Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Toum
This easy chicken shawarma recipe features spiced thighs roasted on a sheet pan for crispy edges and juicy centers. Serve with garlic toum and pickled turnips.
You don't need a vertical rotisserie to make restaurant-quality chicken shawarma at home. By using high-heat roasting and a punchy yogurt marinade, we can replicate those signature charred edges and deeply spiced flavors right on a standard baking tray.
This sheet pan chicken shawarma is the ultimate weeknight pivot. It relies on a heavy-hitting spice blend of cumin, coriander, and turmeric to do the heavy lifting, while sliced red onions soften into the chicken fat as everything roasts at 425°F.
Making easy chicken shawarma is all about the marinade time; give it at least thirty minutes for the lemon and garlic to tenderize the meat. Once it hits the oven, the yogurt helps the chicken brown beautifully without drying out, resulting in a meal that rivals your favorite street food stand.
Ingredients
The Chicken and Marinade
- 2 lbs (900g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1-inch strips
- 1/2 cup (120g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
For Serving
- 4-6 warm pita breads
- Garlic toum or tahini sauce
- Pink pickled turnips
- 1 cup diced cucumber and tomato salad
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Add the sliced chicken thighs to the bowl and toss thoroughly to ensure every piece is coated; marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 8 hours in the fridge.
- 3
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and lightly grease a large rimmed sheet pan.
- 4
Spread the sliced red onions across the sheet pan in an even layer.
- 5
Place the marinated chicken on top of the onions, spreading the pieces out so they aren't crowded; overcrowding leads to steaming rather than browning.
- 6
Roast for 25–30 minutes, tossing the chicken and onions halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the edges are darkened and crisp.
- 7
Optional: Switch the oven to broil for the last 2-3 minutes to get extra charred, crispy bits on the meat.
- 8
Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- 9
Stuff the warm pitas with the chicken and onions, then top with plenty of garlic toum, pickled turnips, and the tomato-cucumber salad.
Nutrition (per serving)
Estimates only — not medical or dietary advice.
- Calories
- 685 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1280 mg
Tips
- → Don't skip the thighs. Chicken breast dries out too quickly at the high temperatures needed for that authentic shawarma char.
- → Use a large enough pan. If the chicken is swimming in liquid, drain a bit off halfway through or divide the recipe across two pans to ensure the meat roasts instead of boils.
- → If you can't find traditional toum, mix a little grated garlic and lemon juice into plain mayo for a quick shortcut sauce.
FAQ
Can I use chicken breast for this recipe?
You can, but you must reduce the cooking time by 5-8 minutes. Thighs are preferred because their higher fat content keeps them juicy under the high heat required for browning.
How do I get the chicken extra crispy?
Ensure you pat the chicken dry before marinating and don't dump the excess liquid from the bowl onto the sheet pan. Use the broiler for the final few minutes of cooking for the best texture.
Is chicken shawarma gluten-free?
The chicken and marinade in this recipe are naturally gluten-free. To keep the meal gluten-free, serve the chicken in a bowl with rice or over a salad instead of in a pita.
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