Learn how to make this super Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma, plus an out of this world garlic sauce and prepare your own chicken shawarma wraps. Beats takeout or fast food!
This is one of those recipes that’s been on my blog for over 6 years now and it’s one that is constantly popular. It’s no surprise because the flavors here are second to none. But this is just one example of the great recipes in my new cookbook.
This chicken shawarma is great not only for weeknight dinners, but it’s great for parties or gatherings because, trust me when I tell you, this is how you’re going to make friends for life. I love serving this with some fresh tabbouleh salad (which is also in my new cookbook), the garlic sauce included in this recipe, hummus and pita bread.
Obviously this isn’t an authentic shawarma because I roasted mine in the oven, whereas it’s usually prepared on a spit and it can be grilled for as long as a day. However it is important to marinate your chicken, the flavors here are to die for, and the chicken will melt in your mouth. It’s also a bit spicy from the red pepper flakes, so if you don’t like heat, just omit them.
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Shawarma
Chicken
- Chicken – I love making this with chicken breast but I have made this which chicken thighs as well and I can assure you both are great!
- Onion and Garlic – As I always say these are essential flavor enhancers in most dishes and they definitely make a difference in this chicken shawarma recipe. Don’t discard the sliced onions, add them to your shawarma wraps for extra flavor.
- Lemon Juice – Quite a popular ingredients in most Middle Eastern recipes and same goes for this recipe. Combine this with the spices for that great marinade.
- Spices – Lots of spices used in Middle Eastern cuisine here. You’ll need cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Parsley – I always love to garnish my dishes with a bit of fresh parsley.
Garlic Sauce
I find the easiest way to make this sauce is using my magic bullet or my immersion blender.
- Vegetable Oil – You can use a good vegetable oil or if you want to use olive oil I would go with one that’s lighter and not extra virgin, so that the flavor doesn’t overpower the sauce.
- Lemon Juice – I recommend freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Garlic – Lots of fresh garlic here, it is a garlic sauce after all.
- Egg White – If you don’t want to use raw egg whites in the garlic sauce, you can omit it, just add the oil little by little to the blender until it thickens and should have the consistency of mayonnaise.
- Salt – A bit of salt to bring out all the flavors.
How To Cook Chicken Shawarma In The Oven
Chicken
- Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, cumin, black pepper, paprika, turmeric, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, garlic, and whisk well. Add the chicken and toss making sure the chicken is well coated in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least an hour. The longer the meat marinates the more flavour you’ll have.
- Prep the oven and assemble everything: Preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Add sliced onion to bowl with chicken and toss well so that the onion is fully coated in the marinade. Add everything to a 9×13 baking dish. I didn’t have much marinade leftover since the chicken absorbed most of it, so that’s why I added everything to the baking dish. Spread everything evenly over the baking dish.
- Bake the chicken: Bake in the oven until the chicken is browned and crisp on the edges, for about 40 to 45 minutes. If you want the chicken crispier on top, turn the broiler on to high and broil for 3 minutes until nice and crispy on the outside.
- Rest and slice: Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes, then slice it into bits.
Garlic Sauce
- Make garlic sauce: Add all the ingredients to a blender (or an immersion blender) and blend until smooth, it should take 1 to 2 minutes. This recipe will make about 1 1/2 cups of sauce, refrigerate leftover sauce.
How To Serve Chicken Shawarma
I love to serve this with tabbouleh salad either on the plate or add it to my wraps, if making wraps. You could eat the chicken as is with some rice, but I still recommend the garlic sauce for that true Middle Eastern experience.
I also spread some hummus over my wraps but you can totally skip the hummus and just add tabbouleh salad, chicken shawarma and plenty of that garlic sauce.
FAQs
Chicken shawarma is a popular Arab dish consisting of meat such as chicken, lamb or mutton, cut into thin slices and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie or spit.
Absolutely. I’ve made this with both thighs or breasts and it’s delicious regardless which you use.
Yes. You can prep this and marinade the day before. Prepare the chicken as described and marinate it in the fridge overnight until ready to cook the next day. You can also freeze the chicken in its marinade until ready to use. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Leftovers
The Chicken Shawarma will last in the fridge in an air tight container for 3 – 4 days. If you’d like to freeze this dish I recommend freezing the chicken in the bag with the marinade while still raw. When ready to use, thaw it in the fridge overnight.
You can store this home made garlic sauce for up to 2 weeks in the fridge in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing this sauce as it is similar to a home made mayo which separates and becomes unusable after thawing.
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Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
Chicken Shawarma
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin ground
- 2 teaspoons black pepper ground
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons parsley fresh, for garnish
Garlic Sauce
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- â…“ cup lemon juice
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 egg white *
- 1 teaspoon salt
Chicken Shawarma Wraps
- hummus
- tabbouleh salad
- garlic sauce
- pita wraps
Instructions
Chicken Shawarma
- Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, cumin, black pepper, paprika, turmeric, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, garlic, and whisk well. Add the chicken and toss making sure the chicken is well coated in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least an hour. The longer the meat marinates the more flavour you’ll have.
- Prep the oven and assemble everything: Preheat oven to 425°F degrees. Add sliced onion to bowl with chicken and toss well so that the onion is fully coated in the marinade. Add everything to a 9×13-baking dish. I didn’t have much marinade leftover since the chicken absorbed most of it, so that’s why I added everything to the baking dish. Spread everything evenly over the baking dish.
- Bake the chicken: Bake in the oven until the chicken is browned and crisp on the edges, for about 40 to 45 minutes. If you want the chicken crispier on top, turn the broiler on to high and broil for 3 minutes until nice and crispy on the outside.
- Rest and slice: Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes, then slice it into bits.
Garlic Sauce
- Make garlic sauce: Add all the ingredients to a blender (or an immersion blender) and blend until smooth, it should take 1 to 2 minutes. This recipe will make about 1½ cups of sauce, refrigerate leftover sauce.
Chicken Shawarma Wraps
- To make the chicken shawarma wraps, warm up the wraps first in the microwave for about 30 seconds, then spread some hummus over each wrap, spoon about 2 or 3 tbsp of tabbouleh salad, add chicken shawarma, and drizzle with garlic sauce and serve.
Recipe Notes
- *If you don’t want to use raw egg whites in the garlic sauce, you can omit it, just add the oil little by little to the blender until it thickens and should have the consistency of mayonnaise.
- You can find the homemade hummus recipe here. You can find the tabbouleh salad recipe here.
- Nutritional information does not include tabbouleh salad, hummus or pitas. It does include garlic sauce. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Wow this was fantastic. I did follow the commenter’s suggestion for converting to an air fryer and it came out perfect (12 mins at 400F, flipping it halfway through). I paired it with a Turkish shepherd salad recipe form the NY Times and homemade hummus.
Absolutely love this recipe! I’ve tried a lot of chicken shawarma recipes before finding this one but now this is my go-to! Thanks so much 🙂
This was so easy and soooo good! I made your Tabbouleh salad with it but none of the 3 grocery stores in my area had bulgur. I had the idea to grate some cauliflower (large holes on box grater) as an alternative. (I know, I know, I hate it when people change up a recipe but i was desperate.) I was in food heaven! Also did your garlic sauce and felt like a pro with the white of egg trick! Thanks!
Thank you for a great recipe! It always turns out delicious no matter if I use thighs or breasts.
Absolutely delicious
I make this on a regular basis and make extra for leftovers. Also good with drumsticks and thighs ~ it’s a hit whenever I have company 🙂
I love this recipe; it is on our weekly menu. Instead of the oven, we use the air fryer; 12mins at 200 degrees Celcius. Comes out perfect every time. Thanks!
I absolutely love this recipe! This one and the chicken gyro recipe are my favourite. I honestly never thought I could make food that could be so tasty! Your marinade for the meat adds so much flavour!
So glad to hear you like it!
This recipe was a hit at dinner last night.
I love Shawarma and your books look lovely!!!^_^
I love the recipe and other recipes so much! I live in the USA 30 years, but I was born in Azerbaijan and it reminds me the kitchen similar to my hometown kitchen. I would like to get your books!
This recipe looks really good. I can’t wait to try it & I would love one of your cookbooks.
I love your recipes. I want the cookbooks!
I’d love to have these cookbooks. Especially signed by you. I pin most of your recipes and have made many.
I haven’t made this recipe but it sounds sooo good! My hubby would probably flip for it!
I’ve tried several other wonderful recipes by Jo, so to win her cookbook would be amazing!