Chicken Shawarma At Home
Today I’m showing you how to make Chicken Shawarma at home! This Middle Eastern chicken recipe is mouthwatering; perfect for salads, wraps, rice, and of course with a side of pita!
What is Chicken Shawarma?
Let’s first talk about what it is. Chicken Shawarma is a Middle Eastern/Mediterranean chicken dish made with lots of different spices – but don’t worry, I bet you have almost all of them in your pantry right now!
You’ve probably even had it at your favorite restaurant or at your local fair. They typically come Gyro-style, foil wrapped in a big pita dripping with tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, onions and lettuce.
Picture the cone-shaped rotisserie-like spits that keep turning while a very skilled artist just slices pieces off into a pita – you know what I mean now, right?? It’s also absolutely delicious with Basmati rice, hummus, on salads, etc.
How do I Make Chicken Shawarma at Home?
Unless you have one of those fancy pieces of rotisserie equipment at home, we are simply baking the chicken in the oven. That’s it!
The chicken gets marinated with a dry rub for 4-6 hours (or up to 48hours if you can wait that long!), then onto a baking sheet, sliced, then baked a little bit longer. It doesn’t get much easier than this.
Can I Use Chicken Breasts Instead of Thighs?
Friend, you can do whatever you like – but I can tell you that if you are not a chicken thigh enthusiast, this recipe may change your mind.
99% of the time, I prefer chicken breast myself. This recipe makes great use of the inexpensive, less often used chicken thighs because of the spice flavors and the cooking technique which ensures that it’s not dried out tasting.
IF you choose to use chicken breasts, keep in mind the cooking time. I would bake them for about 10 minutes initially, slice, then bake them for about 5-6 minutes more.
Mediterranean Style Chicken Gyro
We are marinating the chicken thighs in a delicious dry rub – it is smokey and tangy and delicious.
The flavor bakes right in and when it is done, you have a delicious Mediterranean-style chicken ready for your pitas, salads, or rice.
Chicken Shawarma at Home
Middle Eastern chicken recipe is mouthwatering; perfect for salads, wraps, rice, and of course with a side of pita!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Spice Mixture
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp All Spice
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- Dash Cinnamon
- Dash Cayenne
Instructions
Spice Mixture
- In a small bowl, add all of the spices and mix.
Chicken
- Cut each piece of chicken into about 3 pieces each and place in a glass bowl
- Add the olive oil to coat.
- Now add the spice mixture to the chicken ensuring all of the chicken is coated with the spices.
- Cover the chicken and place it into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours.
Baking the Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 400°
- Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray or a coating of olive oil.
- Place the chicken pieces onto the baking sheet, being sure to allow them to have their own space - don't crowd the pieces.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, and thinly slice each piece of chicken and place it back on the baking sheet.
- Bake for another 8-9 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve!
Notes
Enjoy straight from the oven with a pita, some rice, a nice cucumber salad, etc. Perfect with hummus, too!
My favorite way to enjoy it is with a Mediterranean salad as pictured.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1 gramsAmount Per Serving Calories 348Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 208mgSodium 594mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 42g
Nutrition calculation is offered as a courtesy and no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. The data provided are a product of online nutrition calculators and should be considered an estimate only. I am not a registered dietician nor a certified nutritionist. For more accurate information, or if you have dietary restrictions, please consult a trusted professional. A Healthy Makeover strongly supports Intuitive Eating, body trust, and Health at Every Size.
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2 Comments
Mary
I tried this recipe and loved it! While shopping for spices I found Kroger has a Shawarma seasoning. The premixed seasoning was good, but I wanted more spice to it. This week for my meal plan, I used the premixed spices on some chicken thighs and then the spice mix from this recipe on chicken breasts. Thank you for an easy breezy recipe.
Jenn
Hi Mary!
So very happy you enjoyed this recipe! It’s one of our faves and I love a more spicy flavor, too! I keep ours low key because hubby is a little more sensitive but I add a little heat to mine when we dish it up 😉
Thank you SO much for your feedback, and for stopping by!
All the best,
Jenn