Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma 8

Ever since my lunch out at Open Sesame in Long Beach I have become addicted to chicken shawarma. This dish is cooked on a large vertical spit. As much as I would love to own a bbq spit or a rotisserie cooker, it just isn’t in my budget right now. Instead I decided to try making chicken shawarma in the oven. The classic Lebanese dish is full of flavor and is surprisingly easy to make. So skip the spit and get to the oven!

Ingredients:

  • 4 Large Chicken Breasts, sliced into cubes
  • Marinade:
    • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • Juice from 1 Lemon
    • 2 teaspoons Paprika
    • 2 teaspoons Cumin
    • 1 teaspoon Turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
    • 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (optional)
    • 1/4 teaspoon Koscher Salt
  1. In a small bowl mix all marinade ingredients together using a fork. Chicken Shawarma 1
  2. Place sliced chicken breast in a container and cover with the marinade. Using your hands, work the marinade into the chicken. Chicken Shawarma 2
  3. Refrigerate for at least for four hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 400°f.
  5. Using tongs place the chicken pieces on a cooking sheet. Chicken Shawarma 3
  6. Discard remaining marinade.
  7. Bake chicken for ten minutes until almost cooked. It is important to not fully cook the chicken at this stage.
  8. Remove chicken from the oven and slice into thin strips.
  9. Place chicken in a fry pan with two tablespoons of olive oil on high heat.
  10. Quickly flash fry until golden brown. Stirring Constantly.
  11. Serve with tahini or Lebanese garlic sauce (recipe coming soon). Enjoy! Chicken Shawarma 8
Link to the main publication