You don’t need a vertical spit to make your own homemade Lebanese chicken shawarma wraps and bowls. This recipe is straightforward and uses your oven. It’s a perfect weeknight meal and comes together in very little time.
Pair it with vermicelli rice, Lebanese pita bread, Toum (garlic sauce), Tahini Sauce, pickled turnips or shatta (chili paste).
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Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern street food that has a long and diverse history. The origins of shawarma can be traced back to the Eastern Mediterranean (The Levant, modern-day Lebanon, Palestine, Syria), with various countries and cultures contributing to its development.
The Ottoman Empire played a significant role in shaping the culinary landscape of the Middle East. The method of cooking meat on a vertical rotisserie continued to be refined during the Ottoman period.
It is believed that the name "shawarma" itself is derived from the Turkish word "çevirme," which means "turning." It is an important part of Levantine Cuisine today.
Ingredients
This authentic chicken shawarma recipe is quite straightforward. Here is everything you need:
- Chicken: I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this recipe. Dark meat stays juicy when cooked. They are also more affordable than chicken breast. Feel free to use breast as well, but you’ll need to adjust the cook time or slice the breast into a thickness similar to thighs. Looking for other chicken recipes, try my Za'atar Chicken Thighs, Harissa Chicken Skewers, Harissa Honey Chicken, or Sumac Chicken.
- Spices: This classic recipe uses standard pantry spices: Cumin, Coriander, Garlic powder, Paprika, Turmeric and cinnamon. If you have already made my Shawarma Spice Blend, you can use that too. Shawarma spice blends should be available at your local Middle Eastern grocery store or online.
For a full list of sides and toppings, see further down the post. I’ve included links. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Recipe
This recipe comes together quickly and without too much effort, making it a great weeknight or meal prep meal.
Step 1. Mix. To a large bowl, add the chicken thighs, spices, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Step 2. Marinate. Let your chicken thighs marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. You can do overnight too.
Step 3. Transfer to baking tray. Preheat your oven to 425F/220C. Transfer your chicken thighs to a parchment paper lined baking tray. Make sure the chicken is not overlapping and is in a single layer.
Step 4. Bake. Bake the chicken thighs for 25-30 minutes. They will be ready when they reach an internal temperature of 170F.
Step 5. Broil. To get a nice charred crust as you would have in a traditional chicken shawarma, broil the pan on high for 7-10 minutes until golden brown. Keep an eye on the oven, you don’t want to burn the chicken.
Step 6. Rest and Chop. Rest the chicken for a few minutes then chop into thin slices and transfer to a bowl. Don’t throw away the pan juices, you can drizzle them over the chicken.
How to Serve Shawarma
There are a couple of ways you can enjoy Lebanese shawarma. Check out my roundup post on what to serve with homemade shawarma for some inspiration!
Serve it as a Chicken Shawarma Platter
I like to set everything out on a tray or sheet pan making a chicken shawarma platter, including all the toppings, sides and garnishes. This way, you can DIY your own chicken shawarma plate or wrap.
Serve it as a Shawarma Wrap
Wraps the traditional way of having shawarma throughout the Middle East and elsewhere. Start with a fresh pita and slather on some toum (garlic sauce). Add some cooked meat, fresh vegetables (lettuce, tomato slices, sliced red onion), pickled turnips, and cucumber pickles. Drizzle with lemon tahini sauce.
Carefully wrap the pita in some parchment paper for that authentic look.
Serve it as a Bowl
When serving homemade chicken shawarma in a bowl, start with a bed of Vermicelli rice or Mediterranean yellow rice and top with chicken pieces. You can also use cauliflower rice. Make sure to include some fresh shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes and herbs of your choice. Sumac marinated onions, pickled turnips and pickled cucumbers are also traditional toppings.
As for a sauce, you can add a dollop of Toum (garlic sauce), homemade hummus, shatta (Middle Eastern chili paste), Tzatziki, plain Greek yogurt, and/or tahini sauce. Sprinkle on some sumac and you’re all set.
Serve with a side of Lebanese pita bread or Greek pita bread and French fries or Batata Harra (spicy Lebanese potatoes).
Another option is to simply make my Authentic Fattoush salad and add the juicy chicken pieces to it. This chicken can also be added right on top of my Greek Maroulosalata recipe.
Expert Tips
- Fry it instead of baking it. Yes, the chicken thighs can be pan-fried in a large skillet or cast iron pan instead of baking. Feel free to do that if you prefer, it might even save you some time.
- Grill it! The marinated meat is perfect for the grill. If you have access to an outdoor gas or charcoal grill, go for it! You can also use an indoor grill pan on the stove. Check out my grilled Chicken Shish Tawook recipe too!
- Air Fry: Use your air fryer! Adjust the cooking time and temperature accordingly.
- Use a thermometer. To avoid overcooking the chicken, you can use an instant-read thermometer. When the thermometer registers 165F in the thickest part of the chicken, it is ready.
- Fresh is best. When buying pita in bags, make sure they are fresh and pliable. Stale pita bread will be brittle and will break if you try to use it in a wrap.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, it is possible to prepare and cook your chicken in advance and reheat it when needed. This recipe is a perfect meal prep recipe because the chicken thighs won’t dry up as quickly as the breast. You can make this recipe up to 3 days in advance.
Cooked chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. If you have made shawarma wraps, they will store quite poorly and get soggy. This is why I recommend you let your family or guests make their own wraps, or only as many as you need.
Yes, there are many recipes out there. Mine uses cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, garlic, turmeric, cloves and black pepper. You can easily combine shawarma spice mix with olive oil and lemon juice to make a chicken shawarma marinade.
Shawarma, Greek gyros, and doner share a common ancestry rooted in the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean tradition of cooking seasoned meat on a vertical rotisserie. Shawarma, originating in the Levant, features meats like lamb, chicken, or beef slowly cooked on a rotating spit.
Gyro, with Greek origins, employs a similar technique, with "gyros" meaning "turn" in Greek.
Doner kebab, hailing from Turkey, involves stacking and slow-cooking meat, and "doner" comes from the Turkish word "dönmek," meaning "to turn."
While these dishes have regional variations, they all embrace the fundamental concept of thinly sliced, seasoned meat served in wraps or pitas, showcasing the interconnectedness of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culinary traditions.
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Recipe Card
Homemade Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Recipe (Wrap or Bowl)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Chicken thighs - Skinless, boneless
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice - Juice of one lemon
- 3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Mix. To a large bowl, add the chicken thighs, spices, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and cover with plastic wrap.
- Marinate. Let your chicken thighs marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. You can do overnight too.
- Transfer to baking tray. Preheat your oven to 425F/220C. Transfer your chicken thighs to a parchment paper lined baking tray. Make sure the chicken is not overlapping and is in a single layer.
- Bake. Bake the chicken thighs for 25-30 minutes. They will be ready when they reach an internal temperature of 170F.
- Broil. To get a nice charred crust as you would have in a traditional chicken shawarma, broil the pan on high for 7-10 minutes. Keep an eye on the oven, you don’t want to burn the chicken.
- Rest and Chop. Rest the chicken for a few minutes then chop into thin strips and transfer to a bowl. Don’t throw away the pan juices, you can drizzle them over the chicken.
Notes
- Chicken: I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this recipe. They stay juicy when cooked.
- Spices: This classic recipe uses standard pantry spices: Cumin, Coriander, Garlic powder, Paprika, Turmeric and cinnamon. If you have already made my Shawarma Spice Mix, you can use that too.
Ashley says
This is such a delicious and easy weeknight meal. This chicken recipe is in our regular rotation now. Served with a salad recipe from this site and a grain is perfection!
Luay Ghafari says
Thank you so much for the feedback! So glad you like the recipe!
Nee says
If using shawarma spice blend, how much should I use?
Luay Ghafari says
For this recipe, about 5 teaspoons. If you add up the total spice amounts you get 5 teaspoons.
Marieke says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It was outrageously good.
Luay Ghafari says
Glad you liked it!
Aaron says
Made the recipe tonight along with the basmati rice and vermicelli. Came out great! The whole family loved it.
Thank you!
Luay Ghafari says
Thank you!
Sally says
I made this for a friend and it was delicious. I then used all the lefts overs for wraps the next day and my husband said it was the best wrap he'd ever eaten! I've since made a lot of your recipes and breads .. everything has been scummy! Sally, Bristol, uk
Luay Ghafari says
Thank you, Sally! -Luay