Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe with Garlic Sauce for Dinner

Easy Chicken Shawarma is a quick, better-than-takeout dinner with crispy chicken and creamy garlic sauce. After making this many times, I discovered the trick to perfectly crispy chicken. Jump to Recipe or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Mexican Street Corn Style Grilled Zucchini and Easy Slow Cooker Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches.

What You'll Need for Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe with Garlic Sauce for Dinner

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• Optional: Lettuce
• Optional: Tomatoes
• Optional: Red onion
• Optional: Pita bread
• Optional: Tahini sauce

How to Make Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe with Garlic Sauce for Dinner

1. Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine olive oil, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using). Add chicken breasts and coat evenly with the marinade. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through and crispy. Remove from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Make the garlic sauce: In a bowl, mix Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside.
4. Assemble the shawarma: Slice the cooked chicken into strips. Serve on pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and garlic sauce. Drizzle with tahini sauce if desired.

Storing & Reheating Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe with Garlic Sauce for Dinner

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead. Cook just before serving.

Freezing Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe with Garlic Sauce for Dinner

Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Chicken may lose some crispiness.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a quicker cooking time, slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally before marinating.
• Best substitution: Substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts for a more flavorful shawarma.
• Make-ahead: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead. Cook just before serving.
• Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If your chicken is not cooking evenly, try pounding it to an even thickness before marinating.

Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe with Garlic Sauce for Dinner

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

15 mins

⏳

Total

30 mins

🍽

Serves

4 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Seasonings

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Optional Toppings

• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Red onion
• Pita bread
• Tahini sauce

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine olive oil, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using). Add chicken breasts and coat evenly with the marinade. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through and crispy. Remove from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Make the garlic sauce: In a bowl, mix Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside.
4. Assemble the shawarma: Slice the cooked chicken into strips. Serve on pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and garlic sauce. Drizzle with tahini sauce if desired.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a quicker cooking time, slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally before marinating.
• Best substitution: Substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts for a more flavorful shawarma.
• Make-ahead: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead. Cook just before serving.
• Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If your chicken is not cooking evenly, try pounding it to an even thickness before marinating.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Chicken may lose some crispiness.
• Make ahead: Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead. Cook just before serving.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 380
• Protein: 32g
• Fat: 21g
• Carbs: 12g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 680mg
• Cholesterol: 90mg
• Sat. Fat: 3.5g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe with Garlic Sauce for Dinner FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe with Garlic Sauce for Dinner and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!