Chicken Shawarma — Levantine Spiced Roast
The Levant's great spit-roast, made at home: chicken thighs marinated in yogurt, lemon, garlic and a warm spice blend of cumin, coriander, paprika and cinnamon, then roasted and crisped and sliced thin. Tucked into warm flatbread with garlicky toum, pickles and tahini sauce — fast street food with deep flavour.
Marinate boneless chicken thighs in yogurt, lemon, garlic, oil and a spice mix of cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and a little cardamom and clove — at least 4 hours. Roast hot (stacked on a skewer or spread on a tray) until cooked and the edges char, then rest and slice thin. Crisp the slices in a hot pan. Serve in warm flatbread with toum (garlic sauce), tahini, pickles and tomato.
- Use thighs, not breast — they stay juicy through the marinade and high-heat roast.
- Marinate at least 4 hours (ideally overnight) so the yogurt tenderises and the spices penetrate.
- Roast hot, then crisp the sliced edges in a pan to mimic the shavings off a vertical spit.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Roasting tray (or skewers)
- Frying pan
วัตถุดิบ
Chicken & marinade
- 1 kg boneless chicken thighs
- 120 g plain yogurt
- Juice of 1 lemon, 4 garlic cloves, 30 ml oil
- 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp coriander, 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp clove & cardamom
- 1½ tsp salt, black pepper
To serve
- Warm flatbread or pita
- Toum (garlic sauce) or garlic-yogurt
- Tahini sauce
- Pickles, tomato, onion, parsley
วิธีทำ
- ขั้น01
Mix the yogurt, lemon, crushed garlic, oil and all the spices and salt. Coat the chicken thighs thoroughly, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- ขั้น02
Heat the oven to 220°C/425°F. Stack the thighs tightly on a vertical skewer, or spread them on a tray, and roast until cooked through and charred at the edges, 25–30 minutes.
- ขั้น03
Rest the chicken 5 minutes, then slice thin across the grain.
- ขั้น04
Toss the sliced chicken in a hot pan with a little of the rendered juices to crisp the edges — this mimics the shavings off a shawarma spit.
- ขั้น05
Warm the flatbread, spread with toum and tahini, pile in the crisp chicken, and add pickles, tomato, onion and parsley. Roll up tightly and serve, or plate with rice and salad.
Make ahead
Marinate up to a day ahead, and roast in advance — the sliced chicken reheats and crisps beautifully. Make a big batch for wraps, rice bowls and salads through the week.
Storage
Cooked shawarma keeps 4 days refrigerated and freezes well — it's a great meal-prep protein. Reheat in a hot pan to re-crisp. Marinated raw chicken keeps 2 days or freezes in the marinade.
Variations
Lamb or beef
Use thin-sliced lamb or beef with the same spice mix for a red-meat shawarma.
Shawarma plate
Serve over rice or fries with salads, pickles and sauces instead of in bread.
Grill / BBQ
Cook the marinated thighs whole on a hot grill, then slice — great smoky flavour.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
คำถามพบบ่อย
What cut of chicken is best for shawarma?
Boneless, skinless thighs. They have enough fat to stay juicy through the marinade and the high-heat roast, and they crisp beautifully when sliced and pan-finished. Breast tends to dry out and miss the richness shawarma needs.
What is toum?
Toum is a Lebanese garlic sauce — a fluffy, intense emulsion of garlic, oil, lemon and salt, a bit like a dairy-free garlic mayo. It's the classic shawarma condiment. Garlic-yogurt sauce is a milder alternative if you don't want to make toum.
How do I get that spit-roasted texture at home?
Roast the chicken hot so the edges char, then slice it thin and toss the slices in a screaming-hot pan with a little of the rendered fat. That crisping step recreates the caramelised shavings carved off a vertical rotisserie.
What spices go in shawarma?
A warm, earthy blend — typically cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric and cinnamon, often with a little cardamom, clove, allspice or sumac. The yogurt and lemon in the marinade tenderise the meat and carry the spices into it.
Can I make shawarma ahead for the week?
Yes — it's an excellent meal-prep protein. Roast a big batch, refrigerate up to 4 days, and re-crisp portions in a hot pan for wraps, rice bowls and salads. It freezes well too.
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