(mydeliciousmeals.com)Alena Tarasevich
Indulge in the deliciousness of this homemade Chicken Shawarma, and savor the authentic taste of a Middle Eastern classic right at your own dining table.
Baking it in the form of a tower is one of the best cooking methods to achieve that perfect, tender, and flavorful shawarma-style chicken. I prefer using boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe instead of chicken breasts because of their higher fat content, which ensures the juiciest and most succulent bites.
This Chicken Shawarma recipe combines Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and a blend of spices for a flavorful shawarma marinade. The chicken marinates for 30 minutes, but you can extend the marinating time for even better flavor. This is my go-to for a favorite family lunch, as it's an easy way to satisfy every member's craving for something delicious.
Chicken Shawarma, a beloved choice in the world of street food classics, is now so simple to prepare at home with this easy recipe.
Ingredients
- 10 chicken thighs (skinless, boneless)
- 1 onion (large, for chicken tower base)
- 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely grated)
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ground cinnamon (a pinch)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ■■■■ TOPPING: ■■■■■
- 1/2 onion (red, thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon ground sumac
- salt (to taste)
Yield: 5 servings | Prep time: 40 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour | Total time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Cook Mode - Prevent screen from going dark
Notes
For a complete and easy meal, enjoy this oven-roasted chicken shawarma in warm pitabread orpita pockets. You can add a mix offresh veggieslikecrisp lettuceand slicedfresh tomatoesfor extra flavor and crunch. Also, you may includelemon wedgesfor a refreshing kick. And don't forget the classic sauces –tzatziki sauce,white sauceoryogurt garlic sauce– for creaminess and a touch of garlic.
Instructions
1. You need 2 oven racks for this recipe. Place the first oven rack on the bottom shelf of the oven. Remove the second rack from the oven, we will need it later to secure the chicken tower in a standing position. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In alarge bowl, combine chicken thighs and themarinade ingredients: Greek yogurt,lemon juice, finely gratedfresh garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano,red pepper flakes, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Cut onion in half. Place the onion halves next to each other cut side down on a largebaking sheet. Insert a skewer into each onion half (I use 9.75-inch skewers). This will serve as the base for your chicken tower (you can use avertical spitinstead, if you have one).
4. Create the chicken tower by threading the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers that are inserted into the onion halves, to form a vertical stack of chicken pieces.
5. Transfer thebaking sheetwith chicken tower to thepreheated oven. To ensure the chicken tower doesn't fall during cooking, place another oven rack on the top shelf of your oven. Position the skewers between bars of the top rack to stabilize the tower.
6. Bake chicken shawarma in thehot ovenfor about 60 minutes, or until theinternal temperatureof the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).Cooking timemay vary depending on your oven.
7. While thechicken cooks, prepare pickled onions by combining sliced red onion withlemon juice, sumac, and some salt. Allow the onions to marinate for about 10 minutes, stirring a couple times.
8. Once the chicken stack is cooked, remove it from the oven. To transfer the chicken tower to a cutting board, gently slide a spatula under the bottom of the tower while holding the skewers with your hands for support. Carefully lift the chicken tower and place it on the cutting board.
9. To cut meat from the chicken tower, hold the skewers and use a sharp knife to makethin sliceswhile gently moving it along the length of the skewers slicing off the edges. Serveshawarma chickenwith marinatedred onions and other toppings of your choice, store leftovers in anairtight containerfor up to 4 days.
Recipe Video
Shop products and ingredients I recommend for this recipe:
Organic Chicken Thighs
Greek Yogurt
Garlic
Paprika
Cumin
Oregano
Crushed Red Pepper
Cinnamon
Onion
Ground Sumac
Note: This post may contain affiliate links for products I like. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I'll earn some coffee money at no cost to you, which I promise to drink while creating more helpful recipes like this ;) Thank you for supporting My Delicious Meals!
Comments
Rae Laidley
This Shawarma was the best!!! I placed pounded chicken thighs placed in a ziplock bag with marinade and left for a few hours. Put marinated chicken on skewers and Baked at 400 degrees for 1 hour. It was absolutely delicious! 5 star recipe for sure!
alenatrs
Thank you Rae, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed this chicken shawarma recipe! Thank you for taking time to leave your comment! - Alena
