Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

Easy Chicken Shawarma is a quick and delicious meal ready in under 40 minutes. After making this many times, I’ve perfected the marinade and cooking technique for tender, flavorful chicken with crispy edges. The warm spices and tangy tahini sauce make this better than takeout. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Crispy Feta Phyllo Rolls with Sweet Chili Honey Sauce and Easy Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe for Quick Meals.

What You'll Need for Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt, to taste
• Optional: Pita bread
• Optional: Lettuce
• Optional: Tomato
• Optional: Red onion
• Optional: Tahini sauce

How to Make Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

1. Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken breasts and coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Make the tahini sauce: In a bowl, combine tahini, lemon juice, water, minced garlic, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Add more water if needed to reach desired consistency.
4. Serve: Slice the chicken and serve on pita bread with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and tahini sauce.

Storing & Reheating Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance.

Freezing Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: To make this recipe gluten-free, serve the chicken over cauliflower rice or lettuce wraps instead of pita bread.
• Best substitution: Substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs for even more tender meat.
• Make-ahead: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If the tahini sauce is too thick, add more water and whisk until smooth.

Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes

⏱

Prep

30 mins

🍳

Cook

15 mins

⏳

Total

45 mins

🍽

Serves

4 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Seasonings

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt, to taste

Optional Toppings

• Pita bread
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Red onion
• Tahini sauce

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken breasts and coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Make the tahini sauce: In a bowl, combine tahini, lemon juice, water, minced garlic, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Add more water if needed to reach desired consistency.
4. Serve: Slice the chicken and serve on pita bread with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and tahini sauce.

Notes

• Chef tip: To make this recipe gluten-free, serve the chicken over cauliflower rice or lettuce wraps instead of pita bread.
• Best substitution: Substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs for even more tender meat.
• Make-ahead: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If the tahini sauce is too thick, add more water and whisk until smooth.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.
• Make ahead: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 370
• Protein: 30g
• Fat: 25g
• Carbs: 10g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 600mg
• Cholesterol: 70mg
• Sat. Fat: 4g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe Ready in Under 40 Minutes and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!