Chicken Shawarma – Air Fryer/ Instant Pot/ Oven

This easy Chicken Shawarma is bursting with rich flavors of garlic, paprika and cumin that highlight tender and juicy chicken. It’s a popular street-food classic made-at-home in the Air Fryer, Oven or Instant Pot. Pile it high in fresh pita with yogurt sauce and salad for a spectacular Middle Eastern meal.

Juicy & Tender Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Is there anything more showstopping than chicken shawarma?

It features heavily spiced, juicy pieces of meat that are piled high on a giant spit and slow-roasted until tender. At restaurants, the succulent meat is carved directly off the rotisserie grill.

I like to think of it as a street-side flavor bomb.

Intimidating? Yes. Possible to recreate at home? Yes!

This delicious Mediterranean recipe is a breeze to put together and very family-friendly. A flavorful, juicy and tender chicken shawarma recipe can easily be prepared in one of three ways – the Air Fryer, Oven and Instant Pot!

Whatever method you choose, you’ll definitely be amazed.

How Is Shawarma Prepared?

Shawarma is a popular street-food in Middle Eastern cuisine featuring thin pieces of meat stacked high in a cone-like shape and roasted on a slow-turning vertical rotisserie or spit.

The original meat was lamb or mutton, but more modern versions include chicken, turkey, beef or veal. Lamb fat may be added to provide extra fat for juiciness and flavor.

The spit continuously rotates as thin slices of meat are shaved off the cooked surface. It is the most popular filling for gyros and wraps, especially from street-food vendors.

Chicken Shawarma- A Much Easier Variation

Chicken shawarma is made by layering thinly-sliced grilled pieces of chicken with yogurt sauce and veggies wrapped in pita bread.

It is a widely popular on-the-go meal. And one my family enjoys on the regular! The best part is that it comes together with very little effort and tastes as good (if not better) than the street-version.

Ingredients

The ingredients to make this homemade chicken shawarma include boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see Shawarma Meat), garlic, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and homemade gyro spice mix (see Homemade Shawarma Seasoning).

Once ready to assemble the shawarma rolls, gather together pitas pockets (or wraps), tzatziki, hummus, lettuce, tomato, olives and chili garlic sauce.

Keep in mind – if you decide to make chicken shawarma in the Instant Pot, you will also need 4 bamboo skewers and a large red onion. This helps form a stable stack of chicken.

Shawarma Spices

I make my own combination of the shawarma seasoning. I use the same spice mix for lamb shawarmas, beef shawarmas and even for rice and couscous. All you have to do is combine:

• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon each smoked paprika and regular paprika
• Up to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, reduce to ½ teaspoon for mild heat, or skip
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Shawarma Meat – Thighs vs Breasts

I prefer the darker, richer meat of chicken thighs. They have more flavor, plus, it’s much more difficult for chicken thighs to dry out as compared to chicken breasts. All I have to do is trim off the excess fat.

If you do use chicken breasts, make sure to marinate for at least 2 hours to keep it moist during and after cooking. Chicken thighs only need a quick 20-minute marination time.

On the occasion I do use chicken breasts, I half each breast in two and then cut it half length-wise.

How to Make Chicken Shawarma at Home

I used to solely rely on the oven broiler for homemade chicken shawarma, until I discovered three more cooking methods that work just as well – the Air Fryer, Oven or Instant Pot! Follow the same procedure for marinating the chicken, then choose one of three methods below.

My preferred method depends on the quantity that I’m making. If it’s just the two of us, then the airfryer it is. But If I am making it for all four, or doubling up the recipe (which is what I do mostly), then oven broiler gets the job done in one go!

Marinate Chicken

• Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and pat dry using paper towels. Add the chicken to a large mixing bowl, or like in this case, a gallon size ziplock bag (easy clean-up).
• Add minced garlic, olive oil and lemon juice to the chicken, seal the bag tightly and toss to coat the chicken (Pic 1).
• In a small bowl, mix all the spices – salt, paprika (smoked and regular), red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin, cinnamon (Pic 2).
• Add spices to the chicken, seal the bag tightly and toss to coat the chicken with the spices evenly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes – 2 hours (Pics 3 & 4).

Chicken Shawarma in Air Fryer

• Place the chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook at 360°F for 12-14 minutes.
• Since air fryer times vary, check at 12 minutes. If the chicken looks crisp on the outside and reads an internal temperature of 165°F or higher, the chicken is cooked.

Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Spread the chicken flat, giving enough room for the chicken (don’t crowd the baking sheet). 
• Then turn on BROIL and put the chicken in about 2-3 inches away from the broiler. Bake for 8 minutes on the first side. Flip it and bake for 6 minutes on the second side.

Instant Pot Chicken Shawarma

• Assemble the skewer stand for Chicken Shawarma. Take half an onion as a base. Then insert 4 bamboo skewers as 4 pillars on which the chicken will be stacked. Then, thread the meat pieces through those 4 skewers, one by one, forming a stable stack of chicken (Pics 1 & 2).
• Pressure Cook: Place the trivet in the pressure cooker’s inner pot. Put 1 cup (2 cups for 8 qt) water in the pot. Place the chicken shawarma skewer stack on the trivet. Close the lid. Cook on MANUAL/Pressure Cook for 8 minutes (sealing mode). Release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, after which follow quick release method (Pics 3 & 4).
• Cut Chicken: Remove the skewers and stand it straight (Pic 5), or lay them flat on a cutting board (pic 6) and slice the chicken lengthwise. You can keep removing the skewers as you cut the meat. As an optional step, you can place the chicken shawarma pieces on a lined baking tray and place it under the broiler for 2 minutes. This crisps up the edges and adds a grilled flavor to the shawarma.

Assemble a Chicken Shawarma Wrap

Go the street-food route and serve the thinly sliced meat in a store-bought pita or wrap with an array of toppings! Simply:

1. Cool the chicken for 10 minutes, then slice it thin into strips (Pic 1).
2. Spread a couple of tablespoons of tzatziki or hummus on the wraps. Add lettuce or spinach leaves on top, followed by slices of tomato. Place the sliced chicken on that. Spoon some more tzatziki on top and fold the wrap (Pics 2-6).
3. For an extra kick, add a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce after tzatziki. Wrap it in foil or parchment paper to enjoy as an on-the-go meal (Pics 7 & 8).

Chicken Pita Pockets

If you’re looking for a more authentic gyro with an easy-to-assemble method, go for a pita pocket. All you have to do is:

• Spread a couple of tablespoons of tzatziki or hummus on the pita pocket. Add lettuce or spinach leaves on top, followed by slices of tomato. Place the sliced chicken on that. Spoon some more tzatziki on top and fold the pita pocket. Enjoy! 🙂

How To Serve – Create a Middle Eastern Meal

Chicken Shawarma goes well with a variety of condiments that add a ton of flavor. Spoon a generous amount of tzatziki or hummus on top to balance the Middle Eastern spices.

For those nights when you want to transform this chicken shawarma recipe into a beautiful Middle Eastern meal, slice it at the table and serve it alongside:

• Saffron Rice
• Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
• Greek Salad
• Grilled Lamb Chops (if you want to add another meat entree)

Low-Carb Chicken Shawarma Bowl

My hubby and I love to pair this chicken shawarma with a giant bowl of Greek salad for a flavor-packed lunch or dinner.

It’s a wonderfully healthy, low-carb option for those days when you want something lighter but full of flavor!

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

If you’re not short on time, feel free to marinate the chicken one day in advance. The chicken gets more flavorful as it sits in the marinade and spices, so I love to prep it the night before.

Once baked, the chicken shawarma can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Whenever the craving strikes, I pop out a few slices and assemble the meat into a gyro or on top of a greek salad for a complete meal.

Recipe Tips:

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs give the best results. If you wish, you can use chicken breast, but make sure to marinate it for at least 2 hours so the chicken stays moist.
• Toss the chicken in the marinade before the spices. Coating the chicken with oil, garlic and lemon juice first and then the spice mix allows for the chicken to be evenly seasoned, leading to better flavors.
• Use a combination of smoked and regular paprika to give a combination of smoky and sweet flavors. Alternatively, to skip the smoky flavors, you can use 2 teaspoons of regular paprika instead.
• Make it a Low Carb Meal! Skip the pita or wrap and enjoy chicken shawarma with a side or bowl of Greek Salad instead.
• If using the Instant Pot method, crisp up the chicken. Once the chicken is fully cooked, place the chicken shawarma pieces on a lined baking tray and place it under the broiler for 2 minutes. This crisps up the edges and adds a grilled flavor to the shawarma.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To crisp up leftover sliced chicken, saute in a large skillet over high heat with one tablespoon olive oil until the edges just begin to curl.

More Spiced Chicken Recipes From My Kitchen

• Chicken and Vegetable Skewers with Lemon Rice
• Instant Pot Whole Tandoori Chicken
• Mediterranean Chicken Recipe
• Tandoori Chicken Recipe – Instant Pot/Oven/Air Fryer
• Tandoori Chicken Sliders
• Chicken Tikka Recipe – Air Fryer/Oven/Crisplid

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This recipe was was updated in 2020 with new photos, helpful information, tips, and step-by-step photos.