Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma

The first time I tasted Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Sauce, it was wrapped tightly in warm flatbread, dripping with creamy sauce and layered with juicy, spiced chicken. It was late evening, and the air carried the scent of sizzling meat, toasted pita, and fragrant spices. That experience stayed with me. There is something deeply comforting about shawarma — it’s fast, flavorful, and rooted in generations of Middle Eastern culinary tradition.

Ingredients

Chicken:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Chicken Shawarma Marinade:
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt, fine salt, not flaked
2 tsp black pepper
4 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste

Instructions

Add the chicken shawarma marinade ingredients to a large ziplock bag, or an airtight container, with a secure lid, along with the chicken thighs.
Marinate chicken for 1 – 8 hours, or overnight.

How to Cook Chicken Shawarma on a Grill:
Remove the chicken from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking and allow to come to room temperature. You’ll need a hot gas, or charcoal grill. Place the chicken thighs onto the hot grill grates, and close the lid and let them cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn the chicken thighs and cook the other side for a further 3-4 minutes, or until they are fully cooked. Using a thermometer check that the thickest part of each chicken thigh has an internal temperature of 165F/74C.

How to cook Chicken Shawarma on the Stove:
I prefer to cook boneless Skinless chicken thighs, in a well seasoned cast iron skillet, if you can get the cast iron grill pan, that will give you lovely grill marks on your chicken. You can also you a heavy frying pan. Cook the chicken thighs for about 4-6 minutes per side, and until fully cooked at the thickest part of each chicken thigh. Using a thermometer check that the thickest part of each chicken thigh has an internal temperature of 165F/74C.

How to Cook Chicken Shawarma in Oven:
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean up, don’t use foil as the chicken will stick to it. Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Bake for about 25 – 35 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked at the thickest part of each chicken thigh. Using a thermometer check that the thickest part of each chicken thigh has an internal temperature of 165F/74C.

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