Chicken Shawarma

4.61 from 66 votes

This easy chicken shawarma recipe is easy to make at home. You can cook it in your Instant Pot or oven. Finish it under the broiler to crisp the edges and give it an authentic char.

Course Main Dish Recipes

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword instant pot shawarma, shawarma, shwarma

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Additional Time 20

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 573kcal

Author Robin Donovan

Ingredients

Juice of 2 lemons
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons yogurt
6 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 onion thinly sliced

Instructions

Stir together the lemon juice, olive oil, yogurt, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, pepper, turmeric, and cinnamon.
Add the chicken and onion and turn to coat well.
Marinate the chicken for anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours (if you plan to marinate it for longer, I recommend leaving out the yogurt until just before you are going to cook the chicken.)
To cook it in the Instant Pot, place the chicken and onions in the pot, cover and seal it, and set it to pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure valve has dropped, open the pot and remove the chicken and
onion with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a foil-lined sheet pan. Use the spoon or a fork to shred the chicken into smaller pieces and arrange it in a single layer on the pan. Skip to step 6.
To cook it in the oven, preheat the oven to 425ºF. Arrange the chicken and onions in a single layer on a foil-lined sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven and let stand for a few minutes. Use two forks or your hands (if the chicken is cool enough to handle) to break the chicken into smaller pieces. Spread the pieces out in a single layer on the sheet pan. Continue to step 6.
Put the sheet pan with the shredded chicken
under the broiler and broil for 8 to 15 minutes, checking frequently, until it begins to blacken and char in spots.
Serve hot.

Notes

1. The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours, but if you are planning to marinate it longer than about 2 hours, omit the yogurt from the marinade. Stir the yogurt into the chicken a few minutes before cooking.

2. You can make shwarma in advance. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Heat it in the microwave or wrap it in foil and heat it in a 350ºF oven for about 15 minutes.

Nutrition