Description
Oven-roasted chicken shawarma made with warm Middle Eastern spices, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil for juicy, flavorful chicken with crisp, caramelized edges. This easy sheet-pan recipe delivers authentic shawarma flavor right from your home oven.
Ingredients
- 2 lemons, freshly juiced (about 1/4 cup juice)
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large red onion, quartered
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.
- Add chicken thighs and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Grease a rimmed sheet pan with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Add quartered red onion to the marinated chicken and toss lightly.
- Remove chicken and onions from marinade, letting excess drip off, and spread evenly on prepared pan.
- Roast 30–40 minutes until browned and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C).
- Rest for 2 minutes, then slice into thin strips.
- Optional: For extra crispiness, sauté sliced chicken in a hot skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil for 3–5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Do not marinate longer than 12 hours to avoid overly soft texture from lemon juice.
- Spread chicken evenly on the pan to ensure crisp edges.
- Add sliced bell peppers or zucchini for a complete sheet-pan meal.
- Chicken breast may be used but monitor carefully to prevent drying.
- Store leftovers refrigerated up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Oven-Roasted
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/5 of recipe)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 28 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
