Shawarma (Lebanese Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Sauce)

About This Recipe

Shawarma (شاورما) is one of the most globally recognizable street foods of the Arab world, and Lebanon claims it as a culinary centerpiece. The name derives from the Turkish 'çevirme,' meaning 'turning,' a reference to the rotating vertical spit on which the meat — typically chicken, lamb, or beef — slowly bastes in its own juices for hours. While a rotating spit produces the crispiest exterior, an excellent shawarma can absolutely be achieved at home using a very hot oven or broiler. The secret is the marinade: Lebanese shawarma chicken is steeped overnight in a fragrant blend of allspice, cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and cumin, plus lemon juice and olive oil, which both tenderizes and perfumes the meat deeply. The non-negotiable accompaniment in Lebanon is toum (ثوم), a ferociously garlicky emulsified white sauce — entirely vegan, made by slowly emulsifying garlic with oil and lemon juice into something like a garlic mayonnaise. Pickled pink turnips add crunch and acidity, and the whole assembly in warm pita bread is one of the great fast-food experiences on earth.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 800 gboneless chicken thighs(skin-on or skinless)
• 4 tbspolive oil
• 3 tbspfresh lemon juice
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tspground allspice
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1/2 tspground turmeric
• 1/2 tspground cardamom
• 1 tspsweet paprika
• 1 tspfine salt
• 1/4 tspcayenne pepper
• 4 piecespita bread(to serve)
• 6 tbsptoum (Lebanese garlic sauce)(store-bought or homemade)
• 100 gpickled turnips(sliced, for serving)
• 2 mediumtomatoes(sliced)
• 1/4 headwhite cabbage(thinly shredded)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken

   Combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and all spices in a large bowl or zip-lock bag. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

   Overnight marination makes a substantial difference in depth of flavor — the spices penetrate the meat rather than sitting on the surface.

2. 2

   Bring to room temperature

   Remove chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F) with a rack in the upper third position.

3. 3

   Roast until charred at the edges

   Arrange chicken thighs on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking tray. Roast for 25–30 minutes until cooked through and the edges are charred and caramelized.

   For extra crispiness, switch to the broiler for the final 3–4 minutes.

4. 4

   Rest and slice

   Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain — you want thin, irregular shards, not neat slices, to mimic the texture of spit-roasted shawarma.

5. 5

   Warm the pita

   Hold pita bread directly over a gas flame for 30 seconds per side until lightly charred and puffed, or wrap in foil and warm in the oven for 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Assemble and serve

   Spread a generous tablespoon of toum on each warm pita. Layer sliced chicken, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, and pickled turnips. Roll tightly and serve immediately, or wrap in parchment and eat as street food.

Variations

• •

  Lamb shawarma: use thinly sliced bone-in lamb shoulder, increase cooking time, and add a pinch of nutmeg and cloves to the marinade.

• •

  Shawarma plate: serve the sliced chicken over a bed of rice and fried potatoes with toum and a Lebanese salad instead of in a wrap.

Storage

Store cooked chicken refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat under a hot broiler for 3–4 minutes to restore some caramelization. Assembled wraps do not keep well; assemble to order.

Frequently Asked Questions