Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

Easy Chicken Shawarma is a quick and delicious meal ready in under 40 minutes. After making this many times, I’ve perfected the marinade for crispy, flavorful chicken. The creamy garlic sauce is the perfect complement, making this better than takeout. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Lemon Herb White Bean Dip Recipe for Quick Snacks and Easy Oven Baked Snow Crab Legs Recipe.

What You'll Need for Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Optional: Chopped fresh parsley
• Optional: Diced tomatoes
• Optional: Red onion slices
• Optional: Pita bread

How to Make Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

1. Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken breasts and coat evenly. Let it marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Make the garlic sauce: In the same skillet, add 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt, 1 minced garlic clove, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
4. Serve: Slice the chicken and serve it with the creamy garlic sauce, chopped fresh parsley, diced tomatoes, red onion slices, and pita bread.

Storing & Reheating Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead. Cook just before serving.

Freezing Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicier shawarma, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the marinade.
• Best substitution: If you don't have Greek yogurt, you can use sour cream or mayonnaise for the garlic sauce.
• Make-ahead: You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead. Cook just before serving.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If the garlic sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of water and blend again.

Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

⏱

Prep

20 mins

🍳

Cook

15 mins

⏳

Total

35 mins

🍽

Serves

4 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

Seasonings

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Optional Toppings

• Chopped fresh parsley
• Diced tomatoes
• Red onion slices
• Pita bread

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken breasts and coat evenly. Let it marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Make the garlic sauce: In the same skillet, add 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt, 1 minced garlic clove, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
4. Serve: Slice the chicken and serve it with the creamy garlic sauce, chopped fresh parsley, diced tomatoes, red onion slices, and pita bread.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicier shawarma, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the marinade.
• Best substitution: If you don't have Greek yogurt, you can use sour cream or mayonnaise for the garlic sauce.
• Make-ahead: You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead. Cook just before serving.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If the garlic sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of water and blend again.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
• Make ahead: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead. Cook just before serving.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 350
• Protein: 35g
• Fat: 20g
• Carbs: 10g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 600mg
• Cholesterol: 90mg
• Sat. Fat: 4g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!