You don’t need a vertical spit to make authentic homemade Lebanese chicken shawarma. This oven-based recipe is simple, quick, and ideal for weeknights. It yields juicy, well-spiced chicken for wraps or bowls.
Serve with vermicelli rice, Lebanese pita, toum (garlic sauce), tahini sauce, pickled turnips, or shatta (chili paste).
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- How to Make This Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Recipe
- How to Serve Shawarma
- Expert Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Other Levantine Recipes
- Homemade Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Recipe (Wrap or Bowl)
Shawarma is a beloved Middle Eastern street food with roots in the Eastern Mediterranean. The cooking technique of roasting seasoned meat on a vertical rotisserie evolved across the Levant and the Ottoman world. The word “shawarma” likely comes from the Turkish “çevirme,” meaning “turning.” Today it remains a staple of Levantine cuisine.
Ingredients
This straightforward chicken shawarma uses simple pantry ingredients. You’ll need:
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are recommended for juiciness and flavor. You can use breast if preferred—adjust cook time or slice to similar thickness as thighs.
- Spices: Classic shawarma spices include ground cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cinnamon. A premade shawarma spice blend also works well.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and a full list of ingredients and optional sides.
How to Make This Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Recipe
This method is fast and reliable—great for meal prep or a quick family dinner.
Step 1. Mix. In a large bowl combine chicken thighs with the spices, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Step 2. Marinate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for deeper flavor.
Step 3. Transfer to baking tray. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange chicken in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring pieces don’t overlap.
Step 4. Bake. Bake 25–30 minutes, until cooked through. Use a thermometer to check for at least 165°F (74°C) internal temperature.
Step 5. Broil. For a charred shawarma crust, broil on high 7–10 minutes until golden, watching carefully to avoid burning.
Step 6. Rest and slice. Let the chicken rest a few minutes, then slice thinly. Reserve pan juices and drizzle over the chicken for extra flavor.
How to Serve Shawarma
Lebanese chicken shawarma is versatile. Build a platter, wrap, or bowl depending on how you want to enjoy it.
Chicken Shawarma Platter
Arrange chicken, sides, and garnishes on a large tray so everyone can assemble their own plates or wraps.
Shawarma Wrap
Use fresh pita, spread toum or tahini, add chicken, lettuce, tomato, sliced red onion, pickled turnips, and cucumber pickles. Roll and wrap in parchment for a neat presentation.
Shawarma Bowl
Serve chicken over vermicelli rice, Mediterranean yellow rice, or cauliflower rice. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, sumac onions or sliced red onion, pickled turnips, and pickled cucumbers. Add sauces such as toum, hummus, shatta, tzatziki, plain Greek yogurt, or tahini. Finish with a sprinkle of sumac.
Complement with Lebanese or Greek pita, fries, or Batata Harra (spicy Lebanese potatoes). You can also add the chicken to fattoush or other salads for a hearty main course.
Expert Tips
- Pan-fry option: Cook in a large skillet or cast-iron pan for a faster finish and crispy edges.
- Grill: The marinated chicken grills beautifully on a gas or charcoal grill or on an indoor grill pan.
- Air fryer: Adjust temperature and time for your air fryer for a quick, crisp result.
- Use a thermometer: Aim for 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part to avoid overcooking.
- Fresh pita: Choose soft, pliable pita for wraps to prevent tearing.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Cooked chicken stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheats nicely. Shawarma is excellent for meal prep.
Keep cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Assembled wraps may become soggy, so store components separately when possible.
Yes. A simple mix includes cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked paprika, garlic powder, turmeric, cloves, and black pepper. Combine with lemon juice and olive oil for the marinade.
Shawarma, gyro, and doner all descend from the tradition of cooking seasoned meat on a rotating spit. Each regional variation has its own spice profile and typical accompaniments, but all feature thinly sliced, richly seasoned meat in flatbreads or pitas.
Other Levantine Recipes
Salads
No Mayo Coleslaw with Lemon Sumac Dressing
Soups & Stews
One-Pot Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup (with Lots of Lemon)
Dessert
Orange Blossom Sugar Cookies
Main Dishes
Turkey Kofta Pita Wraps (with Salad and Sauce)
If you try this Homemade Lebanese Chicken Shawarma recipe, please rate and leave a comment to help others.
Homemade Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Recipe (Wrap or Bowl)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Mix. Combine chicken, spices, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil in a large bowl. Mix well and cover.
- Marinate. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
- Transfer to baking tray. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake. Bake 25–30 minutes until cooked through (165°F / 74°C internal temperature).
- Broil. Broil on high 7–10 minutes to develop a charred crust, watching closely to avoid burning.
- Rest and chop. Rest a few minutes, then slice thinly. Drizzle reserved pan juices over the sliced chicken.
Notes
Refer to the photos above for step-by-step visuals and serving ideas.
Ingredient notes: Thighs stay juicier than breast. Use a shawarma spice mix if you prefer. Optional additions to the marinade include minced garlic, garlic paste, chili flakes, or onion powder.
For wraps: Use fresh pita, spread toum or tahini, add chicken, lettuce, tomato, pickled turnips, and cucumber pickles.
For bowls: Serve over vermicelli rice or yellow rice with lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, sumac onions, pickled turnips, and pickled cucumbers. Top with toum, hummus, shatta, tzatziki, or tahini and a sprinkle of sumac.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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