Chicken Shawarma Recipe

You don’t have to have a large rotisserie to mimic chicken shawarma at home. By tossing chicken thighs in spices and roasting at a high temperature, you can have crispy, flavorful chicken on your dinner plate in less than an hour. Round out your shawarma by grab a combination of toppings like pickled turnips, cabbage, fresh herbs, tahini sauce, yogurt, olives, and feta.

Serves 4 to 6

  • teaspoons coriander
  • teaspoon allspice
  • teaspoon cumin
  • teaspoon ground ginger
  • teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • teaspoon salt
  • tablespoons lemon juice
  • tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for crisping on the stove
  • garlic cloves, minced
  • pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • pita
  • red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
  • cup parsley, finely chopped
  • cups shredded red cabbage
  • cup pickled turnips
  • 1/2 cup tahini

chicken-shawarma2 (1)

  1. In a large bowl combine coriander, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, turmeric cayenne, pepper, salt, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. Add chicken and toss to coat. Place in a large zip-top bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and as long as overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 425· F. Line a large baking tray with aluminum foil. Place chicken in one layer on prepared tray. Bake until golden brown, crispy around the edges, and no longer pink in the middle, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Slice chicken into thin pieces. For extra crispy chicken, heat the last tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Crisp chicken in pan, stirring often, until golden brown and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  4. Serve chicken shawarma in pita topped with sliced red onion, chopped parsley, shredded cabbage, pickled turnips, and tahini.