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    Home » Chicken Recipes » Chicken Shawarma Recipe; with best marinade EVER

    Chicken Shawarma Recipe; with best marinade EVER

    Published: Oct 6, 2021 · Modified: May 10, 2020 by Amira · This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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    Incredibly tasty chicken shawarma recipe that is going to transfer you to the Middle East. Best authentic marinade with exotic Middle Eastern spice that will make your shawarma not like any other, one that does not taste like just spiced grilled chicken.

    Next time try this beef shawarma too.

    A close up picture of a chicken shawarma wrap placed on a awhite countertop with a lemon wedge on the side.
    Shawarma is a popular street food throughout the Middle East usually cooked over a cone-like shape vertical spit and served hugged in warm pita bread.
    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why You'' Love This Recipe
    • 📝 Ingredients
    • 🥄 Instructions
    • 💡 Tips
    • 🧺 Storage
    • ⌛ Make Ahead
    • 🍽️ Serve With
    • 💬 FAQs
    • You may need
    • 📣 Related Recipes
    • Chicken Shawarma

    Shawarma is probably the second most popular Middle Eastern food in the whole world right after falafel. This is the best chicken shawarma recipe, trust me. I've tried many shawarma(s) before that I've lost count of and this is the ultimate spice mix and way of making shawarma as close as I can get to the one I remember from my childhood.

    ❤️ Why You'' Love This Recipe

    • The flavor of this chicken shawarma is absolutely divine loaded with everyday spices.
    • Great for gatherings and cookout.
    • Effortless recipe with an amazing result, van be grilled or oven baked.

    Take it from a Middle Eastern girl, shawarma should be tangy with a slight sweetness all combined with a special spice blend and cooked slowly with an umbrella of fat. This is the shawarma I am used to.

    Almost all of the recipes I could find online does not give that taste that I grew up with. They all ended up for me under the category of very well spiced grilled chicken but unfortunately not my shawarma.

    📝 Ingredients

    • Chicken, I like using chicken thighs but chicken breasts work as great.
    • Yogurt, this is a yogurt based marinade.
    • Mayonnaise, will actually release the powerhouse flavors of the many spices we are using.
    • Orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest and vinegar these are what will give your shawarma much needed acidity and a hint of sweetness.
    • Shawarma spice mix, a bunch of spices that I bet are already there in your home. Detailed below.
    • Onions and garlic, necessary basic flavors.

    Shawarma Spice

    Here are the spices that you are going to need. I do not want you to be intimidated by the long list as they are all most probably there in your spice rack anyways.

    A white plate with shawarma spice blend ingredients placed on a white marble surface.

    🥄 Instructions

    Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

    A collage of 4 images showing how to make chicken shawarma marinade.
    1. In a food processor combine red pepper, onion and garlic. Pulse twice until roughly chopped.
    2. Add mayonnaise, tomato paste lemon zest, orange zest and yogurt then pulse until combined.
    3. In a large bowl, combine dry spices, lemon juice, orange juice and olive oil.
    4. Add the onion mixture to the bowl and mix well.
    A collage of two images showing how to cook chicken shawarma.
    1. Add chicken and toss well to coat. Fold chicken pieces in half and thread it into two metal skewers. Arrange the metal skewers over the pan as shown above so they are elevated. Cover with chicken skin if available.
    2. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. Remove skin and brown the chicken for about 10 minutes each side.

    💡 Tips

    • Use Orange juice. The slight sweetness I told you about actually comes from the use of orange juice and not sugar as I was thinking. I've heard a lot about this before but was hesitant to try.
    • Use zests. Orange and lemon zests helped also in flavoring the dish giving it the desirable tartness without the need for more vinegar or lemon juice.
    • Use chicken skin is possible: This was genius guys. If you can find lamb fat then by all means use it. Or else do as I just did, use the fat dripping from chicken thigh skin. I simply skinned some organic chicken thighs.

    🧺 Storage

    Refrigerate leftover in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Freeze if you are going to leave them for longer, take them out to defrost in the refrigerator and rehat on the stove top.

    ⌛ Make Ahead

    You can leave the chicken to marinate overnight but if you are planning to leave it longer, I recommend you freeze the chicken immediately with the marinade. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.

    🍽️ Serve With

    Serve this shawarma as wraps or over a bed of rice. These sides goes great with the chicken shawarma as well:

    • Toum, baba ganoush, tahini sauce, mutabal are all great to serve with chicken shawarma.
    • Yellow rice, the flavors in this rice pairs very well with the Middle Eastern spices.
    • Chickpea salad, is one of our favorite too.

    💬 FAQs

    What type of food is chicken shawarma?

    Chicken Shawarma is made of thin layers of marinated chicken stacked on top of each other on a spinning vertical broilers. Shawarma is usually topped with lamb fat which melts during the process of grilling giving shawarma this unique taste.

    What nationality is chicken shawarma?

    In Egypt, Shawarma is known to be a Syrian food. A simple search shows that chicken shawarma origin is actually the Levant area. Also some people says it is based off the Turkish doner kebab which is also the base of the famous Greek Gyros.

    Carving Chicken Shawarma meat on a wooden surface.
    Juicy chicken with aromatic spices will go on your regular rotation

    You may need

    The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you so much for being a part of Amira’sPantry!
    I like using metal skewers for my shish kabob they help in cooking the chunks of meat better.
    A photo for a metal skewers product on a table

    📣 Related Recipes

    If you need recipes that are bursting with flavors and special exotic spice blends, let me introduce you to some of our best Middle Eastern recipes:

    • Beef Shish Kebabs, this easy recipe comes with the best kabob marinade, tips, and video to guide you
    • Chicken Kebabs, try my perfected recipe of chicken kebabs with a marinade of yogurt, lemon, blend of spices and harissa paste.
    • Kofta Kebabs, big in flavors yet so easy to make with simple tips that has been in the family for decades.
    • Chicken Kofta, make something new for dinner that will be ready in just 30 minutes. Serve with Lebanese rice and veggies on the side.

    I hope you'll like this recipe and please if you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #amiraspantry — I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter!

    Don’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for the FREE Amira's Pantry newsletter delivered to your inbox with lots of tips and surprises! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates.

    If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish. It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you.

    A close up picture of a chicken shawarma wrap placed on a awhite countertop with a lemon wedge on the side.

    Chicken Shawarma

    Homemade chicken shawarma recipe is a Middle Eastern chicken recipe with delicious flavors. Tender chicken with warm spices makes a great, better than fast food, dinner for busy nights.
    4.96 from 24 votes
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
    Diet: Halal
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Marinate for: 8 hours
    Total Time: 9 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 406kcal
    Author: Amira

    Ingredients

    • 1 (100g) Small onion, quartered.
    • 5 (12g) Large garlic cloves.
    • 1/2 (70g) Large red bell pepper .
    • 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise.
    • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste.
    • 1/2 cup (120g) plain yogurt.
    • 1 teaspoon orange zest.
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest.
    • 1/4 cup Orange juice freshly squeezed no sugar added.
    • 2 Lemons juiced about 6 Tablespoons.
    • 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
    • 1/3 cup olive oil.
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom.
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
    • 1/2 teaspoon paprika.
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin.
    • 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper optional or add to your liking.
    • 2 teaspoon salt or to taste.
    • 2 bay leaves.
    • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs.

    Quick shawarma white sauce

    • ⅓ cup mayonnaise.
    • ⅓ cup plain full fat yogurt.
    • 1 Large garlic clove, minced.
    • Salt and pepper to taste.

    Instructions

    • In the food processor add onion, garlic and red bell pepper. Pulse twice.
    • Add mayonnaise, tomato paste lemon zest, orange zest and yogurt then pulse until combined.
    • In a deep bowl, pour lemon juice, orange juice, vinegar, olive oil and all the spices crumble bay leaves on top and mix.
    • Add the ingredients in the food processor and mix well.
    • Add thighs and toss to coat well.
    • Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or better overnight.
    • Preheat oven to 430F.
    • Divide chicken into two equal piles.
    • Fold one piece of chicken in half and thread it into two metal skewers. Repeat with the remaining chicken until you are done with one pile. Note1
    • Repeat with the second pile of chicken.
    • Choose a pan or a baking sheet that is smaller than the skewers but can contain the drippings from the chicken while being cooked. Line with tin foil.
    • Arrange the metal skewers over the pan as shown above.
    • Place chicken skin over the skewers to cover chicken.
    • Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes.
    • Remove skin and brown the chicken for about 10 minutes each side.
    • Remove pan from oven, cover with foil, make a vent and let it set for 5-10 minutes.
    • Remove skewers and cut chicken into thin slices. Note2
    • In a small bowl. mix the sauce ingredients well
    • Serve with rice or as a wrap with white sauce, cucumber slices, thinly sliced ice berg lettuce, pickles, onion rings, hummus and much more.

    Notes

    • Use Orange juice. The slight sweetness I told you about actually comes from the use of orange juice and not sugar as I was thinking. I've heard a lot about this before but was hesitant to try.
    • Use zests. Orange and lemon zests helped also in flavoring the dish giving it the desirable tartness without the need for more vinegar or lemon juice.
    • Use chicken skin is possible: This was genius guys. If you can find lamb fat then by all means use it. Or else do as I just did, use the fat dripping from chicken thigh skin. I simply skinned some organic chicken thighs.
    • For the onion, you can use yellow or red onion.
    • You can also try layering chicken on wooden skewers that has been deeply inserted into a large half onion with a flat side set on a baking dish. I saw this on a facebook video before that I could not find unfortunately. Worth noting that I've tried this method several times and it did not work for me but worked wonders for many of my readers, who also recommended not throwing that onion away as it came out so flavorful.
    • You might want to brown the sliced chicken more in a pan on stove top for more color.
    • Serve with: Serve this shawarma as wraps or over a bed of rice. These sides goes great with the chicken shawarma as well:
      • Toum ( garlic yogurt sauce) , baba ganoush, tahini sauce, mutabal are all great to serve with chicken shawarma.
      • Yellow rice, the flavors in this rice pairs very well with the Middle Eastern spices.
      • Chickpea salad, is one of our favorite too.
    • Make ahead:
      • You can leave the chicken to marinate overnight but if you are planning to leave it longer, I recommend you freeze the chicken immediately with the marinade. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
    • Storage:
      • Refrigerate leftover in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Freeze if you are going to leave them for longer, take them out to defrost in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove top.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 1149mg | Potassium: 630mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 347IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AmirasPantry or tag #AmirasPantry!

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    First published Jun 27, 2019 . Last updated October 6, 2021 with important tips, clear step by step instructions and readability.

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    About Amira

    I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! My hope is to introduce you to new flavors, creative ways and fresh takes on favorites. To help you create food with style that will bring everyone around your kitchen table. From weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ash

      May 07, 2021 at 3:16 pm

      Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us!

      I’ve made the chicken shawarma marinade today and the shawarma was very delicious! I will definitely make it again 🙂

      Ramadan Mubarak
      Love from Germany

      Reply
      • Amira

        May 13, 2021 at 12:22 am

        Thank you so much Ash, I am very glad you liked it.

        Reply
    2. Katia Marques Lidiaque

      March 14, 2021 at 7:24 pm

      what kind of pasta did you use?
      i'm brazilian and i want to learn a different option.
      Thanks for your attention

      Reply
      • Amira

        March 19, 2021 at 5:36 pm

        Pasta? I do not get it can you please clarify in which part? Thanks

        Reply
    3. Kaitlin Jaffray

      March 03, 2021 at 2:59 pm

      Hello just preparing this recipe, looks amazing! However, when do i use the vinegar?

      Reply
      • Amira

        March 12, 2021 at 11:01 am

        Hello Kaitlin, you add the vinegar with the orange juice and the lemon juice. I updated it.

        Reply
    4. Jenah

      January 12, 2021 at 8:49 pm

      Hi can I freeze the extra sauce? I made a whole batch of the sauce but using only half the chicken.

      Reply
      • Amira

        January 15, 2021 at 10:25 am

        Jenah, there is no health risks in freezing the sauce. However the texture will be different as the citrus juice(s) will cause the yogurt to curdle. I do not think it will be a big problem as this is a marinade and not a dip. I hope this helps.

        Reply
    5. Chris

      August 25, 2020 at 8:37 am

      5 stars
      Amazing recipe. This came out so close to our favorite restaurant version that we couldn't believe it. Our family of four ate 7 thighs in a blink, next time I'll make 12. Instead of baking I cooked the chicken on a gas grill using indirect heat for 40 min, and finished over the flame for 5 min to hit 165 F. I also did not have the skins to drape the thighs, but it still came out super moist.

      Reply
      • Amira

        August 25, 2020 at 9:57 am

        Chris, thank you so much for your feedback I am so glad you liked it. Your grilled version is going to be on my menu next week, sounds so delicious.

        Reply
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    I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! This blog combines weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends. Read More…

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