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Creamy Chicken Shawarma with Fresh Yogurt and Spices Recipe

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3.8 from 8 reviews

This Chicken Shawarma recipe is a flavorful Middle Eastern dish featuring marinated, spiced chicken thighs slow-roasted on skewers in the oven. The marinade is a vibrant blend of yogurt, citrus zest and juice, garlic, and aromatic spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and paprika, that infuse the chicken with a rich, tangy, and mildly spicy flavor. The recipe includes detailed instructions for marinating overnight to maximize taste, roasting the chicken skewers, and serving suggestions for a classic shawarma experience with fresh veggies, rice, or wraps.

Ingredients

Marinade Base

  • 1 (100g) Small onion, quartered
  • 5 (12g) Large garlic cloves
  • 1/2 (70g) Large red bell pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup (120g) plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Marinade Liquids & Spices

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (no sugar added)
  • 2 Lemons, juiced (about 6 Tablespoons lemon juice)
  • 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, adjust to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
  • 2 bay leaves, crumbled

Chicken and Final Sauce

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup plain full fat yogurt
  • 1 Large garlic clove, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the vegetables: In a food processor, add the quartered onion, garlic cloves, and large red bell pepper. Pulse twice to finely chop the ingredients but not to a paste.
  2. Make the marinade paste: Add mayonnaise, tomato paste, lemon zest, orange zest, and plain yogurt to the food processor with the chopped vegetable mixture. Pulse until everything is well combined into a smooth mixture.
  3. Mix liquids and spices: In a deep bowl, combine the freshly squeezed lemon juice, orange juice, white vinegar, olive oil, salt, and all the ground spices including crumbled bay leaves. Mix well until the spices are evenly distributed.
  4. Combine marinade ingredients: Add the food processor mixture to the bowl containing the juices and spices. Mix well to create a uniform marinade.
  5. Marinate the chicken: Add the boneless skinless chicken thighs to the marinade mixture. Toss the chicken thoroughly so each piece is coated evenly with the marinade.
  6. Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate the marinated chicken for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight for maximum flavor infusion.
  7. Preheat oven: When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 430°F (220°C).
  8. Divide chicken: Separate the marinated chicken into two equal piles for skewering.
  9. Skewer the chicken: Fold one pile of chicken pieces in half and thread them onto two metal skewers. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken pile and skewers.
  10. Prepare baking pan: Choose a pan or baking sheet smaller than the length of the skewers but able to catch drippings. Line the pan with tin foil to make cleanup easier.
  11. Arrange skewers: Place the metal skewers over the foil-lined pan so that the chicken is suspended over the foil and the drippings catch in the pan.
  12. Cover with skin: Place chicken skin pieces over the top of the skewered chicken to help retain moisture while baking.
  13. Bake the chicken: Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes to cook through.
  14. Brown the chicken: Remove the skin covering and continue to brown the chicken for about 10 minutes on each side until nicely caramelized and slightly charred.
  15. Rest the chicken: Remove the pan from the oven, cover it with foil leaving a small vent, and let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
  16. Slice the chicken: Remove the skewers from the chicken and cut the meat into thin slices as is traditional for shawarma.
  17. Prepare shawarma sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, full-fat yogurt, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste to create a creamy garlic sauce.
  18. Serve: Serve the sliced chicken shawarma with rice or as a wrap with the prepared white garlic sauce, cucumber slices, thinly sliced iceberg lettuce, pickles, onion rings, hummus, and other favorite accompaniments.

Notes

  • Marinating the chicken overnight enhances the depth of flavors and tenderness.
  • For easier grilling or oven roasting, folding and threading the chicken tightly on skewers helps it cook evenly.
  • Removing the skin after initial baking allows better browning and crisp texture without drying the meat.
  • The garlic yogurt sauce is quintessential for authentic shawarma sandwiches and wraps.
  • Serve with traditional Middle Eastern sides like pickles and hummus for a complete meal experience.

Find it online: https://cookedbygrace.com/creamy-chicken-shawarma-with-fresh-yogurt-and-spices-recipe/