This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
This juicy, tender Grilled Chicken Shawarma is wonderful on its own, in wraps, sliced thin in sandwiches and it's super delicious in salads.
I know I'll be making this Grilled Chicken Shawarma on repeat this summer as it's an easy, never-fail recipe that's always super well received.
This Grilled Chicken Shawarma pairs wonderfully with our Turkish Tomato Cucumber Salad. It makes a light lean meal that's bursting with delicious flavor. We also enjoy it sliced thin and served as a wrap in Turkish Flatbread.
Travel to Turkey without ever leaving your cozy little kitchen!
If you look at the images up at the top of this post, you might think you've taken a trip to Turkey as we have a number of delicious Turkish-inspired recipes. One reader noticed this Turkish theme and wrote, inquiring if we were planning a trip to Turkey. Not right now, although Scott and I spent some time in Turkey a few years ago, on a mission trip and we fell in love with this unique and beautiful country bordered by the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
We also thoroughly enjoyed the food in Turkey, everything very fresh and full of flavor. As is the case in most foreign countries, there's a touch of exotic flavor in Turkish food since the spice combinations are different than what we're used to here in the States. That is definitely true with this Grilled Chicken Shawarma.
The flavor's in the rub!
The delicious wet spice rub 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. My grilled chicken shawarma is a bit different (and easier). I simply grill the marinaded chicken thighs until their golden, caramelized and bursting with fabulous flavor.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs for this grilled chicken shawarma?
I'm a huge fan of boneless skinless chicken breasts and used to shy away from thighs. Skinless, boneless chicken breasts come in a super tidy package. 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.
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 thigh meat doesn'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. Three ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breast has 140 calories vs 170 for the same amount of thigh meat. And if you're careful about trimming off excess fat before cooking, the count could be even less. Not a bad price to pay for tons of extra flavor!
The other wonderful thing about thighs is that all those irregular shaped bits and pieces get deliciously crisp and charred on the grill. Sneaking a little crisp, golden nugget (or two) is quite irresistible when Scott brings this fabulous Grilled Chicken Shawarma in from the grill.
So no, I wouldn't try to substitute chicken breasts in this recipe. You want to be able to leave the chicken on the grill long enough for it to reach a nice deep color. If you're an exclusive chicken breast lover, just give thighs a chance in this recipe. I think you just might be super pleasantly surprised like I was. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks!
Café 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. I've let the meat marinate overnight and it was delicious.
- It's hard to overcook chicken thighs, but be sure not to undercook it. 165˚F is the minimum temperature, but it's fine to go a little above that. Use an instant thermometer to check the temperature. It makes all the difference in the world in avoiding over or undercooked meats.
- Sometimes I like to make a double batch of the rub so that the next time I make this Grilled Chicken Shawarma it's a breeze. Just wait to add the garlic, ginger, and oil. The rub can be stored at room temperature.
- Leftovers make wonderful sandwiches, quesadillas and/or wraps. Sometimes I serve the leftovers thinly sliced on a salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, Feta cheese and a drizzle of Zoe's Copycat Dressing.
- For a healthy, light dinner serve this Grilled Chicken Shawarma with our Turkish Tomato and Cucumber Salad - lean, light and delish!
- Although there are a lot of spices in this recipe, the chicken is not spicy when comes to heat. Just loaded with vibrant flavor!
Thought for the day:
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25&26
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
This juicy, tender Turkish-inspired grilled chicken is wonderful on its own, in wraps, sliced thin in sandwiches and it's super delicious in salads.
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 ½ tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 5 medium cloves finely minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-
Line a sheet pan with foil or plastic wrap for easy cleanup. Lay chicken out on prepared pan.
-
Combine all rub ingredients in a medium-size bowl. Stir well to make a wet paste.
-
With your hands, coat the chicken on all sides with the rub, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
-
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Oil grill grates to prevent sticking.
-
Grill until all sides are golden, charred with nice grill marks. Turn every couple minutes, about 8-10 minutes per side. Internal temperature should be 165˚F.
-
Enjoy with Turkish Flatbread and/or Turkish Tomato Cucumber Salad!
See Café Tips above for additional instructions and tips.
The Café Sucre Farine is a participant in the Amazon Affiliate Program. Affiliate programs are designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on Amazon. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but if you make a purchase through one of our links, we receive a small commission - and we continue delivering delicious recipes to you!
Claire Van Allen says
Made this tonight and we both liked it. I do have to confess that I could not do the thighs but the chicken breast turned out just fine.
Chris Scheuer says
That's good to know Claire, thanks for sharing your results! If you ever feel super adventurous, do try the thighs, I think you might be delightfully shocked. I was just like you but I've crossed over... 🙂
Judi Gibbs says
Okay, made this tonight and we both loved it!! Easy to put together and what an amazing flavour - and I had all the spices needed. I baked it in the oven (no BBQ) as you suggested and it was PERFECT. Moist and absolutely delicious. I made the Turkish salad and some rice and we were in HEAVEN. We will be making this again often and sharing this recipe with friends and family. THANKS so much for always offering dishes that I know will not fail and always delight.
Carolyn says
Hello Chris,
I had to tell you I made your chicken shawarma recipe twice now. It is absolutely delicious; so much so that I didn't even wait for it to marinate tonight. I just spread the marinade on both sides of the chicken and then grilled it immediately. Again, wonderful! I served it with a side of Harvest Grain Blend that I picked up at Trader Joe's. It's a blend of Israeli style couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa that I cook in chicken broth, so it really makes a nice accompaniment. I believe fresh pineapple would also be wonderful with this.
Well, thank you so much for sharing this recipe - it is definitely a keeper.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, for sharing your results, Carolyn! I love the meal you made with the chicken, yum!
Sandra L Garth says
Earlier today I was looking for the phone number of our Middle Eastern market. They're site advertised that Chicken Shawarma. Looks like I'm being nudged to try this recipe. I bet the smile of those spices was amazing.
Elizabeth Tucker says
I made this for family last week and bacause we loved it, am making it again tonight for friends! I served it with the Turkish tomato salad and the Flatbread. All was delicious!!
Thanks for the great revipe!
Libbie
Chris Scheuer says
So happy you enjoyed these recipes, Elizabeth. Who knows, with all this Turkish food you might find yourself speaking the language soon! 🙂
Nancy Blaker says
I made this chicken dish last night and it was amazing! Next time I will try it as a wrap!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Nancy! I think you'll love it served in a wrap too! Try the homemade Turkish flatbread!
Marjorie Holste says
Made the chicken shawarma and salad today. My husband and I loved both recipes. We recently moved from Texas to Washington and now that we are settled will try more of your recipes. Beautiful photography, great blog. Thank you 🙏🏻
Susan says
How exciting about your move, Chris! Always wonderful to be near family ♥ I've never tried any kind of shawarma recipe but it certainly looks delicious the way you've prepared it!
Vicki Bensinger says
Chris I have to say these chicken thighs looks so good. I never make chicken thighs - ever but you’ve convinced me to try them with this dish. The ingredients look fantastic. I can only imagine how the blend of flavors taste together.
Good luck with your move. How exciting to be in a new location, new kitchen and new neighborhood to explore. Best of luck to you and Scott.
Jennifer Merriman says
I made this chicken recipe along with the Turkish cucumber salad and the flatbread. My husband loved all of them and they went together sooo well. Definitely keeper recipes. All were very easy to prepare and what a great meal to serve to guests. We eat a lot of grilled chicken but this definitely kicked it up a notch. Also the salad was so crunchy and delicious. The only change I made in all 3 recipes was to substitute cilantro for the parsley in the salad, which I would do again as we both love cilantro and it seemed to meld very well with the flavor of the vother vegetables. Thanks you for these recipes. I will definitely be making more of your recipes as these were outstanding. I also appreciate your tips on preparation like mixing the olive oil with the veggies before the lemon juice. The salad was very crunchy and delicious.
Chris Scheuer says
Wow, what a great and helpful review for other readers! Thanks so much, Jennifer. I love the salad with cilantro too!
Helen says
Thanks Chris,..that is a seriously good marinade. We really enjoyed the chicken and will definately make it again
Chris Scheuer says
I like that description, Helen! Thanks so much!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Living in a small community, shawarma is not something I can just go out and get, so I love to make it at home. Can't wait to try your recipe as it looks absolutely perfect!
Donna B Oliphint says
Congratulations on your move. I would love to move closer to my daughter and am hoping to once the grandbabies start to come.
Nancy Long says
have you ever tried it with the breast?
Chris Scheuer says
No, because part of the deliciousness of this chicken is the way it's grilled until it's deep golden and crisp in places. Breasts would end up drying out if you grilled them that long. You could, however, just grill them till they reach 160-165˚F. and not worry about getting them golden brown.
Liz says
Oooh, such a scrumptious recipe! My parents visited Turkey years ago and I'd love to check it off my traveling bucket list one day! P. S. Congratulations on your move. So exciting. If I had grandchildren, I'd follow them, too!!! xo
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
We love Asheville and I bet you will too. Congratulations on the move - no fun but I'm sure you will be glad when its over. Great recipe - one of my husbands favorites!
Chris Scheuer says
You might have to come visit in Asheville Tricia. We could cook up a storm together 🙂
Rachel Stone says
Oh, I’m so happy you will be moving west with Nick and family. We don’t regret for a minute moving near Mark, Christina and kids. Now, if we could just get Matt and Allison to move closer to Charlotte with their new son!! 😍 Looking forward to trying this recipe very soon. Sounds delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Rachel, we're really looking forward to it!
Mary says
Great recipe. You will be missed in the neighborhood. I think your house will sell quickly. It is beautiful. Mary from the neighborhood.
Chris Scheuer says
Aww... thanks so much Mary, I really appreciate your kind words 🙂
Gayann says
Welcome to the mountains! We Summer in Hendersonville NC, about 45 minutes south of Asheville......we adore the climate, people,and the slower pace , and Im sure you will too! By the way, im your biggest jam fan, and am scrolling thru my email as my cherry refrigerator jam cools!
Claire Van Allen says
Best of luck to you. Although I am not big on change some thrive on it so bravo to you. I have 2 different chicken kabob marinating in the freezer to try but next trying this Chicken Shawarma. Thighs???
Susan Moran| theviewfromgreatisland says
This schwarma looks amazing Chris, but I'm even more excited about your move! I love that area, my Dad used to have a home in Cashiers and I know the area so well, what fun for you guys, and especially since you'll be near your son!
Chris Scheuer says
We're super excited, Sue! We'll really miss our friends and our church but it will e fun to see where this new adventure takes us.
Sandy says
Years ago someone asked me what I would do if my kids/grandkids moved away: my reply was “follow them!” So I do understand, but sure you will be missed by many (we couldn’t follow our other one because he is all over the world🤪)
Judy Wilson says
Hi Chris,
Can this be baked instead of grilled? If so, what temperature would you suggest? Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Judy, if I was going to make this in the oven, I'd roast them at 425 for about 20-30 minutes. I haven't tried it with this recipe but I'd start checking the internal temp after 20 minutes.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
That chicken! This is totally my kind of summer dinner Chris! I can't wait to give it a try!
angiesrecipes says
I love your easier version! The chicken is so perfectly grilled, Chris. All the best with the move...I am so excited for you and your family.