Easy Homemade Turkish Chicken Doner Kebab

Easy Homemade Turkish Chicken Doner Kebab - Aka Tavuk Doner is a popular Turkish Street Food Kebab made with succulent chicken thighs which are marinaded in a spiced yoghurt marinade and cooked till charred on the outside and juicy on the inside. This Chicken Doner Kebab is a great takeaway copycat recipe (a fakeaway). Serve with Vegetables and in Flatbread like Lavash, Naan, Wraps, Pitta with Rice, with Chips and Salad on the side.

What is Chicken Doner Kebab?

Chicken Doner Kebab is famous and very popular for a reason!

Doner kebab is a type of kebab, made with meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. It can be made with Chicken, Lamb or Beef.
In this version, Chicken thighs are coated in a spiced Yoghurt marinade.

The Spiced and Seasoned meat is then piled on to a makeshift vertical Rotisserie and then cooked till charred on the outside and tender on the inside.

The outer most layers are then then carved up with a sharp knife to mimic Chicken Doner. YUM!

Traditionally the meat would be added to a rotating rotisserie which turns slowly, next to a vertical cooking element.

The vertical rotisserie was invented in the 19th-century and is used all over the world for dishes such as Arab Shawarma, Greek Gyros, Canadian donair, and Mexican al pastor.

However we don’t have such equipment at home! So we make it either in the Oven or on the BBQ.

It is simply irresistible. If you are a fan of Kebabs, why not try my Joojeh Kebab Recipe or my Adana Kebab Recipe?

Serve Chicken Doner in Flatbread like Lavash or Naan and alongside gilled or fresh Peppers, Onions and Tomatoes. As well as Pickled Red Cabbage, Pickled Turnips, Chopped Parsley and Lettuce. You can also serve it with Sumac Onions - Details below.

Chicken Doner Ingredients and Substitutions

Here is what you need to make Chicken Doner at home. The full recipe with ingredient measurements can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page:

Boneless Chicken Thighs 

For a juicy Kebab, boneless skinless Chicken Thighs are the best choice. You can use Chicken Breast but it won’t be as moist. Chicken Thighs are a fattier and therefore juicer cut of Chicken.

Olive Oil

Use a good robust Olive Oil which will add another layer of flavour.

Plain Natural Yoghurt or Greek Yoghurt

A yogurt based marinade tenderises the Chicken. You can also use Greek Yoghurt.

Tomato Paste/Tomato Puree

Just a couple of tablespoons of Tomato paste adds loads of flavour. You can replace this with Turkish Pepper Paste which is what I would recommend.

Lemons 

I love a bit of zingy flavour in Chicken recipes. It adds both flavour and coupled with the Yoghurt, ensures tender results. You can use Lime if you prefer.

Garlic

Plenty of Garlic means loads of flavour. You can use Garlic granules if you prefer but fresh adds lovely flavour.

Spices 

Salt, Black Pepper ,Ground Cumin, Ground Coriander, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Smoked Paprika, Onion Granules – These gorgeous spices add earthy, smoky flavour and a touch of heat. You can use a spice blend if you prefer.

Honey 

To add just a hint of sweetness and to balance flavours. You can add a good pinch of brown sugar instead or use maple syrup. Or skip ot altogeher.

How to make easy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab

Making Tavuk Doner at home is pretty simple. Most of the work is done by the marinade! Here is what you need to do:

NOTE - Before you begin - Soak 4 bamboo skewers in water.

Step 1 - Make the Yoghurt Marinade

Combine Olive Oil, Yoghurt, Garlic, Tomato Puree, Honey, Lemon Juice, Ground Cumin, Coriander, Cinnamon, Cayenne, Paprika, Onion Granules, Salt and Pepper in a large bowl. Whisk together to combine.

Add the Chicken and toss to coat until all the Chicken is completely covered in the marinade.

Step 2 - Marinade

Cover the bowl with cling film/plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 3 - 4 hours till overnight.

Step 3 - Skewer

Use 4 pre soaked Skewers and push Chicken thighs onto them, folding chicken over if too large. Continue adding the remaining Chicken thighs. Make sure the Thighs are tightly packed together.

Step 4 - Oven Bake

Note - If the Chicken is touching the bottom of the pan, add either some Garlic Bulbs or halved Onions to the bottom of the tin to lift the Chicken up.

Arrange the Chicken Doner in a deep oven tray with high sides and bake at 205 c/400 F/ Gas Mark 6 for 30 minutes until the Chicken is beginning to char on the outside but is still tender on the inside.

At this stage you can slice off some of the outer layers of the Kebabs but I don’t do that at this stage.

Brush with tin juices and bake for another 15 - 20 minutes.

Step 5 - Rest

Allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 6 - Carve

Tilt the Chicken and use a sharp knife to carve the Chicken from top to bottom into thin slivers of meat.

Variations

Onions in the marinade

A tried and tested method of making the Chicken even more tender is to add half a grated Onion to the marinade. We do this in Lebanese Shawarma and Joojeh Kebab.

Cook it on a BBQ or under a grill

Follow the same method for marinating and skewering. Use metal skewers if you have them otherwise wooden skewers are fine so long as they have been soaked. Make sure to turn regularly. Cooking time will likely vary so keep an eye on it!

How to serve Chicken Doner

Keep the Chicken warm whilst you prepare the Flatbreads.

Warm the Flatbreads on a dry pan or griddle. This will not take long.

Top with Salad - I like to add sliced Turnip Pickles or Pickled Red cabbage, sliced Lettuce, Tomato and grilled Sivri Pepper as well as Sumac Onions which are made by simply slicing Red Onions and tossing them in 2 teaspoon Sumac, 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice, a pinch Salt, some chopped Parsley and a drizzle of Olive Oil.

For a Sauce - I love to make a Garlic Yoghurt Sauce made with a cup of Natural Yoghurt, 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice, 2 cloves crushed Garlic, ¾ teaspoon dry Mint, ¼ teaspoon Sugar and ¾ teaspoon Salt.

Other Sides including Turkish Rice with Vermicelli (recipe coming soon) and Chips.

Tips for making Chicken Doner

• Chicken Thighs are the best option for this recipe because they are juicy and therefore more tender and flavourful.
• The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavorful it will be. If you’re short on time, try to marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours.

Storing Leftovers

In the Fridge

Leftover Chicken Doner Meat will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To reheat, simply add to a pan with a couple of tablespoons of water. Cook covered on low heat till fully warm.

How to freeze Chicken Doner

Uncooked - You can freeze the uncooked marinaded chicken or cooked chicken.

To freeze the chicken in marinade, wrap the Chicken in cling film or plastic wrap and then into a ziplock bag (squeeze out excess air) or place in an airitght container and freeze for up to 3 months.  When you’re ready to use, defrost the chicken in the fridge.

Cooked - Once cooked, let it cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. Freeze for up to 3 months.

How to reheat Chicken Doner

From frozen

Thaw Chicken Doner in the fridge overnight.  You can also defrost in the microwave but take care to defrost in short bursts so the chicken doesn’t become dry and rubbery. 

On the Gas or Electric Hob - Reheat in a pan over medium low heat until warmed through, adding a splash of water if needed.

In the Microwave - Reheat in the microwave in 30 second bursts.

In the Oven- Reheat in the oven for 10 minutes at 180C/ 350 degrees F or just until warmed through.

FAQS

Is Chicken Doner Healthy?

Takeaway Chicken Doner can be unhealthy as it is usually made up of gristle, fat and bones but homemade chicken doner is quite healthy.

Is Chicken Doner meat Keto friendly?

Yes it is, there is a little honey here but it makes up very little of the overall nutritional value of the final product. See nutritional info below. You can skip the honey altogether if you prefer.

Is Chicken Doner the same as Shawarma?

Shawarma is an Arabic word which means ‘turning’.

Shawarma and Doner are both made on rotisseries. However, Shawarma is an Arab/Middle Eastern kebab, while Doner is Turkish. Like Doner, shawarmas can me made with Lamb. Shawarma includes toppings such as tahini, tabbouleh, mint yoghurt sauce, hummus, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles.

What is the difference between Chicken Doner and Chicken Kebab?

Chicken Kebabs are often cooked on skewers rather then on a rotisserie and the meat is not cooked slow. Or the alternative is minced chicken kebabs which are very different to a Doner Kebab.

What is the difference between Chicken Doner and Gyros?

Gyros are made in a similar way to chicken doner. The meat is shaved from a vertical rotisserie, wrapped in some sort of bread, and topped with salads and sauces.

Shawarma, doner kebabs and gyros are all extremely popular street foods.

Doner is a Turkish word meaning ‘turn around’ and Gyro is Greek for ‘circle’.

The exterior of the meat or chicken becomes crisp, golden brown and delicious and the interior is juicy and full of flavour.

In both recipes, the meat or chicken is marinaded in spices and served in a warm naan, pitta or flatbread with condiments and toppings particular to each country.  

Doner Kebab was the first rotisserie kebab recipe. Gyros and shawarma kebabs came later. 

Gyro is usually made with pork, lamb or beef.  It is seasoned with a blend of herbs like oregano, rosemary, thyme.  It is garnished with tomatoes, onion and tzatziki.

What is in Chicken Doner meat? 

Chicken Doner is made from Chicken Meat - usually the fatty parts, skin, gristle, fat and bones. However in this homemade version we use only chicken thigh meat.

More Kebab Recipes:

Kebab Koobideh - Persian Ground Lamb Kebabs

Adana Kebab - Turkish Lamb Kebabs

Easy Cheesy Indian Ground Chicken Kebabs

Easy Pakistani Chicken Chapli Kebab

Joojeh Kebab - Persian Grilled Chicken Kebabs

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