Chicken Shawarma (Middle Eastern) – RecipeTin Eats

Overhead photo of chicken shawarma Arabian Feast – 7 dishes prepared in 1 hour. Clockwise from top left: Hummus, Herb Chili Feta, Red Cabbage Carrot Salad, Lamb Koftas, Spiced Chickpea Salad, Chicken Sharwarma, Chargrilled Vegetable Platter

This Chicken Shawarma recipe goes to knock your socks off! Just a handful of day by day spices makes an unbelievable Chicken Shawarma marinade that infuses the hen with unique Middle Eastern flavours. The odor when that is cooking is insane!

This is a reader-favourite recipe included by well-liked demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!

This is a reader-favourite recipe included by well-liked demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!

Overhead photo of chicken shawarma

Chicken Shawarma

This is one in all my signature recipes that will likely be very acquainted to all my buddies as a result of I make this so typically. It’s off the charts for effort vs output: only a handful of on a regular basis spices, garlic, a splash of lemon and olive oil transforms into probably the most unbelievable flavour.

When this hen is cooking, the odor is unbelievable. In reality, it’s how I met most of my neighbours after I lived in a townhouse advanced, random individuals I had by no means met earlier than popping their head over the fence desirous to know what on earth I used to be making. They had been elated after I handed out samples!

Cooked chicken shawarma meat ready to be eaten

What is Chicken Shawarma, truly??

Shawarma is a well-liked dish originating from the Middle East. It’s a well-liked road meals that’s historically made within the type of spiced meats which are stacked on a vertical rotisserie with skinny slices shaved off because it rotates. But don’t fear! We can prepare dinner our horizontally in an excellent outdated pan or on the BBQ!

Shawarma was historically made with lamb, mutton and hen although lately you see it with beef too. It’s generally served within the type of a wrap, although in some nations you see it served on plates with sides reminiscent of seasoned rice or fries, and salads. In this recipe, I’m supplying you with each choices!

The flavour of this Chicken Shawarma marinade is absolutely incredible, yet made with just a handful of everyday spices. recipetineats.com

Ingredients in Chicken Shawarma

Here’s what you’ll want to make Chicken Shawarma. I’m betting you’ve most if not all the spices in your pantry already!

Ingredients in Chicken Shawarma
  • Chicken – I prefer to make Shawarma with boneless, skinless thighs as its juicier than breast. But hen breast and tenderloin each work nice.

  • Lemon juice – Fresh!

  • Olive oil – For a contact of flavour but in addition to dilute the lemon juice so it doesn’t “cook” the hen (like we deliberately do with ceviche!).

  • Spices – Nothing out of the unusual right here! The just one you may not have in inventory is cardamom, although lately its simply discovered at any grocery retailer. It has a piney, kind of citrusy flavour and it’s a key ingredient that distinguishes the Shawarma marinade from different cuisines, reminiscent of Mexican, that commonly makes use of the opposite spices used on this recipe. In quick, don’t skip it!

  • Spice management – The spiciness within the Shawarma marinade comes from the cayenne pepper. It’s not a key ingredient of the flavour so in case you don’t need it spicy, both scale back or eradicate it altogether. I promise you gained’t really feel robbed. Lots of different flavours occurring on this dish!


Sauce choices for Shawarma

Shawarma is historically served with both a tahini sauce (frequent in Israel) or a Yogurt Sauce. If you’d like to make use of a tahini sauce, use the one on this Roasted Broccolini recipe.

For a Lemon Yogurt Sauce, right here’s what you want:

Ingredients in Chicken Shawarma

How to make Chicken Shawarma

For the perfect outcomes, it’s greatest to marinate the hen in a single day. But to be trustworthy, the quantity and flavour of the marinade is intense sufficient which you could get away with a minimal of three hours of marinating. Been there, achieved that loads of instances, and no one has complained!

How to make Chicken Shawarma
  1. Mix marinade – For comfort, simply combine the marinade instantly in a ziplock bag. A bag works greatest as a result of the hen stays properly coated within the marinade. If you favor to make use of a container, both flip the hen a number of instances or enhance the marinade by 50%.

  2. Add hen into the marinade. Seal the bag, eradicating extra air, then therapeutic massage to coat from the skin. Leave to marinade for 12 to 24 hours within the fridge. If you’re pressed for time, even 3 hours will do!

  3. Yogurt sauce – Make the yogurt sauce just by mixing the substances then put aside for no less than 20 minutes to let the flavours meld. This will hold for 3 days within the fridge.

  4. Cook hen both on the range or on the BBQ. It will get a terrific crust on it from the spices, and you’ll adore the odor. It’s intoxicating!

  5. Rest hen for no less than 3 minutes earlier than serving to permit the juices to redistribute all through the flesh, else they are going to simply run out in all places whenever you slice the meat.

  6. To serve, simply pile all the things on a platter and let everyone make their very own wraps! The hen, lettuce, tomato slices, onion, yogurt sauce and warmed flatbreads – homemade or retailer purchased. If the hen is on the bigger aspect, I typically slice it. But if they’re smaller, I have a tendency to only go away them complete.

The flavour of this Chicken Shawarma marinade is absolutely incredible, yet made with just a handful of everyday spices. recipetineats.com

How to Serve Chicken Shawarma

There are two fundamental methods to serve Chicken Shawarma.

  1. Wraps – As Chicken Shawarma wraps (like Gyros and Doner kebabs), with tomato, lettuce, and a easy yoghurt sauce on the aspect. Other non-obligatory extras embrace: crimson onion, cheese (question authenticity? But that’s okay!!), hummus, scorching sauce / chilli sauce.

  2. Shawarma plate – With rice and salads on the aspect. Thought I often do serve pita bread or one other kind of flatbread as nicely, with a giant dollop of both Hummus or the Yogurt Sauce on this recipe, simply because it’s very on theme. ☺️

    Below, the Chicken Shawarma is pictured with Mejadra which is a Middle Eastern lentil rice (significantly so good you may / will wish to eat it simply by itself!) and a Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad (I skip the spicing of chickpeas in any other case there’s simply an excessive amount of kapow spices occurring).

Just a few different issues that might be very a lot at dwelling alongside Chicken Shawarma:

The unfold beneath options the Chickpea Salad referred to above and Mejadra, the lentil spiced rice.

The flavour of this Chicken Shawarma marinade is absolutely incredible, yet made with just a handful of everyday spices. recipetineats.com

Great meals for gatherings

This Chicken Shawarma, together with the Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken, are two of my most incessantly made meals after I’m cooking for a crowd as a result of it’s simple to make hundreds, they’re each nice “lay it all out and let everyone serve themselves” kind meals (I’m a giant fan of meals like that), and it travels nicely. I’ve made this a number of instances on tenting journeys (together with the Vietnamese Noodles and Greek Gyros!).

It was additionally a part of a 7 course Arabian Feast menu that I shared manner again after I first revealed this recipe in 2015. I nonetheless haven’t gotten round to perking up all of the recipes with contemporary new images, however I’ll someday! I really like that menu as a result of a lot of it may be ready forward, and there’s numerous frequent substances.

Be ready for the superb smells whenever you’re cooking this Chicken Shawarma! – Nagi xx

The flavour of this Chicken Shawarma marinade is absolutely incredible, yet made with just a handful of everyday spices. recipetineats.com

Watch the best way to make it

This recipe options in my debut cookbook Dinner. The ebook is usually new recipes, however it is a reader favorite included by well-liked demand!

This recipe options in my debut cookbook Dinner. The ebook is usually new recipes, however it is a reader favorite included by well-liked demand!

Hungry for extra? Subscribe to my newsletter and observe alongside on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest updates.

How to make a killer Chicken Shawarma!!

Chicken Shawarma (Middle Eastern)

Servings4 – 5

Tap or hover to scale

Recipe video above. The odor when that is cooking is outrageous! The marinade may be very fast to arrange and the hen will be frozen within the marinade, then defrosted previous to cooking. Best cooked on the out of doors grill / BBQ, however I often make it on the range. Serve with Yogurt Sauce (supplied) or the Tahini sauce in this recipe. Add a easy salad and flatbread laid out on a big platter, then let everybody make their very own wraps!

Prevent display screen from sleeping

Instructions

  • Marinade hen – Combine the marinade substances in a big ziplock bag. Add the hen, seal, the therapeutic massage from the skin along with your arms to ensure each bit is coated. Marinate 24 hours (minimal 3 hours).

  • Yogurt Sauce – Combine the Yogurt Sauce substances in a bowl and blend. Cover and put within the fridge till required (it can final for 3 days within the fridge).

  • Preheat range or BBQ – Heat a big non-stick skillet with 1 tablespoon over medium excessive warmth, or flippantly brush a BBQ hotplate/grills with oil and warmth to medium excessive. (See notes for baking)

  • Cook hen – Place hen within the skillet or on the grill and prepare dinner the primary aspect for 4 to five minutes till properly charred. Turn and prepare dinner the opposite aspect for 3 to 4 minutes (the 2nd aspect takes much less time).

  • Rest – Remove hen from the grill and canopy loosely with foil. Set apart to relaxation for five minutes.

To Serve

  • Slice hen and pile onto platter alongside flatbreads, Salad and the Yoghurt Sauce (or dairy free Tahini sauce from this recipe).
  • To make a wrap, get a bit of flatbread and smear with Yoghurt Sauce. Top with a little bit of lettuce and tomato and Chicken Shawarma. Roll up and revel in!

Recipe Notes:

1. MAKE AHEAD: Pop the marinade and hen in a ziplock bag and freeze right away. Then because it defrosts, it can marinate!
This additionally works nicely made forward, which I not too long ago did after I made this for 50 individuals as a part of a multi-course meal. I grilled it within the morning and reduce it up. Then previous to serving it was simply heated up within the microwave. Toss it with the juices pooled on the backside of the dish and nobody will guess it was cooked earlier within the day!
2. Chicken per serving – If utilizing massive lebanese bread as pictured (diameter is sort of 30cm/1 foot), you want round 300g/10oz of hen per particular person (uncooked) to completely fill them out with out tucking the ends in. 200 – 250g/7 – 8oz per particular person appears to be sufficient on common, however I all the time find yourself offering extra!
3. Chicken – I take advantage of 6 items approx 5oz/150g every.
Chicken breast: I really feel strongly that that is greatest made with thigh as a result of it’s bought extra fats so that you get lovely caramelisation. But it’s nonetheless tremendous tasty made with hen breast. The greatest manner is to chop them in half horizontally to make 2 skinny steaks no thicker than 1 cm/ 2/5″ every. If wanted, pound flippantly. Marinate per recipe. Then prepare dinner on a excessive warmth (not medium excessive per recipe) for simply 2 minutes on both sides till golden. They will likely be juicy and exquisite inside!
4. Suggestions for issues to make on the aspect:
* Mejadra (pictured in submit) – Middle Eastern lentil rice
* Chickpea Rice Pilaf– barely much less spiced than Mejadra
* Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad (a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe, skip the spicing of chickpeas to maintain it brisker)

Also see 7 Course Arabian Feast (abstract beneath recipe) and above recipe card in submit for lengthier record of aspect choices.
5. BAKING: Cooking on a BBQ or range is greatest to get the caramelisation. Baking doesn’t yield fairly the identical flavour – however nonetheless excellent! Bake at 425F/220C for 20 – 25 minutes till a browned.
6. Nutrition for hen solely as a result of flatbreads fluctuate a lot in dimension and energy.Assuming 6 servings.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 183gCalories: 275cal (14%)Carbohydrates: 1.1gProtein: 32.9g (66%)Fat: 16.2g (25%)Saturated Fat: 3.2g (20%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 140mg (47%)Sodium: 918mg (40%)

Originally revealed December 2014, up to date with contemporary images and an improved recipe video!

Arabian Feast Menu

Here is a abstract of the Arabian Feast Menu that I shared again in 2015. I haven’t up to date all of the recipes but – I’ll get to them finally!

To Nibble: HummusHerb Chili FetaChargrilled Vegetable Platter

For the Men to Grill: Lamb Koftas, Chicken Shawarma (this recipe)

Because we will need to have Greens: Shredded Red Cabbage Carrot SaladSpiced Chickpea Salad

Arabian Feast - 7 dishes prepared in 1 hour. Fantastic for entertaining on a budget.
Arabian Feast – 7 dishes ready in 1 hour. Clockwise from high left: Hummus, Herb Chili Feta, Red Cabbage Carrot Salad, Lamb Koftas, Spiced Chickpea Salad, Chicken Sharwarma, Chargrilled Vegetable Platter

Life of Dozer

Throwback to Life of Dozer in 2015 after I first revealed this recipe – nothing has modified within the years that has handed!

This shot just about encompasses how totally predictable Dozer is:

✅ Skulking close to a giant pile of meat

✅ Squeezing himself underneath a tiny desk laden with stated meals

✅ Eyes glowing on the prospects

✅ Licking his lips in anticipation

Chicken-Shawarma-Dozer

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