If you’ve never heard of chicken shawarma, it’s a lot like Greek gyros—meat rotates on a rotisserie in an oven or over an open flame, basting in its own juices as it roasts.
I have a lot of cool kitchen gadgets, but I don’t have space for rotating spits of meat, so I came up with this recipe to capture that flavor without the elaborate set-up.
I start with a bold spice blend, which I rub under and over the skin of chicken leg quarters so that the flavor really penetrates. After roasting the chicken, I shred it and quickly heat it back up in the juices left from roasting.
The result is double-spiced, crispy bits of tender chicken that have all the flavor of all-day roasting, without the fuss. Trust me, you’ll be a big fan!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shawarma Greek?
Although shawarma is very similar to Greek Gyros it actually comes from the Middle East so the spices and flavors are different.
Other than the spices being different Gyros is commonly served with tzatziki whereas a tahini dressing is usually found alongside shawarma.
What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?
For this recipe, I like to use chicken quarters (the chicken drumstick and thigh still attached). The chicken is super tender, moist with crispy and delicious skin which adds a ton of flavor.
You can also use chicken breasts, just thighs or drumsticks or even leftover roast chicken. This recipe will work well with any cut although I find the quarters have more flavor!
What Spices do I Need?
Cumin, garlic powder, allspice, cardamom powder, and cinnamon are mixed together and rubbed on the chicken. This spice mix takes this chicken shawarma to the next level and it tastes incredible.
If you’d like added heat then you can add some cayenne pepper to your liking!
How to Make Chicken Shawarma
1. Mix the spices together in a bowl then rub over the chicken quarters with a little oil.
2. Loosen the skin and season under the skin with the spice mix. Bake until cooked through and crispy.
3. Meanwhile, make the dressing by adding all dressing ingredients in a bowl except from the water.
4. Add the water a little at a time whilst mixing the dressing together until you get your desired consistency, set aside.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven and set aside to cool.
6. Remove the meat from the bone then roughly chop (I like to chop the crispy skin up too).
7. Add the chicken to a skillet with any chicken drippings from the pan.
8. Fry until crispy then serve.
How to Serve your Chicken Shawarma
The ultimate way to serve chicken shawarma is with pita bread and salad bowls.
I love to serve the bowls with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese and drizzled with my homemade tahini dressing and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.
You can serve the chicken with whatever veggies and salad you like, here are some more ideas to try;
- Grilled veggies such as bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant
- olives
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Shredded carrots
- Beetroot
- Pomegranate
- You can even swap the flatbreads or pita for some couscous or quinoa if you prefer.
Top Tips for Making Chicken Shawarma
- Chicken legs are a great choice for this recipe, because they render a good amount of flavorful fat during roasting. If you’d like to use chicken breasts instead, reduce the cook time to about 25 minutes; chop and serve.
- The spice blend can be made up to a week ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.
- Adding the chicken skins to the skillet with the chicken is totally optional; I like the extra flavor punch you get from the crispy skins, but if you’re looking to trim fat out of your diet, this is an easy step to skip.
- Tahini brands vary greatly when it comes to thickness; you made need to add additional warm water to help the dressing get to a good drizzle-able consistency. Dressing can be made 3 days ahead; thin with additional warm water to loosen, if necessary.
- Assemble these bowls with any mixture of vegetables you desire. I used two heads of romaine lettuce, about 16 cherry tomatoes, and 2 English cucumbers.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes to Try
If you’ve tried this Chicken Shawarma Recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 Tbsp. cumin
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. cardamom
- 5 chicken leg quarters
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. cumin
- 2 to 3 Tbsp. warm water
- Sliced English cucumber halved romaine wedges, quartered cherry tomatoes, feta cheese,
- parsley leaves cayenne pepper, and pita bread, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, stir together cumin, garlic powder, pepper, allspice, salt, smoked paprika,cinnamon, and cardamom.
- Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, rubbing to coat evenly.
- Using your fingers, gently loosen skin from meat. Sprinkle outside of chicken liberally with spice blend. Rub remaining spice blend under skin.
- Bake until chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and cumin.
- Whisk in warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dressing is smooth and reaches desired consistency.
- When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin, and set aside.
- Pull meat from the bones; discard bones. Chop chicken. If desired, pour drippings form baking sheet into a medium skillet, and heat over medium heat.
- Add pulled chicken and skins (if desired) to skillet; cook until crispy, about 3 minutes. Drain chicken, and discard drippings.
- To serve, divide chicken mixture among four bowls. For each bowl, tuck in 1 romaine wedge half, and about half a cup each cucumber and tomatoes. Drizzle with dressing; sprinkle with feta, parsley leaves, and cayenne, if desired. serve with pita bread.
Notes
- Chicken legs are a great choice for this recipe, because they render a good amount of flavorful fat during roasting. If you’d like to use chicken breasts instead, reduce the cook time to about 25 minutes; chop and serve.
- The spice blend can be made up to a week ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.
- Adding the chicken skins to the skillet with the chicken is totally optional; I like the extra flavor punch you get from the crispy skins, but if you’re looking to trim fat out of your diet, this is an easy step to skip.
- Tahini brands vary greatly when it comes to thickness; you made need to add additional warm water to help the dressing get to a good drizzle-able consistency. Dressing can be made 3 days ahead; thin with additional warm water to loosen, if necessary.
- Assemble these bowls with any mixture of vegetables you desire. I used two heads of romaine lettuce, about 16 cherry tomatoes, and 2 English cucumbers.
