You won’t believe this EASY chicken shawarma! Juicy chicken thighs are coated in an aromatic homemade marinade with lemon and spices that pack tons of Middle Eastern-style flavor. I bake this chicken in the oven and it sears up perfectly!
Tuck your mouthwatering chicken shawarma into a pita pocket and it’ll feel like you’ve been transported to a Moroccan street market. And if you love the flavors in this recipe, try this chicken tagine, next.
Who’s ready to make the best chicken shawarma without even leaving the house? Because I did, and it’s awesome! This easy homemade shawarma came out so well. All it took was a package of boneless chicken thighs and a simple homemade marinade (olive oil, a few everyday seasonings, a splash of lemon). The results were drool-worthy, infused with rich, exotic spice.
As soon as I bit into it, I knew it was spot-on because I was reminded of my trip to Morocco, where saying we ate our weight in shawarma (harissa chicken, too!) in Casablanca is probably an understatement. As soon as I wrapped this shawarma in soft flatbread with radish, onion, and a dollop of yogurt, I knew this was IT, and we’d be making it again!
What Is Shawarma?
Shawarma is a kind of Middle Eastern street food. If you’ve ever visited an authentic shawarma shop, you can probably smell the heavenly spices already! And if you’ve never had it before, traditional shawarma is made from layers of spit-roasted chicken, lamb, or beef. The meat gets sliced or shaved from the spit and served with fluffy pita bread.
I may not have a vertical spit in the house (if you do, you’re my hero), but luckily the oven does the trick in this recipe!
Why I Love This Chicken Shawarma Recipe
- Super juicy. Between the marinade and a quick bake in the oven to lock in all that flavor, this chicken shawarma slices up crazy-tender and delicious. Boneless chicken thighs stay juicy, plus they’re harder to overcook. You can also cook boneless chicken thighs in a pan for a quicker option.
- Big flavor. I make an easy shawarma marinade from olive oil, lemon juice, and a handful of pantry-staple spices. It doesn’t take anything fancy to recreate the tasty Middle Eastern-inspired flavors that I love in my favorite take-out shawarma.
- Oven-roasted. Yes, you can make amazing chicken shawarma in the oven! Roasting the marinaded chicken thighs at a high temperature crisps the outside perfectly and brings out the spice. It might not be the traditional method, but it works. Plus, the kitchen smells amazing!
Ingredients You’ll Need
It took just a few simple spices to make the blend for this shawarma marinade. I felt a bit like a mad scientist as I was raiding the pantry, but I finally hit the jackpot! Below are some quick notes on what you’ll need. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable list along with the full recipe details.
- Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed (bottled is fine, too), or you can use lime juice.
- Olive Oil – Or another mild-flavored oil, like avocado oil.
- Spices – I make my shawarma seasoning from a savory-smoky blend of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked (or sweet) paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?
I make this baked chicken shawarma with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Any boneless chicken works, though. If you’re using breasts or chicken tenders, keep in mind that they’ll need a shorter baking time.
Bone-in chicken takes a bit longer in the oven (see my marinated oven baked chicken thighs) and you’ll need to remove the bones before you roll your shawarma into a wrap.
How to Make Chicken Shawarma
While traditional shawarma is slow-roasted for hours, the key to this homemade version is a hot, fast roast in a 400ºF oven. Follow the steps below for a quick and fantastic Middle Eastern meal.
- Marinate the chicken. First, give your shawarma marinade a good whisk. Then, combine the chicken and marinade in a freezer bag and let that soak in the fridge for an hour.
- Bake. When you’re ready to bake, arrange the chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast at 400ºF for 25-30 minutes (around the 15-minute mark is when the house should start to smell INCREDIBLE). Don’t forget to rest the chicken afterward.
- Serve! Slice the chicken against the grain to go into a pita wrap, or serve it whole over rice. See the section below for more ideas.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t roast cold from the fridge. After marinating, take the chicken out of the fridge 10 minutes before baking to take the chill off.
- Check that the chicken is done. Use a meat thermometer at the thickest part of the chicken. Your chicken is done cooking when the internal temperature reads 165ºF.
- Rest the chicken. Don’t skip this part! Resting the baked chicken for ~10 minutes or so after it’s out of the oven lets the juices redistribute so that it stays juicy and tender after it’s sliced.
Serving Suggestions
When I’m not tucking it into a pita pocket, homemade chicken shawarma goes great with rice. I’ll serve these juicy chicken thighs over a bed of spicy jeera rice or Mediterranean rice with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Otherwise, I love layering the seasoned chicken slices into a pita wrap with hummus, veggies, and a drizzle of cooling yogurt or taratur (basically Macedonian tzatziki).
For a fun weeknight dinner, I turn the kitchen table into a “shawarma stand” with all the fixings. This way, the family can build their own pitas, and I can make myself a Mediterranean salad!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Leftover chicken shawarma can be stored airtight and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Warm the chicken in the oven again, this time at 350ºF until it’s hot. You can also use a skillet on the stovetop, though I don’t recommend the microwave as it makes the chicken thighs rubbery.
More Chicken Recipes
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Make the marinade. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cinnamon.
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Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken in a large freezer bag and pour the marinade over it. Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
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Prep. While the chicken is marinating, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Bake. Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before arranging it in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the largest piece reads 165°F.
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Rest. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
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Serve. Serve the chicken over rice, garnished with fresh parsley. You could also stuff it into pita pockets with hummus and veggies.
Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1435mg | Potassium: 987mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 672IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
