Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Learn how to make this easy Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma recipe at home – just like the ones you’ll find in the Middle East, and build your own shawarma wraps exactly the way you like them!
Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma
When I lived in Qatar and Dubai, shawarma wraps were our go-to fast food. You could find a shawarma joint on almost every street corner, and because they were so cheap, I never thought about making them at home. After moving away, I started experimenting in my kitchen, and this recipe is the closest I’ve come to recreating the authentic Middle Eastern chicken shawarma I loved so much.
The chicken is marinated in a blend of spices, roasted in the oven, then thinly sliced and served in pita bread as wraps or over rice with plenty of sauces. It’s my go-to recipe when cooking a big batch for a crowd or meal prep.
If you’re cooking for two or just want a quicker option, try my Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma – same delicious flavors, made in a fraction of the time.
Ingredients
- Chicken – Boneless chicken thighs work best, but chicken breasts can be used if that’s what you have on hand.
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Plain yogurt
- Shawarma seasoning
- Salt
- Tahini sauce to serve
Shawarma Seasoning
You need a solid, flavorful shawarma seasoning to make the best chicken shawarma. The spices used are pantry staples.
- Ground Cumin
- Ground Coriander
- Turmeric
- Garlic powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Chili powder
- Ground Cloves
- Allspices powder
- Cardamom powder
How long to marinate the chicken
Can I make chicken shawarma if I have only an hour to get dinner on the table? Absolutely.
You can marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or in the fridge overnight. The more time it spends in the marinade it develops extra flavor. But 30-minute chicken is equally delicious too. You can meal prep the chicken the day before.
Or if you are short on time, just do a 30-minute marinade.
How to make oven roasted chicken shawarma
This is my quick and easy method for you to get dinner on the table pretty fast.
- In to a large bowl, add chicken thighs, shawarma seasoning, olive oil, yogurt and kosher salt.
- Mix until chicken is well coated with the spices.
- Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425F. Place the chicken in a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
- Broil for additional 4 minutes to get a charred, caramelised top.
- Once out of the oven, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.
- Cut the chicken into thin slices, and serve with bread or rice.
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How to serve chicken shawarma
Slice the chicken and serve on top of a bed of lettuce on pita bread or khubz(Arabic flatbread). Top it with pickled onions or vegetables, fresh cucumber, and tomatoes. Finish off with a drizzle of tahini sauce, hummus or yogurt sauce.
My kids love to press the wrap in a panini press for a warm crunchy wrap.
You can also serve the shawarma on a bed of rice with all the toppings or rice pilaf.
How to make Tahini sauce
I love tahini sauce on top of my shawarma, just the way it’s served back in Dubai. To make the Tahini sauce you’d need the following.
- Tahini
- Lemon juice
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Kosher salt
- Water
Whisk all the ingredients together until you get a smooth runny sauce.
More easy chicken dinners you’ll love
Recipe
Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs around 2.5 lbs
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp salt
Shawarma Seasoning
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder OR 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp allspice powder
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
Tahini Sauce
- ½ cup tahini
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder OR a garlic clove minced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degree F.
- Mix all the spices for the seasoning. In a large bowl toss the chicken thighs with seasoning, salt, olive oil, lemon juice and yogurt. Marinate for 30 minutes or ideally overnight.
- In a sheet pan, arrange the chicken thighs and bake for 25 minutes. Broil for 4 minutes to char and caramelize the top.
- Take the chicken out of the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes and slice.
For the Tahini sauce
- Mix tahini, paprika, garlic powder and salt in bowl and whisk to combine.
- The sauce will thicken to be more like a paste. Add water bit by bit and whisk until you get a smooth consistency.
Chicken shawarma wrap
- Place the sliced chicken on a pita bread and top with your favorite toppings- lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, pickled onions and/or other vegetables and drizzle with tahini sauce.
Notes
- Chicken shawarma can be kept in the refrigerator covered for upto 3 days. You can reheat it in a skillet on the stove or warm it up in the oven. Or microwave.
- Tahini sauce will last in the refrigerator for 3 days as well.
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