Chicken Shawarma Kebabs Recipe

Tender and flavorful chicken shawarma kebabs are marinated in a yogurt base with an authentic spice blend. Instead of using a vertical rotisserie, we skewer the chicken and cook the kebabs in the oven, air fryer, or grill so you can enjoy this Middle Eastern classic at home.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Arabic and Middle Eastern

Keyword Chicken Shawarma Air Fryer, Chicken Shawarma Kebabs, Chicken Shawarma Oven, Chicken Shawarma Skewers, Grilled Chicken Shawarma, Shawarma Seasoning, Shawarma Seasoning Recipe, Shawarma Skewers, Shawarma Spice, Shawarma Spice Blend, Shawarma Spice Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Other Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 269kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Equipment

Instant-read thermometer to check the chicken for doneness

Ingredients

Chicken Shawarma Seasoning (You’ll Use it All):

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Chicken Shawarma Kebabs:

1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 large cloves garlic crushed
Chicken Shawarma Seasoning
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs trimmed of excess fat (up to 2 1/2 pounds is fine)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Shawarma White Sauce:

1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt or 1/4 cup Greek yogurt + 1/4 cup mayo or sour cream
1 tablespoon tahini you can add additional tahini if you like more of the bitter, nutty flavor
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Water start with 3 tablespoons and add more to reach desired your consistency
1 large clove garlic crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Optional Serving Suggestions:

Arabic flatbread
Pickles
Red onion

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Chicken Shawarma Seasoning:

Add all spices to a bowl and stir to combine. You’ll use this entire spice mix to marinade the chicken.

Marinade the Chicken:

Add all ingredients for the chicken (except the oil) to a large bowl. Toss well to coat the chicken, cover the bowl, and marinade in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (or up to 24 hours).

Make the Shawarma White Sauce:

Add the yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice to a medium bowl and mix to combine. Whisk in the water until it reaches your desired consistency (it should be pour-able, but not watery). Whisk in the garlic, salt, and cumin. Taste and add more tahini, lemon, and/or salt if desired. Cover and refrigerate until using (or up to 2 weeks).

Cook the Chicken:

After the chicken has marinated and you’re ready to cook it, use your hands to scrape off as much of the marinade as possible. Then skewer the chicken (I like to use metal skewers so they don’t burn or catch fire), drizzle the chicken skewers with the olive oil, and use one of the following methods to cook it. Note that according to the USDA, chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
Grill: Preheat a grill to medium-high; cook the chicken until it’s charred and fully cooked in the center, about 6 to 8 minutes per side.
Oven: Preheat the oven to 500F; place the chicken in an even layer on a baking tray and roast 15 to 20 minutes. Once it’s almost fully cooked, turn on the broiler and brown the chicken slightly (about 5 minutes, but stay with it because every broiler is different).
Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Brush a little light olive oil or vegetable oil in the air fryer basket, and arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer. Air fry until fully cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes, flipping the chicken once halfway through.

Serve:

Serve the chicken along with the sauce for dipping. You can make it into a sandwich using Arabic flatbread, pickles, and red onion (or whatever vegetables you like).

Video

Notes

Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the optional serving suggestions.
Net Carbs: 3g per serving
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Oven or Air Fryer: If you're cooking this in the oven or air fryer, skewering the chicken is optional. For the oven method, you can simply spread the chicken out on a baking dish. And if you're using the air fryer, just add the chicken right to the air fryer basket.

Nutrition