Best Homemade Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Chicken Shawarma fills the air with the irresistible aroma of warm spices—garlic, cumin, paprika, and a hint of tangy vinegar. Each bite bursts with juicy, spiced chicken wrapped in a smoky char, offering a perfect balance of tenderness and crisp edges.
Do you like this recipe? Please click here to rate it 🙏
Equipment
- Non stick baking Pan
Ingredients
- 1 Kg deboned chicken thighs only or along withchicken breasts , cut into 1-inch strips
For the Marinade
- ½ cup buttermilk, or 1 cup milk mixed with 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil, or avocado or canola oil
- ¼ cup lemon or lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon mild pepper paste, optional
- 1 teaspoon harissa, optional
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses or date molasses , optional
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Himalayan salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or white pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon curry
For assembling the Shawarma Wrap
- 1 medium red onion , thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup tomato, seeded and sliced
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- Saj bread, Shrek bread or tortilla , flatbread
- Toum (garlic spread), recipe follows
- cucumber pickles
- French fries
Toum (aka toumeya)
- 1 ½ cup water
- ½ cup cornflour
- 5 whole gloves garlic
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more if needed
- ¼ to ½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
Instructions
Step 2: Marinade the Chicken
- Add all the marinade ingredients to the container of a food processor and blitz a few times until the marinade has the consistency of a paste. Add the marinate to the chicken. With gloved hands, thoroughly coat the chicken pieces with the marinade. Cover the marinated chicken with plastic film and place it in the fridge for three hours and up to one day. See notes for a tip.
Set 2: Cook the Chicken
- Place a griddle over medium heat on the stovetop and brush or spray it with canola oil. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Avoid flipping the chicken until it releases easily from the griddle.Alternatively, you can cook the marinated chicken in the oven. Transfer it to a preheated nonstick baking pan and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 15 minutes. Finally, broil for 2–3 minutes until lightly charred, then remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Step 3: Infuse the Shawarma with Smoke
- For an authentic shawarma experience, spread the cooked shawarma on a large, flat dish, leaving space in the center. Heat a piece of charcoal until it becomes red-hot or turns ash gray, and warm some vegetable oil separately. Place the charcoal in the center of the dish, then carefully drizzle the hot oil over it. As soon as the charcoal begins to release smoke, quickly cover the dish with foil and let the chicken absorb the smoky flavor.
Step 4: Assemble the Shawarma Warp
- Mix well he thinly sliced onions with the sumac and parsley.
- Customize your wrap however you like. Traditionally, spread toum evenly over the bread, then arrange the chicken shawarma near one edge and add the pickles and the French fries. Roll the wrap tightly, then slice it in half with a sharp knife. Place each half, seam side down, in a panini press and cook until you hear a satisfying sizzle and see golden grill marks. Flip and toast the other side until evenly crisp and charred.
- Serve: Chicken Shawarma is best served hot almond with all the trimmings.
Make the Toum Spread
- In a deep, heat-resistant pan, dilute the cornflour in water. Place the pan over low to medium heat and stir continuously until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Allow it to cool completely.Add the garlic and lemon juice to a blender and blend until the garlic is fully pulverized and well incorporated into the juice. Add the cooled cornflour mixture and continue blending. While the blender is running, slowly drizzle in the oil to emulsify it into the cornflour base. Once the spread becomes completely smooth and reaches a mayonnaise-like consistency, stop the blender. Transfer the toum to a deep serving bowl using a spatula and set aside.
Nermine's Notes
- Use chicken thighs for juiciness: Thighs stay tender and flavorful, even when cooked at high heat. You can mix in some chicken breast for a leaner balance.
- Marinate overnight: The longer the chicken sits in its yogurt, lemon, and spice marinade, the deeper the flavor. Two to three hours is good — overnight is best.
- Preheat your pan ond oven: Starting with high heat helps mimic the sear and char of shawarma cooked on a vertical spit.
- Slice the chicken thinly: Thin, uniform slices absorb the marinade better and cook evenly, creating that signature shawarma texture.