Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Sauce (Easy Homemade Recipe)

Let's talk about shawarma for a second. You know that rotating spit of meat you see at Middle Eastern restaurants, all caramelized and crispy on the edges? Yeah, I've spent years thinking that was impossible to recreate at home without some kind of industrial rotisserie setup.

Turns out, I was wrong. You can make chicken shawarma that tastes almost as good as the real deal using a regular oven or grill. The secret isn't special equipment—it's the spice blend and marinade. Get those right, and you're 90% of the way there.

And the garlic sauce? That creamy, fluffy, intensely garlicky toum that you want to put on literally everything? Also easier than you think. This whole meal—marinated chicken, garlic sauce, and all the fixings—takes about 45 minutes if you skip the optional marinating time, or maybe an hour if you let the chicken hang out in the marinade for a bit.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Better Than Takeout – This tastes legitimately authentic. The spice blend is spot-on, the chicken gets those crispy charred bits, and the garlic sauce is exactly like what you get at good Middle Eastern restaurants. Plus, you know exactly what's going into it.

Surprisingly Easy – No special equipment needed. No vertical rotisserie, no special grill. Just a baking sheet or a regular grill, and you're good to go. The most "complicated" part is making the garlic sauce, and even that's just blending ingredients.

Meal Prep Champion – Make a big batch of chicken and you've got protein for the week. Use it in wraps, bowls, salads, or just eat it straight. The chicken keeps for 4-5 days and the flavors actually get better as it sits.

Customizable Serving Options – Wraps, rice bowls, salad, or just chicken and sides. You can serve this a dozen different ways depending on your mood or dietary preferences. Low-carb? Skip the pita. Want it hearty? Load up the rice bowl.

That Garlic Sauce Though – The toum (garlic sauce) is legitimately addictive. Creamy, garlicky, with just a hint of lemon. You'll want to put it on everything. Fair warning: it's strong. Like, might-want-to-warn-people-before-kissing-them strong.

Kid-Friendly – The spices are aromatic but not spicy-hot. Most kids love the flavor, and serving it as a wrap makes it approachable. Mine devours these and doesn't even realize he's eating something "healthy."

Ingredients

For the Chicken Marinade:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts – Thighs are juicier and more forgiving, but breasts work great too.
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt – Tenderizes the chicken and helps the spices stick.
• 3 tablespoons olive oil – Keeps it moist during cooking.
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin – Essential shawarma spice.
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika – Adds that charred, smoky flavor.
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric – For color and warmth.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – Just a hint for depth.
• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional) – For heat. Skip if you want it mild.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Garlic Sauce (Toum):

• 1 cup peeled garlic cloves (about 3-4 heads of garlic) – Yes, really. It's supposed to be intense.
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1-2 lemons)
• 1 cup neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or light olive oil) – Don't use extra virgin olive oil; it's too strong.
• 2 tablespoons ice cold water
• ½ teaspoon salt

For Serving:

• Pita bread or flatbreads – Warm them up before serving.
• Tomatoes, diced
• Cucumbers, diced
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Pickles or pickled turnips – Classic shawarma accompaniment.
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Sumac (optional but authentic) – Tangy Middle Eastern spice.
• Tahini sauce (optional) – Some people like both garlic and tahini sauce.
• Hot sauce – For heat lovers.

Key Notes:

• Chicken choice matters: Thighs stay juicier and have more flavor. If using breasts, don't overcook them or they'll dry out.
• Fresh garlic is crucial: Pre-minced jarred garlic won't work for the toum. You need fresh cloves.
• Oil temperature for toum: The oil and garlic need to be at room temperature for the sauce to emulsify properly.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the Marinade

In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne (if using), salt, and pepper. It should smell incredibly aromatic—if it doesn't, add more spices.

Step 2: Marinate the Chicken

If using chicken breasts, slice them horizontally to create thinner cutlets (this helps them cook faster and more evenly). If using thighs, you can leave them whole or cut them into large chunks. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss until every piece is well coated.

Ideally, let this marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it gets. If you're in a rush, you can skip the marinating time and cook immediately, but the flavor won't be quite as deep.

Step 3: Make the Garlic Sauce (Toum)

This is the star of the show, so don't skip it. Add the garlic cloves, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor or blender. Blend on high until the garlic is finely minced and pasty.

With the motor running, start drizzling in the oil very slowly—like, a few drops at a time at first. This is crucial. If you add the oil too fast, the sauce won't emulsify and you'll end up with oily garlic paste instead of fluffy sauce. As the mixture starts to thicken and turn white, you can add the oil a bit faster, but still in a slow, steady stream.

Once all the oil is incorporated and the sauce is thick and fluffy, add the ice-cold water and blend for another 10 seconds. This lightens the sauce and gives it that classic toum texture. Taste and adjust—add more lemon juice if you want more tang, or more salt if needed.

Transfer to a container and refrigerate. It'll thicken more as it sits and the flavors will mellow slightly.

Step 4: Cook the Chicken (Oven Method)

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Arrange the marinated chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet. Don't overlap them or they'll steam instead of getting those nice charred bits.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temp of 165°F) and has some golden, slightly charred edges. If you want more char, broil for the last 2-3 minutes, but watch it carefully.

Step 4 (Alternative): Cook the Chicken (Grill Method)

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Oil the grates so the chicken doesn't stick. Grill the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through with nice char marks. Thighs take a bit longer than breasts.

Step 4 (Alternative): Cook the Chicken (Stovetop Method)

Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. Cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes per side until cooked through and golden brown with some charred spots.

Step 5: Rest and Slice

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes after cooking. This lets the juices redistribute so they don't all run out when you cut it. Slice the chicken into thin strips—the thinner, the more authentic it looks.

Step 6: Assemble and Serve

Warm your pita bread (wrap in foil and heat in the oven for 5 minutes, or toast directly on the stovetop). Pile the sliced chicken onto the pita, drizzle generously with garlic sauce, and add your toppings—tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, pickles, parsley. Roll it up and try not to make a mess (you will anyway, and that's okay).

Serving Suggestions

Chicken shawarma is incredibly versatile. Here's how I like to serve it:

Classic Shawarma Wrap – Warm pita, chicken, garlic sauce, veggies, pickles. Roll it tight, wrap it in foil, and eat it like a burrito. This is the authentic street food way.

Shawarma Bowl – Build a bowl with rice or quinoa as the base, top with chicken, fresh veggies, pickles, hummus, and tons of garlic sauce. Add some feta cheese if you're feeling fancy.

Shawarma Salad – For low-carb folks. Load up a big bowl of greens with chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, and drizzle with garlic sauce and lemon juice.

Mezze Platter – Serve the chicken alongside hummus, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, fattoush salad, and warm pita. Great for entertaining.

With Rice Pilaf – Serve over fragrant rice pilaf with toasted almonds and raisins. Very traditional.

Loaded Fries – Make shawarma fries by topping crispy fries with chicken, garlic sauce, cheese, and pickles. Not authentic, but ridiculously good.

Storage Tips

Refrigerator: Store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The garlic sauce keeps for up to 2 weeks in the fridge (though the garlic flavor will intensify over time). Store them separately and assemble wraps/bowls when ready to eat.

Freezing: The cooked chicken freezes really well. Let it cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. I don't recommend freezing the garlic sauce—the texture changes and gets a bit grainy.

Reheating: Reheat the chicken gently in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or broth to keep it moist. You can also microwave it, but it won't be as good. If you're making wraps, add the chicken while it's warm so it heats the pita.

Make-Ahead: Marinate the chicken up to 8 hours ahead. Make the garlic sauce up to a week ahead (it actually gets better after sitting for a day). This makes weeknight dinners super easy—just cook the chicken and assemble.

Slow Cooker Method: Place marinated chicken in the slow cooker with a bit of extra liquid (chicken broth or water). Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. The chicken will be incredibly tender but won't have those charred bits. For best results, finish it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to get some color.

Final Thoughts

Here's the thing about making shawarma at home: once you do it, you'll realize how easy it is, and then you'll wonder why you ever paid $12 for a wrap at that place down the street.

The marinade is basically dumping spices into yogurt. The chicken cooks in 25 minutes. The garlic sauce takes a bit of patience, but once you nail the technique, it's stupid simple. And the result? Restaurant-quality shawarma that you made in your own kitchen.

I've made this for parties, meal prep, random Tuesday dinners, and even brought it to potlucks. It's always a hit. People are always shocked when I tell them it's homemade because it tastes so authentic.

Plus, that garlic sauce. Make a double batch because you'll want to put it on everything—vegetables, eggs, other proteins, straight into your mouth with a spoon (no judgment). Just maybe brush your teeth before any important meetings.

Make this once and it'll become part of your regular rotation. I guarantee it.

– Kip