Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Updated Jan. 23, 2024
- Total Time
- 45 minutes, plus marinating
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 2lemons, juiced
- ½cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 2teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2teaspoons ground cumin
- 2teaspoons paprika
- ½teaspoon turmeric
- A pinch ground cinnamon
- Crushed red pepper, to taste
- 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1large red onion, peeled and quartered
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
390 calories; 27 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 31 grams protein; 462 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and crushed red pepper in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
- Step 2
When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.
- Step 3
Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp at the edges and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits. (To make the chicken even more crisp, set a large pan over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the sliced chicken, and sauté until everything curls tight in the heat.)
- Step 4
Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, white sauce, hot sauce, olives, fried eggplant, feta, rice — really anything you desire.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
me!
• White sauce = plain yogurt, scant 1/4 c. mayo, 1/2 lemon juiced + lemon zest, basil/parsley/zatar/sumac/minced garlic. Chill for 4-5 hours.
• Marinade meat overnight & cooked with peppers & onions. F
inish with broil for 2-3 minutes
• Serve with tortillas instead of pita + sliced cucumbers & tomatoes + feta. (Hummus is overkill side)
• Serve with chickpeas salad (olives, tomatoes, red onion, parsley/basil)
Sam Sifton
Trim eggplant and cut it into long slices. Salt the slices and let them sit for 20 minutes or so, then pat them dry. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towel and place a wire rack on top. In a large, deep skillet, heat 1/2 cup oil until a drop of water flicked into pan sizzles. Working in batches, fry eggplant until just tender, 20 to 30 seconds per side. Transfer fried eggplant to rack to drain. Nice with shawarma!
Christine Staples
I've lost track of how many times I've made this amazing dish since I first cut it out; there's some in the fridge right now. I have made the following additions: more onion - it's so good. More chicken - it goes so fast: 3 pounds. Two pounds of carrots, which I toss in the marinade and roast with the extra red onion. An astonishing recipe!
Linda E.
I used chicken breasts to cut some of the fat here and reduced cook time to about 20 minutes so the chicken wouldn't dry out. It was delicious, juicy and light!
Danielle
One of my favorites!!! Sometimes I buy extra chicken thigh packages and freeze the raw chicken thighs in the marinade 1 pound at a time. This way during a busy weeknight, I have an easy homemade recipe ready to go. I usually thaw it out first thing in the morning or even overnight. Works great!
Andybhoy
2 1/2 tablespoons of oil is enough - 1/2 cup is way too much !
LiveToFish
All dry ingredients have been combined and stored with a label "Shawarma Mix". Awesome.
cookies or cake
I second the suggestion to double the onion. If you have tasty lemons (like Meyer) cut them into eighths and roast along with the chicken -- exceptional!
Alexandra Lightning
This is a superb and easy supper. Marinated boneless thighs about 8 hours in fridge and cooked exactly according to recipe with the additional pan frying. Added a Greek salad made with seeded, English cucumber, mini San Marzano tomatoes (Trader Joe's), Kalamata olives, Greek feta, sherry vinegar and olive oil. No pita needed. Also made a yogurt sauce using 2% Fage (the best!) with lemon zest & juice, a couple cloves of garlic put through a press, and salt and pepper. Marvelous!
Pam
Very easy, absolutely delicious. Combined the following to make a tahini sauce: 1 c plain yogurt, 2 T tahini, 1 T lemon juice. 1/2 t. salt.
Michelle
Excellent for a party...I used 10 lbs of trimmed boneless chicken thighs, reducing the oil, and cutting onions into 8ths. Meat sliced nicely after the 10 minute post-cooking rest. Marinated for 24 hours, cooked the chicken in the marinade, & the meat held up fine. I used a lipped cookie sheet, to avoid spills in my oven. Everyone asked for leftovers to take home. Wonderful flavor, and easy to prepare. I served it with marinated feta, pita, couscous, moroccan carrot salad, etc.
ruthblue
A flawless dish, and yet a couple of tips: no need to use a dish for the marinade. I put everything into a large ziplock, massaged the ingredients to blend, and then added the chicken. No mess and easy to store while the birds marinates. I also used chicken breasts, bone in, skin on. Unbelievably juicy and tender, and easy to cut into smaller pieces after roasting.
TK
Agree with most everyone here - there's a reason this is a favorite! Followed the recipe to a "t" and everything came out perfectly - and served on Christmas Eve. Even the little ones (4 and 5) loved it! Two days later I'm out for more chicken thighs to make another batch. Served with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, lettuce and a Tzatziki, Hummus, Sweet Chili sauce (all from Trader Joe's) and the NYT Rice Pilaf with Pistachios and Almonds. Delicious!!! Loved it!
Nicole S.
The pan crisping at the end of this recipe really made this taste like the Schwarma I used to get in Jerusalem. Brought out the flavor more.
MSH
Made this for dinner last night. Amazing. Used half the olive oil and the juice of one lemon, but kept the other herbs/spices the same. Served with white sauce (1/4 cup mayo, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, juice of half a lemon, 1 clove garlic, minced), chickpea salad, and toasted (in a skillet) pita bread. Yum, yum, yum. Watch the chicken carefully the last 20 minutes. Even though I turned the heat down, it would have over-cooked if I'd left it in the oven for the full 40 minutes.
Lilikoi
Serve with tahini yoghurt sauce, olives, rice, roasted peppers, moroccan carrots, pickled vegetables. Or pita instead of rice.
Rebecca
Note to self: If wearing a white or light shirt, change to a dark shirt or a stained one (even better) prior to making this dish. Turmeric stains. You are not a cool enough or neat enough cook to pull this off without staining your brand-new white shirt.
Mary6205
All I have to say is outrageous!!!! Make this and you will not be disappointed.
Megan
I’m heavy handed with the spices and generous with the garlic to make it extra flavorful. I make a salad with butter lettuce, tomato, olives, cucumber and feta with a Greek yogurt dressing and it’s a great lunch to bring to work
Mitchell
Did 2 red onions, was good. Also sliced chicken breast to bake faster. Did 25ish mins, was a bit tough but still good. Probably tastes better sliced after but breast is bigger than thighs so would have taken really long. Could probably cut down the salt and olive oil a bit.
Alecia
This was amazing, and I didn't plan ahead, so only marinated for 30 minutes--still amazing!
Gretchen
Delicious! Used less oil and used chicken breasts which I cut up in smaller pieces before marinating. Marinated in one roasting pan which I just pot into the oven. Roasted tons of cherry tomatoes and bell peppers on a separate sheet pan. Served it all with a side of a salad of garbanzos, Red onion, feta cheese, cucumbers, Greed Olives and a little olive oil and red wine vinegar. Divine!
Ashley
This is SO GOOD- easy and absolutely delicious. We prefer it with more of each of the spices, so if you find you often add more spice than the recipe calls for, you may want to here as well.
dmdchicago
I think 450 is too high. Made at 400 and it was almost too done
Amy
This was tasty! I made a few modifications: added a shake of sumac and a little grate of nutmeg. Stacked the pieces on a small trompo (vertical spit) and cooked in the oven @ 375 for about an hour. Definitely want to try this in the smoker when the weather gets warmer!
YogiCook
Winner! And I tweaked original recipe slightly. Winner b/c taste is so good, and since prep/marinate overnight = super easy day of. Tweaks: used 2 lbs breast and tore up into smaller pieces for marinating. Onions also in smaller pieces than quarters since I shortened cooking time to 25 minutes. Breasts were not "crunchy" but really flavorful and good. Served with flour tortilla & quick tahini sauce: 1/2 c plain yogurt, 1 T lemon juice, 1/2 T tahini, 1/8 tsp salt -- more to taste.
YogiCook
Also, used only 2T EVOO in the marinade. :) And in place of red pepper used chili pepper...
Jack
Ok to keep ingredients all the same but use 4 lbs of chicken. Also very little taste difference between white and dark meat. Next time just use white meat.
Chicago_Chubs
So delicious and hecka simple! I use boneless, skinless thighs so I can just plop them into the marinade straight from the package and a few hours later I use tongs to plop them onto the pan. No touch.
essbee
I had to lower temp and cook for less time because at 425 and 30 min it was charred and burned. 385 at 28 min was perfect. Just hint of crispness but moist.
Lindsay
This was absolutely delicious. I didn’t have thighs so I used chicken breast and it turned out fabulous. Looking forward to trying it with thighs next time.
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