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Main · Middle Eastern

Chicken shawarma

Spiced, charred chicken thighs in warm flatbreads with garlic yoghurt, pickles and quick-pickled onion.

45 min 25 min hands-on Serves 4 Middle Eastern Kid friendly

Chicken shawarma is marinated chicken, layered with warm spices and garlic, roasted until juicy with crisp edges. The home version uses thighs roasted or pan-cooked instead of a vertical spit. Tucked into flatbread with garlic sauce and salad, it is a fast, flavour-packed meal.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 lemon, 1 for the marinade, 1 for the sauce and onion
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 4 garlic cloves, grated, 3 for the marinade, 1 for the sauce
  • 1 tsp salt, plus a pinch for the sauce and onion
  • 700 g chicken thigh, boneless, skinless
  • 200 g greek yoghurt
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 flatbreads
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced
  • 4 gherkins, sliced
  • 1 small bunch parsley, leaves picked

Method

  1. Whisk the oil, the juice of 1 lemon, the cumin, ground coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, 3 garlic cloves and the salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, for deeper flavour.
  2. While the chicken marinates, heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Stir the yoghurt with the last garlic clove, about a tablespoon of the second lemon's juice and a pinch of salt, and keep it in the fridge. Toss the sliced onion with the rest of that juice and a pinch of salt. Slice the tomatoes and gherkins.
  3. Spread the chicken out flat on a large baking tray lined with foil, with space between the pieces so they roast and char at the edges. Pour over any marinade left in the bowl, and leave the onion to soften and turn pink while it cooks.
  4. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until charred at the edges and cooked through, with no pink in the middle and juices that run clear. For more char, finish under a hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely.
  5. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then slice it thinly and toss it in the tray juices. While it rests, warm the flatbreads in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, or in a dry pan for 30 seconds a side, until warm, soft and pliable.
  6. Build at the table: a spread of garlic yoghurt on each flatbread, then chicken, tomato, gherkins, pickled onion and a few parsley leaves. Roll up tightly, wrapping the base in paper if you are eating with your hands. It is a full meal in the hand; a crisp green salad on the side is all it needs.

Tips

  • Marinate the chicken for several hours, or overnight, so the spices and lemon penetrate fully.
  • Use thighs for juicier, more forgiving results than breast.
  • Roast at a high heat or broil at the end to get those crisp, charred edges that mimic a spit.

Common questions

What spices are in shawarma?

Common ones are cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and garlic, with lemon to balance. The exact blend varies by region.

What sauce goes with shawarma?

Garlic sauce (toum) or a tahini sauce are classic, often with pickles and fresh salad in the wrap.