🥙 Authentic Lebanese Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Craving the bold, smoky flavor of Lebanese street food? This authentic Lebanese chicken shawarma recipe brings the sizzling aroma and spice-loaded goodness of a shawarma stand right to your kitchen or backyard grill. It’s the perfect make-ahead meal for summer BBQs, meal prep, or casual weeknight dinners.

With a rich yogurt marinade packed with warm Middle Eastern spices, juicy grilled chicken thighs, and crispy fries tucked into pillowy pita or lavash, this homemade shawarma is as good—if not better—than takeout.

Grilled Lebanese chicken shawarma wrap with charred chicken, fresh lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and garlic sauce in a warm pita, paired with crispy fries

---

🔍 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• ✅ Authentic Lebanese flavor with everyday ingredients

• ✅ Grilled or indoor pan-seared options

• ✅ Perfect for family-style dinners or meal prep

• ✅ Kid-friendly and customizable

---

🌿 What is Chicken Shawarma?

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish traditionally made with meat stacked on a vertical rotisserie and slow-roasted for hours. This version brings the same flavor profile to your home grill (or skillet!) using boneless chicken thighs marinated in yogurt, garlic, lemon, and a fragrant mix of spices like cumin, coriander, and cardamom.

---

🧄 Ingredients for Lebanese Chicken Shawarma

For the Marinade:

• 1/2 cup whole-milk yogurt

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp ground paprika

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp ground allspice

• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 2 tsp kosher salt

Chicken:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (halved if large)

• 1 large onion (optional, for grilling)

For Serving:

• 4 to 6 lavash or pita breads

• 2 cups shredded lettuce

• 1 onion, thinly sliced and seasoned with sumac

• 2 Roma tomatoes, halved and sliced

• 3 dill pickles, cut lengthwise into spears

• 18 oz frozen French fries, cooked crispy

• Lebanese Shawarma Sauce (highly recommended)

---

🔥 How to Make Chicken Shawarma at Home

1. Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and all spices. Add chicken thighs and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.

2. Prepare the Grill (or Pan): If using a grill, preheat to medium-high and set for direct and indirect heat. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes.

3. Grill the Chicken: Thread chicken (and onion pieces if using) onto skewers. Grill over direct heat, turning every 3–4 minutes until nicely charred, about 10 to 12 minutes total. Let rest before slicing.

   👉 Indoor method: Sear in a hot cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat, 5–6 minutes per side.

4. Assemble Shawarma Wraps: Slice the grilled chicken thinly. Wrap in pita or lavash with lettuce, tomatoes, sumac onion, pickles, fries, and shawarma sauce.

---

📌 Pro Tips for the Best Shawarma

• Don’t skip the marinating time – it’s key to tender, flavorful chicken.

• Use chicken thighs for maximum juiciness—they handle grilling better than breasts.

• Sumac onions add a tangy, authentic Lebanese twist.

• Add crispy fries inside the wrap, just like they do in Beirut.

---

🌯 What to Serve with Chicken Shawarma

• Lebanese Garlic Sauce (Toum)

• Lebanese Shawarma Sauce

• Fattoush or Tabbouleh Salad

• Pickled Turnips or Pickled Cabbage

• Hummus or Baba Ghanoush

• Rice with Vermicelli

---

⭐ Final Thoughts

This Lebanese chicken shawarma recipe is your passport to bold flavor. Whether you grill it on a summer evening or pan-sear it for a cozy weeknight dinner, the result is always delicious.

Looking for more Middle Eastern recipes or want my shawarma sauce recipe? Drop a comment or subscribe below!