Homemade Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Recipe (Wrap or Bowl)

Chicken shawarma platter with all the sides and toppings.

5 from 10 votes

Homemade Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Recipe (Wrap or Bowl)

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).

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Levantine, Middle Eastern

Servings: People

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $20

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs Chicken thighs - Skinless, boneless
1 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
½ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Cinnamon
1½ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp Black pepper
3 tbsp Fresh lemon juice - Juice of one lemon
3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Mix. To a large bowl, add the chicken thighs, spices, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil. 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

Refer to the post above for step-by-step recipe photos and serving ideas.

Ingredient 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.

Possible additions to the marinade: minced garlic cloves, garlic paste, chili flakes, onion powder.

For wraps: Start with a fresh pita and slather on some toum (garlic sauce). Add some chicken, lettuce, tomato slices, pickled turnips, and cucumber pickles. Drizzle with tahini sauce.

For bowls: Start with a bed of Vermicelli rice and top with chicken, fresh shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes and herbs of your choice. Sumac marinated onions or simple sliced red 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), 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.

Nutrition