Easy Chicken Shawarma

A traditional Chicken shawarma is made by stacking marinated chicken on a vertical spit or rotisserie and slow cooking it while turns near a heat source. Not many home cooks and kitchens have the means to make it the traditional way, but that doesn’t mean that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the same flavors of this classic Mediterranean street food. This home cook version of Easy Chicken Shawarma is going to be a burst of flavor that will make a a fantastic weeknight meal.

I have included my recipes for homemade tzatziki sauce below the shawarma recipes. It’s a fairly easy recipe, and really makes this dish come together. If you don’t have time, or don’t care for tzatziki – then hummus is a nice alternative. You can also just add a dollop of Greek yogurt or Tahini Sauce, if pressed for time.

For this recipe I included romaine, tomato, red onion and cucumber. These are just the things my family enjoys. Other popular add-ons are kalamata olives, carrots, arugula, and roasted red peppers. The great thing about this recipes is the option to customize.

I serve these with french fries – usually crinkle-cut style. This is actually pretty commonly how you will find Shawarma served when you visit a stretch vendor, as it’s keeps the meal handheld.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

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Easy Chicken Shawarma

A delicious spiced chicken on a warm pita with homemade tzatziki and fresh vegetables.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Keyword chicken shawarma, cucumber, feta, feta cheese, homemade tzatziki sauce, pita, tomato, tzatziki sauce

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 12 Pita Breads
• 2 Roma Tomatoes diced
• 1 cup Tzatziki Sauce see recipe below
• ½ cup Feta Cheese Crumbles
• 1 English Cucumber seeded and diced
• ½ Red Onion diced
• 2 Romaine Hearts chopped

For the Chicken

• 2 lb Chicken Tenders
• 3 tbsp Oil
• 1½ tsp Ground Coriander
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

Instructions

• In a gallon zippered bag, add chicken and oil. Combine seasonings for chicken and then add to bag. Zip up bag and smoosh around chicken until all evenly coated with seasoning.
• If making tzatziki fresh from recipe below, put that together and then place in refrigerator until ready to build.
• Preheat oven to 400degF.
• In large saute pan over medium high heat, add seasoned chicken. Saute and flip for around 20 minutes, to ensure all pieces are cooked through.
• Line pitas out on a baking sheet and place in oven for 5-7 minutes, until warmed
• To build a pita, start with warmed pita and layer on lettuce, tomato, onion and cucumber. Add on 4-5 strips of chicken then top with tzatziki and sprinkle with feta cheese.