Chicken Shawarma

Published: May 21, 2020 · Modified: Aug 9, 2021 by Nicky Corbishley

This Chicken Shawarma is juicy, spiced chicken wrapped in flatbreads with a creamy, tahini dressing - perfect for hot or cold weather.

Sharwarma. Is it just me or does that word sound like something deliciously smoochy like a romantic slow dance outdoors, in a candlelit square of a beautiful warm country. With lots of wine. Hmmm. Maybe I need a holiday (don't we all!). If I said Sharwarma to Chris on the other hand, he'd immediately think of Iron Man's sharwarma quote in that Avengers film. Actually, that was the first time I'd ever heard of this dish, and if Iron Man thought it'd be good, then it was bound to be.

What do we need?

Chicken thighs are great for homemade shawarma as they hold up well to intense, high-heat cooking, whilst retaining their juiciness.
Spices - give a smoky, spicy, warming flavour to the chicken
Tahini - essential for a good shawarma sauce - mixed with that Greek yogurt, plus garlic, dill, lemon, cumin, salt and pepper

How to make this shawarma at home

Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Place chopped chicken thighs in a bowl with oil, paprika, cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder, cinnamon and minced garlic. Stir, cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate.
Cook the chicken pieces on a griddle (see notes section in recipe card for other cooking methods), turning a couple of times until slightly charred on the outside cooked through in the middle.

6 image collage showing how to make Chicken Shawarma

Make the shawarma sauce by mixing together Greek yogurt, minced garlic, tahini, cumin, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

4 image collage showing how to make shawarma sauce

Serve the shawarma in warm flatbreads with lettuce, red onion, tomatoes and cucumber and a drizzle of the yogurt tahini dressing.

Close up of Chicken Shawarma on a pita bread

Traditionally, making shawarma involves cooking meat such as chicken/lamb/beef on a vertical spit for a hours, then serving it in a flatbread topped with some salad and sauce.

Unfortunately, I don't have a spit at home (that would be brilliant - apart from the fact that I already struggle to ensure we have at least one meat-free day a week. I'd have no chance with a spit full of juicy char-grilled meat available on tap) - so I cook my chicken on a cast iron griddle. If you don't have one, then you can BBQ or grill the chicken.

Chicken Shawarma in a pita bread being help by a hand

What to serve with Chicken Shawarma:

Chilli Garlic Oven-Baked Fries

Veggie Buddha Bowls

Veggie Matchstick Fries

Falafel Salad Bowls

All the fixings from this Spicy Nourish Bowl (no need for the chicken)

Can I make it ahead? Yes! You can marinate the chicken in advance (up to a day ahead) and make the sauce a couple of days ahead too. Make sure they're covered and refrigerated until ready to use. The chicken does taste better straight off the griddle, but you can cook it ahead it you want to, then quickly cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. You can eat the chicken cold in a salad or flatbread/pita, or you can reheat it by wrapping in foil in a single layer, and heating in the oven at 190C/375F for around 20 minutes or until piping hot throughout. Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? Chicken thighs are better at standing up to high heat cooking - like that on a griddle or bbq - whilst staying juicy. However you can replace with chicken breast pieces if you prefer. Try to ensure you don't overcook - as the chicken may become dry. But do ensure it's cooked throughout and no longer pink in the middle. Alternative to tahini in the dressing: You can leave the tahini out of the dressing if you like and it will still be really tasty. Alternatively replace with nut butter (peanut/almond/cashew) if you still want that nutty taste. You can also replace the tahini with half a grated cucumber that's been squeezed out to remove most of the liquid. This will give you a tzatziki style dressing instead. Best type of flatbreads I really love Greek or Lebanese style flatbreads with shawarma, as they're thicker and chewier than tortillas or pocket-style pita breads - so they result in a tastier, more satisfying wrap. However, you can use regular pocket-style pitas, tortilla wraps or even naan bread if you like (I'd even use chapati - I'm all for a bit of food fusion!). Go with your favourite style of flatbread or better still make your own homemade flatbreads.

More grilled chicken recipes:

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers
Cajun Chicken Noodle Salad
Mexican Chicken Skewers with Picante Salsa
Chicken Souvlaki with Homemade Tzatziki
Easy Chicken Gyros

Watch how to make it

This recipe was first posted in February 2015 as a salad recipe. Updated in May 2020 as a Shawarma wrap recipe plus new photos, video and tips. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

Hi I’m Nicky

I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.