
Okay, back to the food! “Have you ever tried Shawarma? I don’t know what it is but I want to try it.” Anyone remember that Avenger’s scene?
Shawarma is amazing marinated meat (in this case chicken) wrapped up in a pita or naan, slathered with garlicky lemon white sauce. And then the veggies: cucumber, tomato, and lettuce (and pickled onions, if you’re an American millennial female. I am what I am, people.) It’s SO GOOD. Such a mess when you’re eating, I love it. I’m all about that SAUCE.
And the best news? You can make this in your kitchen in 45 minutes. It’s true!!
Marinate your chicken for a few, grill it, (or pop it under the broiler or into the air fryer), slice up the veggies while you wait, and voila! The weeknight dinner of your dreams. If you’re low-carbing it, this chicken is the ultimate protein to toss on your salad. Shawarma salad is a huge life win, especially if you find yourself 20 pounds over the weight limit of a French WWI pilot.
The spices
There are 8 spices called for in this recipe. EEP! Hear me out, I know that sounds like a lot, especially if you don’t have a Well-Stocked Pantry. You didn’t hear it from me but…if you don’t have every single one of the spices listed, you can still make this.
Of course it’s best if you have them all. This isn’t exactly how they make it in the Middle East of course, but this is the collection of spices you can find in an American kitchen that gets you closest to the flavors you will find there. I love how earthy and deep the spices make this chicken. It’s so good.
Rules for the best chicken shawarma
As usual, I’m gettin a little bossy. Here are the things you need to know to not screw this up.
- Don’t be afraid to blacken your chicken, that’s where awesome flavor comes from. Hot hot high heat for a short time is how we get this fabulous char!
- That said…don’t overcook your chicken, the temp should not rise above 160° at the highest when you take it off heat.
- Don’t skip making the white sauce, GARLIC IS EVERYTHING PEOPLE
- Make your own Homemade Naan, if you are in it to win it. You will not regret it.
- You can meal prep this as a grain bowl, if you serve it with couscous, white rice, or brown rice, or even as a salad if you are low-carbin’ it! Throw some naan or pita triangles in a ziplock to store and carry it alongside to work. The white sauce can be stored separately for dressing.
What you need to make this chicken shawarma recipe
Here’s a quick list of the stuff you need to make chicken shawarma (and the totally not optional white sauce that’s going to change your life):
For the marinated chicken:
- fresh garlic
- spices like coriander, cumin, cardamom, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and pepper
- lemons
- olive oil
- a yellow onion
- tomato paste
- boneless skinless chicken thighs
For the garlic white sauce:
- plain yogurt (regular or Greek)
- full fat mayonnaise
- fresh garlic
- a lemon
- Kosher salt
- fresh dill (optional)
To assemble:
- naan (store bought or make your own!)
- lettuce
- sliced tomatoes
- sliced cucumbers
How to make chicken shawarma
This recipe feels a little intimidating because there are multiple parts, but I’m telling you, it comes together pretty fast. Start out with the marinade:
Toss the ingredients in a blender or food processor: onion, garlic, lemon, and a whoooole ton of spices. Don’t let these spices intimidate you! The chicken is not overwhelming, and definitely not hot spicy. This is the blend of spices from an American kitchen that’s going to get us closest to what the shawarma-meat-on-a-spit tastes like in the Middle East.
Blend up the marinade and pour it over the chicken.
Set that aside and pickle your onions real quick. If you want an onion-slicing refresher, here’s a whole post on how to cut an onion.
I forgot to take a picture of the pickling process, but here’s a picture from my Beer Battered Fish Burrito Bowl post:
You can use lime or lemon or red wine vinegar to pickle onions. They just need about 20 minutes to sit in an acid, and the tenderize beautifully. (And no dragon breath!)
Now mix up the white sauce, which is really a lemon-garlic-yogurt sauce:
Next up, slice your veggies and get them all prepped. Tomato, lettuce, cucumber. I love thin slices!
Set that all up in little serving bowls or plates. Now it’s chicken time. I love to grill my chicken shawarma, but you can cook it in the oven or the air fryer too. (Or you can pan-sear it; follow the instructions in my Chicken Alfredo for pan searing instructions.)
Oil the grill grates. I like to do this by dipping a crumpled paper towel in a bit of oil and rubbing it on with tongs. In full disclosure, what I ACTUALLY like to do is get my husband to do this part. 🤣 How do you do it??
Grill the chicken over high heat for just a few minutes on each side, until blackened marks show up. The char marks are part of what brings that irresistible flavor, so don’t take it off the heat too early. But also don’t cook it much above 155-160° F. Grilling is a bit of an art (and Eric is so good at it.)
Slice the chicken against the grain, after it’s had a chance to rest.
Now slap some garlic sauce on a naan bread, and top with chicken:
Top with all the veggies and pickled onions, and MORE sauce, and wrap it up:
And devour. Call in the neighbors and share the good news that is SHAWARMA. This stuff is so addictive!
What to serve with chicken shawarma
Chicken shawarma is best on pita or naan bread (store bought or homemade) with lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, and a quick garlicky white sauce. If you want to turn your shawarma experience into a whole feast, here are some great pairings (they’re not all Middle Eastern, but they are all delicious):
- Spicy Feta Cheese Spread (Tyrokafteri) >> spicy, tangy, cheesy, spread it on leftover naan!
- Braised Beef and Green Bean Stew >> have you had this Lebanese dish before?? soooo good
- Tzatziki Sauce >> the cool-as-a-cucumber alternative to garlic white sauce
- Greek Tomato Cucumber Salad >> not enough veg in the shawarma? just add this salad, you’re golden
- Greek Lentil Tacos with Cucumber Pico de Gallo >> for the veg-heads at your party
- Berry Cheesecake Baklava >> this would make a KILLER dessert option!
- The Best Homemade Hummus from Munching with Mariyah
- Authentic Moroccan Couscous from Salima’s Kitchen
How to store this mess
Shawarma aftermath can be a bit like the scene of the crime. But don’t worry, we can clean this up and do it all again if there are leftovers.
Storage: Keep all the components separate in airtight containers. Store the white sauce covered in it’s own container, refrigerated. Store the leftover chicken covered in the fridge. Store the veggies in the crisper.
Store the pickled onions covered in the fridge, they will keep for 1-2 weeks before going weird on you. I’ve always been a little offended that pickled onions don’t last longer in the fridge. Isn’t pickling the storage method that’s supposed to get people through war and famine?
I’ve been meaning to do an entire post on pickled onions, I’ll get around to it one of these days. They are just so good and they go with sooo many things. One of my favorite salad condiments to keep on hand. Until they go funny on week 3, and I get absurdly offended. I’ll do the research and get to the bottom of it eventually, just you wait.
Freezing: You can freeze extra chicken for a later meal, in a sealed ziplock. Naan freezes excellently. The white sauce should not be frozen (it will separate), but will keep in the fridge for a good long while, at least 2-3 weeks if you’re not opening it up every lunchtime to dip your everything in it, like I do.
Chicken shawarma: frequently asked questions
Neither! Chicken shawarma originated in the Middle East: think Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Turkey. In its traditional preparation, shawarma is roasted on a vertical spit and slices of the cooked meat are carved off right into your flatbread. Now, I don’t have a vertical spit (I’m guessing you don’t either) so today we’re using the grill, oven, or the air fryer to get crispy tender delicious meat, just like the Middle Eastern original.
Beef and chicken shawarma are usually your two choices when you’re ordering from a street cart. You can actually get shawarma some places that’s made with lamb or veal (and I guarantee you other meats have been tried).
Shawarma has an amazing marinade of yogurt and spices, but it just wouldn’t be the same without the garlicky white sauce. In Lebanon it’s called “toum” which just means garlic in Arabic. This version starts with store bought mayo instead of emulsifying oil so you can get to shoving shawarma in your face that much quicker…you’re welcome.
Aaannnd… here’s an image from a loooong time ago when I was just starting out! Circa 2012. I was sooo proud 😂 Also didn’t know about pickled onions back then. FOR SHAMEEE
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Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, optional
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
For the pickled red onion:
- 1 large red onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, for pickling red onion
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper , to taste
For the white sauce:
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt, full fat
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 large clove garlic , smashed and minced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced, about 1-2 tablespoons
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- pinch chili powder, optional
- fresh dill, optional
To assemble shawarma:
- 6 Homemade Naan breads
- 1/2 head green leaf lettuce, shredded
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 large English cucumber, sliced
Instructions
- Naan. If you are really dedicated, make Homemade Naan before you start. There is nothing better than fresh Naan with legit shawarma.
- Make the marinade: To a food processor or blender, add 1/3 cup olive oil, zest from 2 lemons (I love to use my microplane grater for this) juice from 2 lemons, 6 cloves garlic, 1 small onion (roughly chopped first), and 1 tablespoon tomato paste (I love the tubes of tomato paste so I don't have to open a whole can).
- Add all the spices to the blender as well: 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon cumin. Whew! Blend or process the onion and spice mixture until it's smooth.
- Marinate. Add 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs to a bowl and pour the marinade over the top. Rub it in a little bit, and let the chicken marinate for 15-30 minutes, or up to 48 hours.
- Make the pickled red onions. Do this now so they have a few minutes to pickle and tone down. Slice the red onion and add to a small bowl. Cover with 1/2 cup red wine vinegar. Add more if necessary, to make sure the onions are mostly covered. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir together. Set aside, but come back to stir every 5 minutes or so, dunking the onions in the vinegar, until you are ready to serve.
- Make the white sauce. In a small bowl, add 3/4 cup full fat yogurt and 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Smash and mince 1 large clove of garlic and add it to the bowl. Juice half a lemon and add it in. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a pinch of chili powder, if you're feelin spicy. Add some fresh dill if you've got it. Combine thoroughly. Taste it and see if you want more of anything.
- Prep the veggies. Slice the tomatoes and lay out on a plate or bowl for serving. Use a veggie peeler to peel alternating stripes on the outside of your cucumber, if you want. Slice the cucumber into rounds, and add to a serving bowl. Clean and dry your lettuce, then shred it into bite size pieces. Add to a serving bowl.
- Preheat your grill to high heat. (See notes for oven OR air fryer instructions.) Oil the grill grates so your chicken doesn't stick. I usually dip a crumpled paper towel in a bit of vegetable oil and rub it on, using tongs, see photos.
- Grill the chicken. Let the marinade drip off the chicken a bit as you lift it out of the bowl. Add the chicken to the grill with plenty of space around each one. Close the lid and cook for 4-5 minutes, depending on how big the thighs are. Open the lid and carefully flip the chicken. Cook for another 5-6 minutes. The chicken is done when an instant read thermometer reads 155° F. The chicken might reach temperature before you get any nice grill marks, so sometimes I leave it on a little longer to get blackened marks. Don't let the internal temperature go much above 160°. The chicken will continue to rise in temperature even after you take it off the grill.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest 5-10 minutes so the juices have a chance to reabsorb.
- Slice the chicken against the grain.
- Assemble the Shawarma. Slather a naan bread with a generous amount of white sauce. Top with sliced chicken, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and pickled onions. If you know what's good for you, dollop some extra white sauce on top (this is why I always double the sauce!!). Wrap up and devour while moaning.
- Storage: Keep everything separate. Store the white sauce covered in it's own container, refrigerated. Store the chicken covered in the fridge. Store the veggies in the crisper. Store the pickled onions covered in the fridge including the liquid. They will keep for 1-2 weeks before going weird on you.
- Freezing: You can freeze extra chicken for a later meal, in a sealed ziplock. Naan freezes excellently. The white sauce should not be frozen, but will keep in the fridge for a good long while, at least 2-3 weeks, although we always dip and salad it away before then.
Notes
Nutrition
Just for the memories, here’s my original journal entry that I wrote for this Chicken Shawarma post, from way back in 2012 when I first started the blog:
Are you excited for the 4th of July? Eric and I are getting ready for some classic ribs and homemade ice cream. And of course fireworks in the backyard. Setting off fireworks always reminds me of one 4th of July when I was a teenager. I taught swimming lessons at a public pool that summer. I would go days at a time without showering because I was in the pool so much, and apparently thought that getting wet and drying off just one more time everyday would drive me to insanity. My hair actually started to get crusty, no joke.
I had to work a full 12 hour shift that 4th of July, and my coworkers and I were trying to jazz up our boring day of yelling at kids to stop running. So one of my coworkers decided it would be a really good idea to set off fireworks in the bathroom. Nothing crazy happened, but with the fire department literally across the street from the pool, I am definitely glad they were not paying attention to the smoke rising 100 yards from their station. I bet there are still scorch marks on the floor of that boys bathroom.
Made this last night and it was a big hit! I have one question though. In a lot of your photos, there is something green in the white sauce. Is that dill (which I love) and if I wanted to add it, how much would you suggest.
This was recipe was great. I loved the sauce and it’s perfect to dip cucumbers in. We used naan bread but honestly the combination could be used for pita or tacos. I may try it again using ingredients to make a salad and naan on the side.
Amazing Chaundra! I’m so happy this recipe was a hit for you! The sauce is so versatile right?? I want to dip everything in it 😂 And yes, definitely turn this into a salad next time, it’s such a winner. Thank you SO much for leaving a comment, that’s so helpful!
Made this tonight with your naan bread recipe. It was absolutely amazing! You offered a few ways to cook the chicken and we grilled ours. My husband said it’s the best dinner he’s had in a long time! Another stellar recipe by you!!! Thanks!
Heather I’m so happy to hear this!! Glad you loved the recipe, and so glad you chose to grill, that’s definitely my favorite way to do the chicken. Thank you for taking the time to comment, the best ever way to thank a food blogger! And so helpful to other readers. You are awesome!
Lol! My son did that at the same age! We dubbed him “factual information boy”!
He will be 37 in July! And guess what? He still has an insane amount of information, which grows every year, in his head. You have your hands full girlfriend! Alas, he’s finally getting married this June to a wonderful lady and although I can’t go 😣, due to finances and health getting from Nevada to Washington state, I’m so happy! Love ya! And these bomb recipes!
I’m Greek, I live in Greece and I found this recipe in an American blog after searching in a bunch of Greek ones. I’m totally excited about it. You go girl!!!!! I’m going to try this one. I’m totally sure that it’s going to be amazing.
Haha! That is awesome Loanna! I’m cracking up over this. Enjoy your Greek Shawarma! PS Send me all your amazing Greek recipes :)
That’s great :) I will send you some recipes, for sure. I’m collecting the best of them, right now. I guess, I will send you on Facebook. By the way, it’s I(i)oanna :) or Johanna in English.
Yes, please do! :) Thanks!!
Love this recipe. A pet peeve for any greek is calling a greek pita a “shawarma.” A shawarma is lebanese. Not greek. Hopefully you consider changing the name of this to “chicken Pita.” or “greek pita.”
Hi there! I just discovered your site and am LOVING it! Can’t wait to try out all your yummy looking recipes. Question: Did you use Pita, Naan or Flatbread in your photos? It looks so delicious and crispy. Almost like a Taco Bell Chalupa (but undoubtedly more delicious!) Thanks!
Hey Michelle! I feel like saying my food looks like a Taco Bell Chalupa is a pretty high compliment. Those things are legit. For these photos I used this Homemade Naan recipe. So good! You can find Naan at the store though too, you don’t have to make it. Enjoy!
Awesome! Thank you!!
OMG! I’m so glad you put this recipe up! This was my daily go to for street food in school! (It helped they were always parked in front of my building too! I was too busy to go elsewhere!)
Have you tried it yet Doreen? I hope it lives up to your standards!! :)
Remember from the avengers? That was awesome! I’m so glad I found this! Thank you!!! :)
I’m glad you found it too! Let me know how you like it! Thanks for commenting :)
Just made this for dinner tonight! Totally delicious and very easy to make. Thanks for the recipe
Yay! I’m glad you like it Ashley. This is one of my favorite recipes. I make it all the time. It’s just so easy!
This is my husband’s new favorite and he asked me to put in my meal rotation. It’s pretty easy on the pocketbook, and the hardest part is remembering to thaw the chicken to marinade it. That’s reeeeaaally hard for me for some reason. I use our Foreman grill to get the nice grill marks since we don’t have a bbq yet. :D I also warm my bread on the stove with a light brush of olive oil so it’s extra soft and rolls nicely. I love the fresh veggies and tart sauce with the tender chicken. Plus, it makes me think of the extra scene at the end of the Avengers whenever we eat it. I feel like I’ve just saved the world because I’m eating shawarma. Nice.
Haha. I just looked this up because I am making it for dinner tonight and saw your comment. I’m so glad that Shawarma makes you feel like you saved humanity from imminent destruction! Now that’s a meal.
I’ve always wanted to know how to make these but too lazy to look it up! (o:
They are so easy Kristy. Try it, for reals.
Mmm I love chicken shawarma. It’s a must for food trucks.
This looks AMAZING. Totally going on our menu next week!
This looks DELICIOUS. And My Big Fat Greek Wedding is one of the best movies of all time.