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This oven-baked Chicken Shawarma Recipe is an easy weeknight dinner packed with bold Middle Eastern flavors! The secret is a simple shawarma seasoning blend combined with Greek yogurt, lemon, and garlic to create juicy, fragrant, and super flavorful chicken every single time!
Chicken shawarma is, without a doubt, my family’s favorite weeknight dinner. I make it all the time – sometimes as often as once a week! My almost-teenage son loves it so much that he happily eats slices of this vibrant, juicy marinated chicken for breakfast, lunch, and dinner – seriously, you guys.
Originally inspired by Trader Joe’s Shawarma Chicken Thighs, my homemade chicken shawarma recipe is just as easy to make and even more delicious. To make it, boneless chicken thighs are marinated in Greek yogurt, lemon, garlic, and a warm shawarma seasoning blend. The chicken is then baked until tender and briefly broiled for beautifully browned edges.
Once cooked, simply slice the chicken and enjoy it wrapped in warm pita bread with homemade tzatziki sauce, fresh cucumber tomato salad, and plenty of lemon wedges.
Table of Contents
What Is Chicken Shawarma?
Chicken shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern street food made from well-marinated chicken seasoned with warm, aromatic spices. The meat is traditionally stacked on a vertical rotisserie and slow-roasted, similar to how I make my chicken gyro meat recipe. As the outside browns, thin slices are shaved off and served immediately in flatbread or as part of a larger meal.
This homemade version recreates the same bold, addictive flavors of authentic chicken shawarma, but in less time and without a vertical rotisserie.
Chicken Shawarma Seasoning & Marinade
The seasoning blend and yogurt-based marinade are the key to delicious, deeply flavorful chicken shawarma. Greek yogurt helps tenderize the chicken and allows the marinade to cling to it, while lemon juice and minced garlic add brightness, flavor, and depth. A little olive oil helps distribute the seasonings evenly and encourages the chicken to brown in the oven.
The shawarma seasoning combines:
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Coriander
- Turmeric
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Cayenne
- Cloves
- Salt and Pepper
I like to use regular paprika, but sweet, smoked, or hot paprika may be substituted depending on the flavor you prefer. Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours, to give the spices time to infuse every bite.
Can I make chicken shawarma without Greek yogurt? Yes, absolutely! Substitute an equal amount of plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt, or omit the yogurt and add 1 additional tablespoon of olive oil. If omitting the yogurt, marinate the chicken for no longer than 2-6 hours.
How to Make Chicken Shawarma
For the absolute best flavor and texture, remember to marinate the chicken for 2 to 12 hours, then bake the thighs whole before slicing.
- Mix the marinade. Whisk the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and shawarma seasoning together in a large bowl. The mixture should be smooth and thick enough to coat the chicken evenly.
- Give the chicken time to marinate. Pat the chicken thighs dry, then toss them with the marinade until every surface is covered. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 12 hours to give the spices time to infuse the meat. Longer than that, and the acidic marinade may begin to make the surface of the chicken overly soft or slightly mushy.
- Prepare the pan and oven. Heat the oven to 425°F and cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil – avoid using parchment paper since it is not suitable for the broiler. Arrange the chicken in a single layer with space between each piece so they roast rather than steam. Let the excess marinade drip off, and discard anything left in the bowl. Doubling the recipe: Divide the chicken between additional sheet pans so the pieces are not crowded. For the best browning, broil each pan separately.
- Bake, then broil. Roast the chicken for approximately 22 to 27 minutes, checking the thickest pieces first. When the internal temperature reaches about 160°F, turn the broiler to high and cook for another 1-3 minutes. Watch closely and remove the chicken once the edges are deeply browned and the center reaches at least 165°F as measured by a digital meat thermometer.
- Rest before slicing. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then cut it across the grain into thin strips. Resting keeps more of the flavorful juices in the chicken instead of on the cutting board.
Can I make this with chicken breasts? Yes, although chicken thighs will stay juicier and develop better browned edges. Slice thick boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally or pound them to an even thickness, then begin checking them earlier since they cook faster and can dry out more easily.
My Favorite Ways to Serve Chicken Shawarma
For an easy family-style dinner, place the sliced chicken, warm pita, sauces, and sides on the table and let everyone build their own meal.
- In a wrap: Tuck the sliced chicken into warm pita or flatbread with homemade tzatziki sauce, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and red onion. Finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- Plated or in a bowl: I usually slice the chicken and serve it with warm lemon rice, pita, hummus, tzatziki, and a fresh cucumber tomato salad, then let everyone build their own plate. For an easy all-in-one meal, try my Chicken Shawarma Bowls with yellow rice. You may also love my Greek chicken bowls, which use a different Greek-inspired marinade.
I also love adding sliced chicken shawarma to any of these fresh Mediterranean-inspired salads:
Leftovers, Freezing, and Reheating
Chicken shawarma makes fantastic leftovers. I often double or even triple this recipe so we have plenty on hand for wraps, salads, and easy lunches throughout the week.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover chicken shawarma in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Keep it separate from the pita, vegetables, and sauces so everything stays fresh. Refrigerate the chicken within 2 hours of cooking and reheat it to 165°F before serving.
- Freezer: Freeze the chicken whole or sliced in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm the chicken gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or chicken broth. You can also place it in a covered baking dish and reheat at 325°F, or microwave it under a damp paper towel in short intervals. Heat it only until warmed through so it stays juicy.
More Easy Mediterranean-Inspired Recipes
If you try making this easy chicken shawarma recipe, I would love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and a star rating below. Your feedback helps other readers discover and enjoy this recipe too. Thank you so much! 💛
Chicken Shawarma (Oven-Baked)
Ingredients
For the Chicken Shawarma
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, full-fat preferred
- 4 large garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons regular paprika
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- Lemon wedges, for serving
For Serving as Wraps, Optional
- 6 large pita breads or flatbreads, warmed
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup tzatziki
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 4 grated or minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1½ teaspoons coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon cardamom, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
- Marinate the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Add them to the marinade and turn until thoroughly coated on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Arrange the chicken: Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl while leaving a thin coating on the chicken. Arrange the thighs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each piece. Discard any marinade remaining in the bowl.
- Bake: Bake for 22-27 minutes, beginning to check the chicken after 22 minutes. Continue baking until the thickest part of the chicken registers approximately 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Broil: Switch the oven to high broil. Broil the chicken for 1-3 minutes, watching it closely, until the surface is deeply browned in spots and the thickest part reaches at least 165°F. The total oven time will usually be 25-30 minutes.
- Rest and slice: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice the thighs across the grain into strips.
- Serve: Serve the chicken shawarma with lemon wedges. To make wraps, add the sliced chicken to warm pita or flatbread with tomato, romaine lettuce, red onion, and tzatziki.
Notes
- Nutrition Note: Nutritional information is an estimate for the marinated and cooked chicken only. It does not include pita, vegetables, tzatziki, or any other optional serving ingredients.
- For a gluten-free meal, serve without pita or use certified gluten-free pita or flatbread.
- Dairy-free: Substitute the Greek yogurt with an equal amount of plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt. You may also omit the yogurt and add 1 additional tablespoon of olive oil; in that case, marinate the chicken for no longer than 2-6 hours.
- Greek yogurt: Full-fat Greek yogurt gives the marinade the richest flavor and helps the marinade cling to the chicken; reduced-fat Greek yogurt may also be used.
- Paprika: Regular paprika provides balanced flavor and color. Sweet, smoked, or hot paprika may be substituted, although each will slightly change the final flavor.
- Chicken breasts: I highly recommend making this recipe with chicken thighs, but boneless, skinless chicken breasts may be substituted. Slice thick breasts in half horizontally or pound them to an even thickness before adding them to the marinade. Begin checking for doneness earlier and cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F.
- Cooking time: Chicken thighs vary in size and thickness. Begin checking them after 22 minutes, but plan for the total baking and broiling time to be approximately 25-30 minutes.
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Storage: Store leftover chicken shawarma in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze it for up to 2-3 months. Thaw frozen chicken overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in a covered skillet, oven, or microwave until warmed through to 165°F. Keep the chicken separate from pita, vegetables, and sauces for the best texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
