Make juicy and delicious shawarma at home with this simple recipe. Serve as appetizer or in wraps.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Total time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

  • 250 grams (9 ounces) chicken (breast or thigh)
  • 1½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic (minced or grated)
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon paprika (or red chili powder)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder ((ground cumin))
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander ((coriander powder))
  • ⅓ to ½ teaspoon ground cardamoms (or all-spice)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ((powder))
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon salt ((adjust to taste))
  • 2 tablespoons Greek Yogurt ((optional, strained yogurt, read notes))
  • 1½ teaspoon lemon juice ((only if needed))
  • 1 onion (quartered, layers separated)
  • 1 tomato (quartered, deseeded)

Method

Preparation

  1. Mix all the ingredients for marinade. Add lemon juice only if needed. Taste the marinade and add more salt if needed.
  2. Pat dry chicken with kitchen tissues and cut to 1½ inch size pieces. Add the chicken to the marinade. Cover and rest for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Grill in oven

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 C or 400 F for at least 15 mins.
  2. Prepare a grilling tray - spread a foil and grease it.
  3. Place the chicken pieces, ½ inch apart, over the tray along with onions and tomatoes.
  4. Grill for 15 to 20 mins depending on the size of the pieces. After 10 mins turn them to the other side with a tong.
  5. Move to the top rack and broil for 2 to 3 mins. Shred the chicken in the tray and serve.

How to make Chicken Shawarma

  1. Heat a pan with half tbsp olive oil on a high heat.
  2. When the pan is hot. Place the chicken and turn to cook on all the sides evenly.
  3. When the chicken is tender and cooked through, shred it on the pan with a wooden spatula.
  4. Cook further for 1 to 2 mins. Set this aside and use the same pan to grill quartered layered onions and deseeded tomatoes.
  5. Serve chicken shawarma as a appetizer with yogurt garlic sauce (recipe in step by step pics section).

Make shawarma wrap/ roll

  1. Spread sauce on the pita bread, place lettuce and then chicken, grilled onions, tomatoes and roll it up.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.