Lebanese Chicken Shawarma

Lebanese Chicken Shawarma - This Chicken Shawarma recipe is phenominal and it includes a secret unexpected ingredient! Shawarma is an easy Lebanese and Middle Eastern street food recipe, which is made with a few warming aromatic spices that permeate the meat whilst cooking, making every bite incredibly flavourful. This has become such a popular recipe with our loved ones and we have made it many times for a crowd!  The smell alone whilst it is cooking is incredible!

What is Chicken Shawarma?

Chicken Shawarma is a Kebab recipe that is usually cooked slowly on a vertical rotisserie. The Chicken is usually tender and juicy on the inside with some crispy bits on the outside.

It has layers of fat either in-between or at the very top and bottom. These melt and help to keep the meat moist.

The meat is then sliced off into thin slices and rolled in a flatbread such as Lavash or Pitta Bread with Pickles, crunchy Veg and Tahini Sauce. It can also be served as a Chicken Shawarma bowl or plate with Rice, Fries and Veggies.

We make it at home on skewers to try and mimic a rotisserie. However you can just add the Chicken to an oven tray too!

Shawarma can be made with Lamb, Chicken or Beef and it very much reminds me of Turkish Chicken Doner Kebab.

Ingredients in Chicken Shawarma

The Spice mix (Baharat) is what makes this recipe so irresistible! Here’s what you need to make the most delicious Chicken Shawarma.

Chicken

We use boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs in this recipe. It is juicy and has plenty of fat and therefore works really well in this recipe. You can also use Chicken Breast.

However if you do this, I would strongly suggest that you use Tenders or add Chicken skin on top of the Shawarma as it cooks.

Lemon Juice AND Orange Juice

When I researched this recipe, I learnt that Orange Juice mixed with Lemon Juice is key to making this recipe so good. Orange juice helps to tenderise the Chicken as well as adding some sweetness. Don’t worry , it doesn’t taste like Orange Chicken. It just enhances the other flavours. Lemon Juice adds tangy flavour and brings balance. You can skip the Orange Juice and add more Lemon Juice if you prefer.

Baharat Spice Mix

Peppercorns, Coriander Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Cloves, Green Cardamom, Paprika, Nutmeg. The whole spices are roasted to bring out their flavour and then ground down. You can buy some pretty food Baharat Mixes nowadays so you can use them instead if you prefer.

Garlic

We add some crushed Garlic to the Chicken. You can use Garlic Powder or Granules instead. Or even some Toum.

Other Spices

Chilli Flakes, Cinnamon, All Spice, Turmeric, Cayenne. You can use Aleppo Pepper in place of Cayenne.

Veg

Onions and Peppers. These add flavour but also tenderises the Chicken. Many recipes use Yoghurt but I prefer to use Onions and Peppers to tenderise the Chicken. It’s a top grandma secret according to many articles online.

Vinegar

This actually brings out the flavour of the meat more.

Olive oil

Used in marination.

How to make it

Despite the long ingredient list, this recipe is easy to make. A lot of the work is hands off marination or cooking time. Here is how to make it:

Step 1
Make the Baharat Spice Mix

Lightly toast the Peppercorns, Coriander Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Cloves, Green Cardamom in a dry pan till fragrant. Then grind to a powder. Mix in the Paprika and Nutmeg.

Step 2
Blend the Onions and Peppers

Coarsely chop the Vegetables and add them to a blender. Blend till smooth.

Step 3 and Step 4
Make the Chicken Shawarma marinade and mariande the Chicken

Cut any larger pieces of Chicken in half. Add the Chicken to a bowl.

Add the Onion and Peppers paste, 1 ½ tablespoon Baharat, Lemon Juice, Orange Juice, Chilli Flakes, Cinnamon, Turmeric, All Spice, Cayenne Pepper or Aleppo Pepper, Salt, Oil, Garlic and Vinegar. Mix together.

Leave to marinade for 2 -4 hours or overnight.

Step 5
Cook the Chicken Shawarma

You can either place the Chicken directly on to an oven tray or use Skewers (if they are wooden be sure to pre soak them for 30 minutes before using), and skewer each marinaded Chicken thigh over 4 skewers.

Oven - Bake in the oven for about 40 - 50 minutes turning midway.

BBQ - Or cook on a BBQ for 20 - 30 minutes.

Air Fry - Or Air Fry at 200 C/400 F for 20 - 30 minutes flipping midway.

Step 6

At this stage you can brown and crisp the Chicken on the outside.

*NOTE - This isn't necesaary if you have used a BBQ.

Place on a large pan and cook on 4 - 5 minutes each side over a medium high heat or under a hot grill/broiler.

Step 7

Slice the Chicken Shawarma into thinly pieces and leave to rest for 5 - 10 minutes.

How to serve it

Wrap - The best way to serve Chicken Shawarma is in a wrap with Toum (Garlic Sauce) and Tahini Sauce. The other sauce that is often served with Shawarma is a Red Shatta Sauce. You can use any pepepry hot sauce in place of this.

The Chicken wrap is usually pressed on a hot griddle to make a more flattish wrap rather then a rounded one.

Other common fillings or sides include salad such as Red Cabbage, Onions and Lettuce as well as Pickles such as Pickled Cabbage, Cucumber and Turnips.

Platter or Bowl - Alternatively you can serve it platter style with all the sides such as pickled Red Cabbage, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions, Flatbreads and the Sauces mentioned. As well as Yellow Rice (made with adding Turmeric, Black Pepper and chopped Onions to Rice) or Vermicelli Rice (recipe coming soon) and Fries! Hummus is also always a welcome addition.

The final option is to serve it in a bowl with all the sides! SO GOOD!

Top Tips to make the BEST Chicken Shawarma

Here is what you need to do to make the best Chicken Shawarma -

Use Chicken Thighs

As this is a fatty cut of Chicken, the Chicken remains juicy.

Marinate the Chicken

This will ensure maximum flavour. Try to do this for 1 - 3 hours or overnight.

Use Orange juice

This helps tenderise the Chicken as well as adding flavour and balance.

Use Chicken Skin

If you are using Chicken Breast, I would strongly suggest that you add Chicken Skin on top of the Chicken. This tenderises it. Traditionally Chicken Shawarma is made with Chicken Fat or Skin between layers. We mimic that by using Chicken Thighs which have fat on them. Adding Chicken Skin on top of Chicken Breast makes the Chicken even more juicy.

Add blended Onions to the Chicken

This is the most excellent tenderiser for Chicken and it adds flavour.

Crisp it up

Brown the Chicken and crisp it up under the grill or broiler or in a hot cast iron pan.

Cook time

Check the Chicken after 30 minutes to see if it requires the full 40 - 50 minutes of cooking time. The juices from the Chicken should run clear once it is cooked. Ovens do vary so keep an eye on it.

How to Make Ahead

Before Cooking

You can marinade the Chicken for 2 days and then cook it the following day.

You can also freeze the marinaded and thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.

After the Chicken is cooked

You can also cook the Chicken 4 days in advance and then assemble on the day of eating!

Simply reheat on the stove top or in the Microwave and serve with the sides mentioned in the How to Serve section.

Storage and Reheating

Fridge

Once cooled, place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat - Heat a pan over medium heat and add the Chicken pieces with some Oil. Heat till warm all the way through. Or reheat in a microwave.

Freezer

To freeze Chicken Shawarma place it in an airtight box for up to 3 months.

Reheat - Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Variations

Add Mayonnaise

I have seen a couple of Shawarma recipes that use Mayonnaise in the marinade. According to Kenji Lopez (The Food Science Expert Guy), this helps the marinade stay in place and gives it a crusty coating. It also helps it to brown. I tried it with Mayonnaise but I prefer it without.

Use Chicken Strips

If you use Chicken Strips. I would suggest making it with the same marinade, marinading overnight and cooking in a hot pan on the stove top.

Add Toum

Instead of using Garlic Paste, you can use Toum. If you can find it, this will add a lovely hit of Garlic.

No Skewers? No Problem!

If you do not have skewers, place the Chicken directly onto an oven tray.

Make in a loaf pan

This mimics the rotisserie style of cooking. Use the same cooking time and temperature but just make sure that every Chicken piece is fully cooked before serving.

Use Lamb instead

I haven’t tried this myself yet. So keep an eye on it as cooking times will vary. Use Shoulder or Leg for best results.

Use a Yoghurt marinade

I prefer this recipe without a Yoghurt marinade as I think it changes the overall texture and flavour of the Chicken. I prefer to use Onions to tenderise the Meat in this recipe. If you are a fan of Yoghurt marinades, do give it a try by adding ¼ cup of Yoghurt to the marinade and skipping the Onions and Peppers.

Ground Spices

In this recipe, we used Whole Spices and roast them to get as much flavour as possible in the marinade. I have found that most of the recipes online use ground Spices. If you are in a rush and want to use ground Spices rather then make Baharat, I would suggest using Ground Spices in the Baharat mix. To do that, combine 1 teaspoon ground Cumin, ½ teaspoon Coarse Black Pepper, ½ teaspoon ground Corinader, ⅛ teaspoon ground Cardamom, 2 teaspoon Paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground Nutmeg and add that to the marinade with the remaining ingredients.

More Middle Eastern Recipes

Fattet Makdous - Aubergine and Lamb (or Beef) Fatteh

Lebanese Ful Medames (Foul Mudammas - Fava Beans Stew)

Batata Wa Bayd - Mfarakeh



Lebanese Mujadara

More Kebab Recipes

Kebab Koobideh - Persian Ground Lamb Kebabs

Adana Kebab - Turkish Lamb Kebabs

Joojeh Kebab - Persian Grilled Chicken Kebabs

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