Shawarma is an Arabic dish, which means to roll, and in fact, this dish is made from meat that is grilled and fried on skewers in the oven! Chicken shawarma is a light and healthy dish that has a mesmerizing aroma and flavor due to the variety of spices used in it.
Ingredients For Making Chicken Shawarma
- 🍗 Boneless chicken breasts: pieces
- es 🥛 Yogurt: 1 cup
- 🧅 Medium onion: 1 piece
- 🫒 Olive oil: 1/3 cup
- 🍋 Lemon juice: 1/3 cup
- 🧄 Grated garlic: 2 cloves
- 🌿 Cumin: 1/2 teaspoon
- 🌿 Coriander powder: 1/2 teaspoon
- 🌶️ Paprika: 1 tablespoon
- 🌕 Turmeric: 1/2 tablespoon
- 🍛 Curry powder: 1 teaspoon
- 🫚 Ginger and cinnamon powder: 1 teaspoon each
- 🧂 Red pepper, black pepper, and salt: as needed
- 🥙 Pita bread: as many as needed
How To Make Chicken Shawarma: Preparation
🍗 Marinate The Chicken
First, you need to marinate or season the chicken breasts. To do this, cut the chicken breasts into lengthwise slices and place them in a bowl.
🧅 Add Onion & Yogurt
Chop the onion and add it to the chicken, and add the thick yogurt. Note: The thicker and more concentrated the yogurt, the better the flavor will be for the chicken.
🌿 Mix the Spices
Add all the spices together. Make sure the mixture is well balanced for flavor. Stir gently until everything blends evenly. Adjust salt and pepper as per your taste. Set the spice mix aside for marination.
🧄 Add Garlic & Olive Oil
Add grated garlic and olive oil to the ingredients. You can also use garlic powder.
🍋 Add Lemon Juice
Add the lemon juice to the chicken mixture and mix well. You can also use a little bell pepper. If you like a smoky flavor, you can use ready-made seasonings. Cover the dish with cellophane and let the chicken breasts absorb the flavors.
❄️ Marinate Properly
The chicken mixture will be better and taste better if it is marinated in the refrigerator overnight, but one to two hours is the minimum time you need.
🔥 Pan-Fry the Chicken
Remove the chicken breasts from the refrigerator. Heat a pan and add a little oil, then fry the chicken breast slices in the pan over high heat.
Once each side is fried, turn it over and fry the other side of the chicken, then cut the fried slices into smaller pieces with a knife. You can also do this in the oven.
🍅 Bake with Vegetables (Optional)
Place parchment paper on the bottom of the baking tray. Place the marinated chicken on the tray. You can also place vegetables such as bell peppers, tomatoes, a few cloves of garlic, chopped onions, and potatoes on the baking tray to cook with the chicken and use them as a side dish.
In addition, they give the chicken a better flavor. Then place the tray in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for half an hour to an hour until the chicken is completely cooked.
🥔 Cook on Skewers (Traditional Style)
To cook chicken on skewers, which is the traditional method of cooking shawarma meat, you need a special device, but to prepare this method at home, you can line the bottom of an oven tray with parchment paper.
Cut a potato or large onion in half and place the cut side on the oven tray. Then insert one or two wooden skewers into the potato or onion and insert the seasoned chicken breasts into the skewers and place them on top of each other.
You can also use vegetables inside the tray so that they are cooked while the chicken is cooking. Then place the tray in the oven at 180 to 200 degrees Celsius for an hour until the chicken is well cooked.
And after cooking, you can easily cut the chicken on the skewers and use it in sandwiches.
🍗 Chicken Shawarma Nutrition Values (Including Ingredients)
Ingredient | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sodium |
🍗 Boneless chicken breasts (1 serving, ~150g) | 248 kcal | 31 g | 0 g | 14 g | 0 g | 75 mg |
🥛 Yogurt (1 cup, ~245 g) | 149 kcal | 8 g | 11 g | 8 g | 0 g | 150 mg |
🧅 Medium onion (1 piece, ~110 g) | 44 kcal | 1 g | 10 g | 0 g | 2 g | 3 mg |
🫒 Olive oil (1/3 cup, ~80 ml) | 639 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 73 g | 0 g | 0 mg |
🍋 Lemon juice (1/3 cup, ~80 ml) | 20 kcal | 0 g | 6 g | 0 g | 1 g | 2 mg |
🧄 Grated garlic (2 cloves, ~6 g) | 9 kcal | 0 g | 2 g | 0 g | 0 g | 1 mg |
🌿 Cumin (1/2 tsp, ~1 g) | 4 kcal | 0 g | 0.5 g | 0.2 g | 0.3 g | 1 mg |
🌿 Coriander powder (1/2 tsp, ~1 g) | 3 kcal | 0 g | 0.6 g | 0.1 g | 0.3 g | 1 mg |
🌶️ Paprika (1 tbsp, ~6 g) | 19 kcal | 1 g | 3.7 g | 0.9 g | 2 g | 1 mg |
🌕 Turmeric (1/2 tbsp, ~3 g) | 9 kcal | 0.3 g | 1.8 g | 0.1 g | 0.5 g | 1 mg |
🍛 Curry powder (1 tsp, ~2 g) | 6 kcal | 0.3 g | 1 g | 0.3 g | 0.7 g | 2 mg |
🫚 Ginger & cinnamon powder (1 tsp each, ~4 g) | 8 kcal | 0.1 g | 1.8 g | 0.1 g | 0.5 g | 1 mg |
🧂 Red pepper, black pepper, salt (as needed, ~1 g) | 0 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 390 mg |
🥙 Pita bread (1 medium, ~60 g) | 165 kcal | 6 g | 33 g | 1 g | 2 g | 330 mg |
Approximate Total per Serving (1 Shawarma Wrap):
Calories: ~650 kcal |
Protein: ~45 g |
Carbs: ~35 g |
Fat: ~38 g |
Fiber: ~4 g |
Sodium: ~950 mg.
Experience the irresistible aroma and bold flavors of authentic chicken shawarma!
🌟 Health Benefits of Chicken Shawarma
- 🍗 High Protein Content: Supports muscle growth and repair.
- 🥛 Rich in Calcium: Yogurt adds calcium for strong bones and teeth.
- 🥗 Loaded with Vitamins: Vegetables like onions, tomatoes, and parsley provide essential vitamins and antioxidants.
- 🫒 Healthy Fats: Olive oil provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
- 🍋 Boosts Immunity: Garlic and lemon juice help strengthen the immune system.
- 🌿 Anti-inflammatory Properties: Spices like turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon help reduce inflammation.
- 🌶️ Aids Digestion: Spices like paprika and cumin support healthy digestion.
- 🧂 Mineral Support: Salt in moderation helps maintain electrolyte balance.
🥫 Prepare the Tahini Sauce
Now it’s time for the shawarma sauce, which is tahini sauce. This creamy, nutty sauce adds a rich Mediterranean flavor to your dish. A perfect balance of tanginess and smooth texture elevates every bite.
Ingredients For Making Tahini Sauce For Shawarma
- 🥛 Thick yogurt or curd : 3 tablespoons
- 🧄 Grated garlic : one or two cloves
- 🍶 Mayonnaise : 3 tablespoons
- 🍋 Lemon juice : 3 tablespoons
- 🌾 Flour : 1 tablespoon
- 🧂 Salt and pepper : as needed.
How To Make Tahini Sauce For Shawarma: Preparation
🥣 Mix the Sauce
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to make the sauce. Let it sit in the refrigerator for a while to let the flavors blend. If the seasoning is not enough, you can add salt, pepper, and lemon juice yourself.
🥗 Gather the Ingredients
Now that you have prepared the ingredients for shawarma, it’s time to prepare and mix them together.
You will need sliced chicken, prepared bread, special shawarma sauce, and vegetables such as parsley, chopped tomatoes and lettuce, onions, pickles, and fried potatoes to serve with the shawarma.
🌯 Assemble the Shawarma
Pour some sauce on the edge of the bread and spread it. After the chicken, place tomatoes, pickles, parsley, and onions on the sauce according to your taste and start rolling and twisting the bread from the edge of the bread! You can also put the ingredients inside the pita bread.
🔥 Grill & Serve
Your shawarma sandwich is ready to serve. If you wish, you can grill the sandwich. Place the prepared sandwich on a hot grill pan and press down lightly with a heavy object to grill the bread.
🍽️ Tahini Sauce Nutrition Values by Ingredients
Ingredient | Quantity | Calories (approx.) | Notes |
🥛 Thick yogurt/curd | 3 tbsp (45g) | ~45 kcal | Good source of protein & probiotics |
🧄 Grated garlic | 1–2 cloves (6g) | ~9 kcal | Adds flavor, supports immunity |
🍶 Mayonnaise | 3 tbsp (45g) | ~270 kcal | High in fat, creamy texture |
🍋 Lemon juice | 3 tbsp (45ml) | ~12 kcal | Rich in vitamin C |
🌾 Flour | 1 tbsp (8g) | ~28 kcal | Used for thickening |
🧂 Salt & pepper | As needed | 0 kcal | Flavor enhancers |
👉 Total (approx.): 364 kcal for the full mixture (varies with brand & exact measurement).
FAQs About Chicken Shawarma
What is chicken shawarma and how is it traditionally prepared?
Chicken shawarma is a Middle Eastern street food dish made from marinated chicken slow-cooked on a vertical rotisserie. It is thinly sliced and usually served in pita bread or flatbread with vegetables and sauces.
What are the key ingredients in authentic chicken shawarma?
The main ingredients include boneless chicken, olive oil, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, and a blend of spices such as cumin, coriander, paprika, and turmeric.
How long should chicken shawarma be marinated?
For the best flavor, chicken should be marinated for at least 4 hours. Overnight marination enhances tenderness and gives the spices time to infuse deeply.
Can chicken shawarma be made at home without a rotisserie?
Yes, you can cook chicken shawarma at home using a grill, oven, or stovetop pan. Baking or grilling gives a smoky flavor close to traditional methods.
What vegetables and sauces pair well with chicken shawarma?
Common toppings include tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, pickles, and lettuce. Popular sauces are garlic sauce, tahini, hummus, and yogurt-based dressings.
Is chicken shawarma healthy?
Yes, when prepared with lean chicken breast, fresh vegetables, and light sauces, chicken shawarma is a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. However, heavy sauces and fried sides can increase calories.
How many calories are in a chicken shawarma wrap?
On average, a chicken shawarma wrap contains 400–600 calories depending on portion size, sauces, and bread type. Choosing whole wheat pita and lighter sauces reduces calories.
Can chicken shawarma help with weight management?
Yes, chicken shawarma can be part of a balanced diet when portion-controlled. Opt for grilled chicken, less oil, and more vegetables to keep it light and nutritious.
Can chicken shawarma be prepared in advance?
Yes, you can marinate chicken in advance and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Cooked chicken shawarma can be stored in an airtight container and reheated before serving.
What makes chicken shawarma different from beef or lamb shawarma?
Chicken shawarma is lighter, lower in fat, and has a milder flavor compared to beef or lamb shawarma. It’s a healthier choice while still offering the same savory taste.
