Chicken Shawarma is a bold, flavorful favorite that combines tender chicken with warm Middle Eastern spices and a hint of tangy lemon. This recipe uses a loaf pan technique to tightly layer the marinated chicken, trapping all the warm, delicious spices and ensuring juicy, ultra-thin slices every time.
Serve in a fresh wrap or in a generous bowl for a dinner you’ll want to eat again and again.
Holly’s Recipe Highlight: Chicken Shawarma
Flavor: Warm, savory flavors of smoky paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom, with a touch of lemon brightness.
Why we make it: The pound bread method keeps the chicken tightly layered, grilled juicy, and perfectly sliced.
To serve: Serve between warm pita, spooned over rice, or as the base for a fresh and flavorful shawarma bowl loaded with your favorite toppings.
Total time: 1.5 hours Number of people: 8 Cooking method: Oven
Ingredient memo
Chicken: Chicken thighs are juicy, tender and very easy to eat, while cutlets are leaner and come beautifully sliced. If you’re using chicken breast, slicing the chicken breast into thin cutlets first will ensure everything cooks evenly and stays nice and tender. Yogurt: Plain yogurt tenderizes the chicken and adds warm spices that cling to every bite. Seasoning: A warm, smoky blend of cumin, coriander, paprika, smoked paprika, cinnamon, pepper, and cardamom that gives the chicken its signature flavor with a hint of sweetness. If you want something quick and easy, store-bought shawarma blends work just as well. Optional toppings: cucumber, tomato, lettuce, and red onion add a fresh crunch to brighten up every bite. Optional White Sauce: A creamy blend of yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon, garlic, and a touch of tahini to cool and balance all the warm spices. The tahini adds a subtle nutty flavor, but you can easily omit it and the sauce will still be delicious.
How to make chicken shawarma
Marinade: Marinate chicken with yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and seasonings.
Layer: Press the chicken into the loaf pan in an even layer. Cook, then briefly sear for crispy edges (full recipe below).
Slice: Let rest, drain, reserve juice, then slice chicken.
To serve: Serve over pita or rice, drizzled with reserved juice.
Variations of shawarma dishes
Grilled Shawarma: Marinate the chicken, grill over medium heat until 165°F, then slice thinly. Sheet pan version: Spread the marinated chicken on a rimmed baking sheet instead of stacking it. It will cook faster, but you won’t get the texture of layered shawarma.
Storage and reheating
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Separate the toppings and sauce. Can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a skillet with the reserved juice or a little water.
Traditional shawarma is meat heavily seasoned with spices, slowly roasted on rotating vertical spits and shaved into incredibly thin and juicy slices. This loaf bread method mimics this texture without the need for special rotisserie equipment.
Yes, but if you first slice them horizontally into thin cutlets, they will layer evenly in the pan and stay juicy while baking.
It’s a cool, creamy mix of plain yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, freshly grated garlic, and sometimes a drizzle of tahini.
Serve between warm pita breads with fresh vegetables and garlic sauce, or served over seasoned rice.
It’s best to marinate the chicken at least 2 hours before grilling. Alternatively, you can bake the whole shawarma bread, slice it, and store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the slices in a skillet with water or the reserved juices to keep them moist.
Fresh wrap and bowl dinner
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In a small bowl, combine cumin, coriander powder, paprika, smoked paprika, salt, cinnamon, black pepper, and cardamom powder and mix well.
In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the olive oil, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and seasoning mixture until well coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan.
Layer the chicken in the prepared pan, pressing down on the layers to gently pack and distribute evenly.
Bake uncovered for 50 to 65 minutes or until the center of the bread reaches 165°F. Bake for 2 minutes if necessary.
Remove from the oven and pour the juice into a separate bowl or jar and set aside for later. Invert the bread onto a rimmed plate or cutting board. Take a 5 minute break.
Slice the chicken thinly. Pour over the reserved juice and serve in pita or over rice.
Optional toppings: cucumber slices, tomato cubes, lettuce shreds, red onion
Brushing the chicken with extra oil before grilling will make the edges crispier.
Optional white sauce:
On a cutting board, crush 1 garlic clove with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Use a fork to mash the garlic into a paste. Combine 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and the prepared garlic paste. You can also add 1 tablespoon of tahini if you have it on hand.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
calorie: 177 | carbohydrates: 2g | protein: twenty twog | fat: 9g | Saturated fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated fats: 1g | Monounsaturated fats: 4g | Trans fat: 0.02g | cholesterol: 109mg | sodium: 397mg | potassium: 323mg | fiber: 0.5g | sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 289IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | calcium: 31mg | iron: 1mg
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary depending on the cooking method and brand of ingredients used.
course main course
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