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    Home - Recipes - Main Course

    Baked Chicken Shawarma

    Mar 6, 2020 · Modified: Aug 11, 2022 by Courtney · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Easy, delicious homemade chicken shawarma! Chicken thighs are marinated in a shawarma spiced yogurt then baked to perfection. Serve as a wrap or a salad!

    Chicken shawarma in a bowl along with toppings and pita bread.

    Chicken shawarma is definitely in my top 10 of takeout favourites.  I am completely obsessed with everything about it from the flavourful spit-roasted meat, to the toppings like tahini sauce and fresh veggies and salad.

    I ALWAYS want more shawarma in my life, and that's why there's this homemade chicken shawarma.

    Reasons I love this dish (and why you will love it too!):

    • It's so flexible.  Serve it as a wrap, or on top of a salad!
    • Minimal fussing: just marinade, bake, slice and broil
    •  This homemade version is SO much healthier for you than the takeout version (less fat) but doesn't compromise on flavour.
    • This big batch holds up well in the fridge and makes for easy meals during the week.

    How to make chicken shawarma

    First, mix up the Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar, onion, minced parsley, cumin, garlic, paprika, cinnamon and sea salt in a large bowl.

    Add the chicken thighs and mix thoroughly until all the chicken is covered with the marinade.

    Place the marinated chicken into a large sealable plastic bag and then store in your fridge for at least 6 hours.

    When it's time to cook, heat your oven to 400℉ then taking a large baking sheet and cover with a baking rack.

    Remove the chicken thighs from the bag one at a time (shaking off the excess marinade as you do then place then on the rack in a single layer.

    Marinated chicken thighs on a baking sheet.

    Bake the chicken in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh is 165℉.

    Pull the chicken out of the oven, then slice the thighs into half inch pieces before placing on a clean baking tray.

    sliced baked chicken thighs on a baking sheet.

    Set the oven to high broil and adjust the top rack to the highest position, then broil the tray of chicken for about 5 minutes - or until the top of the chicken has crisped up a bit. This step is optional but recommended for the most authentic shawarma experience.

    To make the parsley tahini sauce, whiz up the parsley, tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic and sea salt in a food processor or blender.

    Serve the chicken with pita, lettuce, tomatoes and onion drizzled with the tahini sauce, or on top of a salad like fattoush for a complete meal.

    A side view of chicken shawarma in a bowl with pita and toppings.

    Dietary Considerations and Accommodations

    This recipe for chicken shawarma is suitable for the following diets:

    • gluten free

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    More recipes you’ll love!

    If you like this chicken shawarma recipe, you might want to check out some of our other awesome globally inspired chicken recipes:

    • Grilled Chicken Tacos
    • Chicken Tinga Tostadas
    • Thai Peanut Chicken
    • Spanish Chicken and Rice

    If you have made this recipe we’d love to see it! Tag us on Insta @loveandgoodstuff.
    Loved this? Don’t forget to rate it below!

    A top down view of a platter with chicken shawarma, lettuce tomato and onion next to pita bread and tahini sauce.
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    Baked Chicken Shawarma

    Chicken thighs marinated in yogurt and spices then baked to perfection and served with a parsley tahini sauce
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Marinate6 hrs
    Total Time6 hrs 45 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 307kcal
    Author: Courtney
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    Equipment

    Blender or food processor
    Baking sheet and rack

    Ingredients:

    Chicken Shawarma

    • 3 pounds chicken thighs - boneless and skinless
    • 1.5 cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 1 onion - diced
    • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
    • ½ cup minced parsley
    • 1 Tablespoon cumin
    • 6 cloves garlic - crushed
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

    Parsley Tahini Sauce

    • ¾ cup tahini
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 clove garlic
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 3 Tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 cup coarsely chopped parsley

    Instructions

    • Mix together the yogurt, onion, red wine vinegar, minced parsley, cumin, garlic, smoked paprika, cinnamon and sea salt to make the chicken shawarma marinade.
    • Toss the chicken thighs in the marinade until all pieces are well covered.
    • Place the chicken in a plastic bag or other storage container and keep in the fridge to marinate for 6-12 hours.
    • Heat your oven to 400℉
      Place a wire baking rack over a large baking sheet then place the chicken on top of of it in a flat single layer.
      Bake for 20-25 mins then remove from the oven.
    • Set the oven to broil.
      Remove the chicken from the baking sheet to a large cutting board and cut the thighs into strips.
      Place the cut chicken on the baking sheet and put under the broiler for 5-10 minutes, or until the top of the chicken begins to crisp a bit.

    To make the parsley tahini:

    • Put the tahini, water, garlic, salt, lemon juice and parsley in a blender or food processor.
    • Blend until smooth then serve with the chicken shawarma

    Nutrition

    Calories: 307kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 29gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 563mgPotassium: 474mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1146IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 124mgIron: 3mg

    * nutritional information is calculated by online tools and may not be 100% accurate.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @loveandgoodstuff or tag #loveandgoodstuff!
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    About Courtney

    I'm Courtney and I love great food!

    Creating delicious meals, photographing them, and sharing them with friends and family are some of my favourite joys ❤️
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    Hi! I'm Courtney and I love sharing delicious, wholesome food with you! Thank you for stopping by Love & Good Stuff!

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