Description
This shawarma chicken recipe features tender, marinated chicken thighs baked to perfection, perfect for wraps with fresh toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (or chicken breasts)
- 1 large Onion (sliced into 1-inch strips)
- 1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus more for baking)
- 1 large Lemon (zested and juiced)
- 3 cloves Garlic (grated)
- Water (as needed for thinning)
- 1/3 cup Greek Yogurt
- Warm flatbread, garlic yogurt sauce or tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. Trim any excess fat from the chicken and set aside.
- Make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients, adding splashes of water as needed to thin it. It should be pasty but not runny. Add the chicken thighs and onions, tossing to coat evenly. For best coverage, use your hands. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
- Bake the chicken. Preheat the oven to 425°F (or 375°F for air fryer oven). Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet and spread the chicken and onions in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- (Optional) Broil for char. Switch the oven to broil on high. Move the baking sheet to the top rack, 6–8 inches from the heat source. Broil for 3–5 minutes, or more as needed until the chicken and onions are charred around the edges.
- Rest and serve. Transfer the chicken and onions to a plate, scraping every drop of the flavorful pan juices, cover, and rest for 5 minutes to lock in the flavor.
- Serving and storage. Slice the chicken against the grain and serve in warm pita or naan with the onions, fresh toppings, and tzatziki or garlic yogurt sauce for a full shawarma wrap experience. Store roasted shawarma in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- For best flavor, marinate the chicken for up to 12 hours.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked to 165°F.
- You can adjust the spiciness by changing the amount of cayenne pepper.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 wrap
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg