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    Home » Recipes » Chicken

    Easy Chicken Shawarma Sandwich Recipe

    First Published: February 5, 2019 . Last Modified: October 31, 2022 lisa45 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Chicken Shwarma pin

    This chicken shawarma sandwich recipe is made with flavorful and tender marinated chicken thigh meat served on a warm pita with your favorite toppings. The aroma alone will entice you to make this easy shawarma sandwich recipe again and again.

    Chicken Shawarma sandwich platter platter with pita bread and tomatoes and cucumbers for topping.

    What is a Chicken Shawarma sandwich?

    A shawarma sandwich is a Middle Eastern wrap that consists of some type of roasted or grilled meat served on pita bread. The meat is usually marinated in a warm seasoning blend before it is cooked. The smell of it cooking is incredible! I like my shawarma with chicken.

    Ingredients Needed

    • Lemon – Use the juice of one fresh lemon. It will be more flavorful than bottled lemon juice.
    • Olive Oil – Or use your favorite light, neutral flavored oil.
    • Garlic – Severall cloved of minced garlic add a deep, earthy flavor.
    • Seasonings – A blend of salt, curry powder and a dash of cayenne powder create a flavorful marinade. If you really want to bump up the flavor of the marinade you can add in additional spices such as cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cardamom and ground corriander to taste.
    • Chicken – I prefer the falvor and juiciness of boneless, skinless chicken thighs but you can use chicken breast.
    • Pita Bread – Stuff or roll the chicken in a pita with toppings to make a flavorful sandwich. You can also pile chicken shawarma on a salad.
    • Toppings – See our complete list below.
    Tender marinated chicken thighs are roasted for tasty shawarma sandwiches.

    How to Make Chicken Shawarma

    1. Combine the marinade ingredients and the chicken thighs in an airtight container. Marinate in the fridge for 4 hours to overnight.
    2. Lay the chicken on a roasting pan and bake in a 350 degrees F oven for 35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
    3. Shred the chicken with a fork.
    4. Serve on pita bread with your favorite toppings.
    Sautéing cooked chicken in a skillet to add more flavor and a bit of crunch.

    Chicken Shawarma Sandwich Topping Ideas

    How you top your chicken shawarma sandwich is a personal preference and there is really no wrong way to do it. These are some of my favorite toppings to mix and match.

    • Tahini sauce
    • yogurt sauce
    • hummus
    • chopped tomatoes
    • thinly sliced onions
    • cucumbers
    • feta cheese
    • parsley
    • cilantro
    • pickle slices

    Tips for Serving Shawarma Sandwiches

    I like to serve everything on a big platter or board so everyone can make their own Chicken Shawarma sandwich with any toppings they like. It's a good choice to serve when you are having company too.

    What should you serve with Chicken Shawarma?

    • Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash with Bacon
    • Pan Roasted Potato Salad with Arugula and Crispy Prosciutto
    • Garbanzo Beans and Beet Salad
    • Avocado, Tomato and Arugula Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
    • Oven Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Zest

    So now that you see how easy Chicken Shawarma is to make, why don't you give it a try? Enjoy!

    Serving chicken shawarma on a platter with warm pitas and various toppings.

    If you like this Chicken Shawarma Sandwich, please leave a 5-star rating.

    RECIPE

    Chicken Shawarma sandwich platter platter
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    5 from 10 votes

    Chicken Shawarma

    Great chicken to serve in a middle eastern sandwich!
    Prep Time4 hours hrs
    Cook Time35 minutes mins
    Total Time4 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
    Course: Chicken
    Cuisine: Middle Eastern
    Servings: 4 to 6 servings
    Calories: 229kcal
    Author: Lisa Grant

    Ingredients

    • 1 large lemon juiced
    • 3 TBS olive oil
    • 3 cloves minced garlic
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon curry powder
    • dash of cayenne powder
    • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
    • pita breads
    • various toppings such as chopped tomatoes, cucumber, olives, hummus, lettuce, pickles, etc

    Instructions

    • In a large container, mix together lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, curry, and cayenne. Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for 4 hours or overnight.
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay chicken in a roasting pan and bake for 35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
    • Shred chicken with knife and fork when cooked. (Chicken can be pan fried with a spoon of olive oil if desired.)
    • Serve on pita breads and with toppings such as Tahini sauce, hummus, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, parsley or whatever you like!

    Notes

    Chicken can be roasted then reheated in a pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. The chicken gets even better this way!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 229kcal | Protein: 21g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 277mg | Vitamin A: 25IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1.1mg

    Thanks for stopping by! Subscribe to Jersey Girl Cooks if you would like more recipes and cooking tips sent to your email. You can also order my Super Easy Cookbook for Beginners and follow me on social media - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

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    Comments

    1. Ciao Chow Linda says

      February 24, 2011 at 9:17 pm

      You're bringing back memories of when I was in grad school - there was a middle eastern dive right across the street from my school and chicken shwarma was what I always ordered. Never thought to make it myself - until now.

      Reply
    2. vanillasugar says

      February 24, 2011 at 9:23 pm

      printed this one out.
      i love this stuff in a roll up with cukes, red onions, olives and hummus. yes hummus. if you ever make this again add a layer of hummus in it. good stuff man

      Reply
    3. Tiffany @ Eat at Home says

      February 24, 2011 at 9:24 pm

      this looks fantastic!

      Reply
    4. Jersey Girl Cooks says

      February 24, 2011 at 10:05 pm

      Dawn, I forgot to add that my husband added a layer of hummus to his sandwich with the next day leftovers. It is good that way!

      Reply
    5. Jeanette says

      February 24, 2011 at 10:55 pm

      I've never had shwarma, but this looks awefully good!

      Reply
    6. Katrina says

      February 24, 2011 at 11:01 pm

      That looks really good. I love hummus.

      Reply
    7. miss says

      February 25, 2011 at 12:42 am

      This looks really good, I've never tried it but I think I must!

      Reply
    8. Pegasuslegend says

      February 25, 2011 at 1:26 am

      sounds and looks awesome!

      Reply
    9. Aggie says

      February 25, 2011 at 8:57 am

      Oh my goodness Lisa this looks amazing!! I have to make this for my hubby (and me!...wonder what I could sub chicken with, portabella mushrooms maybe?) I love middle eastern flavors, sooooo delicious!!

      Reply
    10. marla says

      February 25, 2011 at 9:51 am

      This chicken looks awesome. I too remember those "grease trucks" we used to go to in the wee hours of the morning at Syracuse University - gosh those days were fun!

      Reply
    11. megan @ whatmegansmaking says

      February 25, 2011 at 12:13 pm

      oh my goodness, I am so making these! And I have the perfect recipe for soft wrap bread to go with them! 🙂

      Reply
    12. Lisa says

      February 25, 2011 at 1:20 pm

      Another love in common - Middle Eastern food! So tempted to go to Trader Joe's right now and buy their flat bread to make this for lunch.

      Reply
    13. DaniD says

      February 25, 2011 at 1:58 pm

      This looks delicious Lisa! Same here, in college I was first exposed to many international cuisines that my mom would never have tried...and restaurants were probably not our usual stops! I can't wait to try this...thanks 🙂

      Reply
    14. That Girl says

      February 25, 2011 at 2:34 pm

      One of my friends had schwarma for lunch yesterday and I've ben thinking of it ever since.you just solidified my desire to have some this weekend

      Reply
    15. teresa says

      February 25, 2011 at 8:06 pm

      oh yummy! so fresh and healthy, but also just packed with flavor.

      Reply
    16. Cookin' Canuck says

      February 25, 2011 at 11:55 pm

      Wonderful flavors in this Lisa! I could happily eat one of these everyday.

      Reply
    17. Katie@Cozydelicious says

      February 27, 2011 at 12:34 am

      This looks fantastic! Perfect midnight food. Yum!

      Reply
    18. Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes] says

      February 27, 2011 at 6:17 am

      Having been born in the Middle East and them being widely available here in India, I can recognise a good shawarma anywhere, and that looks really good!!

      Interesting adaptation with the tomatoes and cucumbers.

      Reply
    19. Jen_from_NJ says

      February 27, 2011 at 3:56 pm

      Oh I love chicken shwarma! Great idea!

      Reply
    20. Mary says

      February 27, 2011 at 4:02 pm

      There are such wonderful flavors in this dish, Lisa. It looks beautiful and sounds delicious. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

      Reply
    21. Megan says

      March 01, 2011 at 12:41 pm

      I wish I had one of these for todays lunch! 🙂

      Reply
    22. kat says

      March 07, 2011 at 12:39 pm

      Yeah totally makes me think of the after bar snack food we used to get in Columbus, OH

      Reply
    23. Ben the Crock Pot King says

      September 09, 2011 at 10:28 am

      I'm Jersey to Elizabeth. But I live in Los Angeles now when I saw Shwarma forget about it I had to bookmark the recipe. I L.A. we have the best Shwarma's in the planet! Because there's a ton of Armenianans in L.A. and it's over the top here. Either way what you have is awesome as well!!! Keep it up!

      Reply
    24. Jeannie says

      September 17, 2011 at 7:54 pm

      Talking about making someone hungry.....wow....those shwarma's look good and just reading the ingredients make your mouth water. yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Reply
    25. Kelly says

      June 11, 2012 at 8:56 am

      Because I am essentially a lazy cook and hate cleaning pans, I put frozen chicken tenderloins (not breaded) into my crock pot, poured the seasonings over the chicken, and left it on low. The chicken was all cooked through in about 4 hours. Shredded the chicken with forks, and...done.

      Great, easy recipe with easily obtainable ingredients. Thanks!

      Reply
    26. Catherine says

      December 03, 2014 at 5:18 pm

      Thanks for the recipe. Going to try it tonight. LOVE the Grease Trucks!

      Reply
      • lisa says

        February 05, 2019 at 4:45 pm

        You'll love it! Yes, i Loved those college days of the Grease trucks!

        Reply
    27. tiffany Montgomery says

      February 05, 2019 at 3:17 pm

      Looks so easy to make but I've ruined this dish so many times. Love to eat it and will go to the local Jewish diner for it... maybe I'll try again.

      Reply
      • lisa says

        February 05, 2019 at 4:44 pm

        I promise you this recipe is easy! Try it and see for yourself!

        Reply
    28. Lori Geurin says

      February 05, 2019 at 3:24 pm

      I'm sooo making this! It looks delicious and I love simple recipes! Plus anything with tomatoes, cucumbers and hummus is a winner in my book - thanks.

      Reply
      • lisa says

        February 05, 2019 at 4:43 pm

        I agree!

        Reply
    29. Krizzia Scollon says

      February 06, 2019 at 2:03 am

      Saved and printed this! I love beef shawarma but chicken shawarma looks delicious too!! Must try!!

      Reply
    30. Amanda Martin says

      February 06, 2019 at 2:39 pm

      My husband makes a variation of this recipe and it is a staple in our house!

      Reply
    31. Maggie Unzueta says

      February 06, 2019 at 4:44 pm

      Wow! This Chicken Shawarma looks soooooo delicious! Can't wait to try this at home

      Reply
    32. Kristin King says

      February 06, 2019 at 7:50 pm

      5 stars
      I love how quick this actually is! It looks like it takes a while, but most of that is marinating time. The actual work is minimal, and it's so yummy! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    33. Nicole Hood says

      February 06, 2019 at 8:10 pm

      I LOVE Shawarma but have never tried to make it! Pinning this now!

      Reply
    34. Marina says

      February 07, 2019 at 4:55 am

      I don't eat meat but my hasband does and he loves chicken, so I've saved your recipe x

      Reply
    35. Rachel says

      February 07, 2019 at 10:54 am

      I have everything I need to make this! I can't wait to try it out. I have been looking for something to use my tahini paste for.

      Reply
    36. Jennifer says

      February 07, 2019 at 2:14 pm

      5 stars
      Loving all these flavors!!! I will be making this for my family for dinner this weekend!

      Reply
    37. Cammeo Murray says

      February 07, 2019 at 9:01 pm

      This used to be our favorite thing to order from the food trucks when we lived in NYC - I’m def going to make this recipe!

      Reply
    38. Toni says

      February 07, 2019 at 9:26 pm

      5 stars
      This looks great for dinner any night of the week!

      Reply
    39. Joy says

      February 08, 2019 at 7:22 am

      I looooove it! I'm actually looking for a good shawarma recipe and this is a winner, now I just have to shop for a good store-bought pita bread!

      Reply
    40. John says

      February 11, 2019 at 10:29 pm

      5 stars
      love this chicken!!

      Reply
    41. Gwynn Galvin says

      March 07, 2019 at 10:46 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is a keeper! I'll be making it over and over again! Thanks Lisa!

      Reply
    42. Baguio Restaurants by Mae says

      April 02, 2019 at 1:34 am

      I agree with you that by looking at the name of the dish sounds very complicated to make. But upon reading your blog it seems that you make the recipe easy to make. Will surely cook this one tonight for dinner.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Lisa

    I love creating recipes and cooking for my family and friends. It's great to bring everyone to my kitchen to talk, laugh and eat. I also like to spread my love for cooking to others. So grab an apron and let's do it together. I promise my recipes will be easy and delicious!

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