Grilled Chicken Shawarma – home-made

This juicy, tender Grilled Chicken Shawarma is wonderful on its own, in wraps, sliced thin in sandwiches and it’s super delicious in salads.

We are sure that you will make this Grilled Chicken Shawarma lots of times this summer. It’s an easy, recipe typical for the food in Turkey, everything very fresh and full of flavor with a touch of exotic flavor. The delicious wet spice coat include paste includes brown sugar, coriander, cumin, kosher salt, onion powder, smoked paprika, turmeric, black pepper, chili powder and a pinch of cinnamon. There’s also minced garlic, finely grated fresh ginger and a splash of olive oil. It sounds like a lot of ingredients, but you’ll most likely have everything right in your spice cupboard.

What is shawarma?

Shawarma is a type of roasted meat which originated in the Middle East. It’s been popular in this region of the world since the 19th century and is now enjoyed worldwide. Shawarma can be made with lamb, chicken, turkey, beef or veal and is generally prepared on a spit. Meat is stacked vertically and cut off for serving, as it cooks.

Our grilled chicken shawarma is a bit different (and easier). We simply grill the marinaded chicken breasts until golden, caramelized and full of fabulous flavors.

Chicken breasts or chicken tights?

Skinless, boneless chicken breasts come in a super tidy package (the way this girl likes things). They’re lean, consistent in shape and have minimal waste. Thighs not so much. There’s more fat to trim away and each thigh is very irregularly shaped. If I’m honest, I have to admit, that I’m not super fond of prepping chicken thighs.

But guess what? In many recipes (like this one) chicken thighs will yield far superior results in flavor, texture, and juiciness. Why? It’s mainly because chicken thighs don’t dry out. The reason is that there’s a higher fat content in thighs vs breasts, making it really difficult to overcook thighs. That means that they can get golden and caramelized without compromising the juiciness and tenderness of the meat. Yes, there is a difference in calories, but not that much. 120 grams of boneless, skinless chicken breast has 140 calories vs 170 for the same amount of thigh meat. Not a bad price to pay for tons of extra flavor. If you’re an exclusive chicken breast lover, just give thighs a chance in this recipe.

Tips for making this Grilled Chicken Shawarma

If you’re in a hurry, you can marinate the chicken for less than an hour or feel free to go longer than 4 hours. Let the meat marinate overnight – the best option.

Be careful not to over-cook or under-cook the meat.

Leftovers make wonderful sandwiches, quesadillas or wraps. erve the left. Serve thinly sliced on a salad.

Although there are a lot of spices in this recipe, the chicken is not spicy when comes to heat. Just loaded with vibrant flavor!

Bon App!