Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Flatbread topped with chicken shawarma, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, greens, onions, fresh herbs, and drizzled with a white sauce, served on a wooden board.

5 from 3 votes

Sheet pan baked chicken shawarma for beginners—juicy, spiced, and charred to perfection. Serve as a shawarma wrap, bowl, or platter with fresh toppings.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Dinner, Dinner Recipes

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Calories: 343kcal

Author: Traci

Equipment

Ingredients

For the chicken

2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs * or chicken breasts
1 large Onion sliced into 1-inch strips

Marinade ingredients

1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
½ teaspoon Ground Cardamom
½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoon Black Pepper
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus more for baking
1 large Lemon zested and juiced
3 cloves Garlic grated
Water as needed for thinning

Optional

⅓ cup Greek Yogurt

For serving

Warm flatbread, garlic yogurt sauce or tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and fresh parsley.

Instructions

Prep the chicken. Trim any excess fat from the CHICKEN and set aside.
Make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients, adding splashes of water as needed to thin it. It should be pasty but not runny. Add the CHICKEN THIGHS and ONIONS, tossing to coat evenly. For best coverage, use your hands. *See footnote about optional yogurt.
Cover and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
Bake the chicken. Preheat the oven to 425°F (or 375°F for air fryer oven). Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet and spread the chicken and onions in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
(optional) Broil for char. Switch the oven to broil on high. Move the baking sheet to the top rack, 6–8 inches from the heat source. Broil for 3-5 minutes, or more as needed until the chicken and onions are charred around the edges.
Rest and serve. Transfer the chicken and onions to a plate, scraping every drop of the flavorful pan juices, cover, and rest for 5 minutes to lock in the flavor.
Serving and storage. Slice the chicken against the grain and serve in warm pita or naan with the onions, fresh toppings, and tzatziki or garlic yogurt sauce for a full shawarma wrap experience. Store roasted shawarma in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Swap thighs for boneless, skinless chicken breasts – Gently pound the thicker end to ensure the meat is even in thickness for consistent cooking. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. For chicken cutlets, reduce the bake time by half.

Add Greek yogurt – Stir in ⅓ cup Greek yogurt to bulk up the marinade. It tenderizes the meat, especially chicken breasts.

Use a rimmed baking sheet – A rimmed sheet helps catch flavorful juices and prevents spills in the oven, making cleanup easier.

Line your pan for easy cleanup – use foil or parchment paper to prevent spices and oils from sticking.

Skillet option – Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the marinated chicken for 5-7 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.

Nutrition