Grilled Chicken Shawarma

Fire up the grill this summer and make Grilled Chicken Shawarma for the family! This Middle Eastern dish – which can be made with chicken, lamb, beef and more – is traditionally cooked on a vertical spit. This rendition, which is just as flavorful, spicy and delicious, can be made on the grill at home! The meat is marinated, then grilled. Served with fresh pita, Tzatziki sauce, salad, Grilled Chicken Shawarma is the perfect entree for any cookout!

People oftentimes ask my husband and me what food we like to eat whenever we visit family in Louisiana.

This questions generally comes just before the statement, “We’re going to be visiting Lafayette / Baton Rouge / New Orleans, and…”

While we love Cajun and Creole cuisine, it’s not something we go out of our way to find whenever we visit Louisiana. We can make it for ourselves at home quite easily. Because while that is certainly the traditional food that everyone eats and wants to enjoy on their visits, it doesn’t even come to mind for us unless a family member is making it.

Our go-to food whenever we visit Louisiana is Lebanese.

Specifically, restaurants that sell garlicky, spicy and utterly delicious chicken shawarma on salads and pitas and platters. Mmm.

While restaurants in Dallas offer shawarma, we cannot seem to find any that remind us of our favorites in Louisiana.

After searching unsuccessfully for years and eating a lot of disappointing shawarma, we realized we would only eat shawarma in Louisiana… until I realized one day that we can make our own.

While traditional chicken shawarma is made on a vertical spit in restaurants, it’s not hard to make at home.

And no, before you ask, you don’t need a spit.

At the mere mention of using a spit at home, I think of the ‘meet the family’ scene on My Big Fat Greek Wedding and the goat (I think?) roasting over the fire in the front lawn. While this would be awesome to do, and I totally encourage it if that is your thing, it’s totally unnecessary to make this recipe.

In fact, the chicken breasts marinate for 1-2 hours, then you throw them on the grill, cook and enjoy.

Quite simple. Quite delicious. And while it’s not entirely the same as our favorite shawarma dishes, it certainly works in a pinch, and it always hits the spot.

It’s also a unique dish you can cook up for family and friends this coming July 4th!

Here’s how you can make it:

Grilled Chicken Shawarma

Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate

Fire up the grill this summer and make Grilled Chicken Shawarma for the family! This Middle Eastern dish - which can be made with chicken, lamb, beef and more - is traditionally cooked on a vertical spit. This rendition, which is just as flavorful, spicy and delicious, can be made on the grill at home! The meat is marinated, then grilled. Served with fresh pita, Tzatziki sauce, salad, Grilled Chicken Shawarma is the perfect entree for any cookout!

4.89 from 9 votes

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Servings 4 servings

Calories 311 kcal

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

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• 1 ½ lbs. chicken breasts (2-4, depending on the size)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 garlic cloves minced

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Instructions

 

• Using a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken into thin pieces, and transfer into a gallon-sized plastic bag.
• Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, curry powder, salt, cumin and minced garlic.
• Pour the marinade over the chicken breasts. Seal up the plastic bag, and shake it to where the chicken is coated in the marinade.
• Refrigerate, and let marinate for 1-2 hours.
• Once chicken has marinated for the appropriate amount of time, preheat the grill to 425°F.
• Transfer the marinated chicken to the preheated grill.
• Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165°F. (This will take 20-25 minutes, tops, depending on your grill and how its heat circulates.) You will want there to be a good char on the outside of the chicken.
• Once the chicken has cooked through, remove from the grill, and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
• Slice the chicken and enjoy over pita or salad with Tzatziki sauce and hummus.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 311kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 53gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 262mgFiber: 1g

Course Entrees

Cuisine Mediterranean

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Have you ever tried shawarma?