Chicken Shawarma Plate Recipe

Learn how to make a delicious Middle Eastern Chicken Shawarma Plate right at home. Loaded with succulent shawarma-spiced chicken, creamy hummus, fresh pita bread, and a delicious Lebanese tabbouleh, you'll never order out again!

You and your dinner guests will absolutely love this chicken shawarma plate recipe! The recipe is easy to put together and over-the-top on the flavor scale!

You don't have to be an exceptional cook to marinate and grill chicken, whirl chickpeas in a food processor, and chop vegetables to make a Middle Eastern salad.

Jump to:

• 😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
• 🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
• 🔖 Ingredient & Substitutions
• 🍗 How to Make A Chicken Shawarma Plate
• 🍽 Shawarma Serving Suggestions
• 🤷🏻‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips
• 🍖 More Middle Eastern Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe

• If preparing a chicken shawarma plate seems too overwhelming, you can prepare the Lebanese hummus ahead of time and buy pita bread instead of baking your own.
• Overall, this is a nutritious meal that everyone will love!
• Making your own chicken shawarma plate is much cheaper than going out to eat.

🛒 What You Need For This Recipe

🔖 Ingredient & Substitutions

• Chicken: I prefer using chicken thighs in this Shawarma Plate recipe. Thighs are juicy and more flavorful than chicken breasts. However, you can use either. It's best to use boneless, skinless chicken to make shawarma because it cooks faster and is easier to slice.
• Lemon Juice: If at all possible, use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of bottled.
• Olive Oil: Although this recipe calls for olive oil, you can substitute healthy avocado oil instead.
• Shawarma Seasoning: If you must, you can purchase shawarma seasoning, but I highly recommend this shawarma seasoning recipe!
• Serve With: Salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, onion), hummus, pita bread, and fresh herbs like parsley and mint.

🍗 How to Make A Chicken Shawarma Plate

Marinate the Chicken

Mix olive oil and lemon juice into a small bowl. Add crushed garlic.

Mix in shawarma seasoning, stirring to combine.

Place thawed chicken in a ziplock bag and cover with the marinade. Use a spatula to get every last drop.

Remove air from the bag, then seal. Massage the marinade into the chicken then place on a plate and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, but preferably longer.

Cooking Instructions

Grill marinated chicken over medium heat until done. 

Another option is to slice chicken into strips and cook in a lightly oiled and seasoned cast-iron skillet.

You can also cook the marinated chicken in the oven. Place the sliced chicken on a lightly oiled, foil-covered baking sheet and bake in a 425-degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until browned.

🍽 Shawarma Serving Suggestions

So, how do you make a chicken shawarma plate? Glad you asked! Serve the cooked chicken on a plate, along with a Middle Eastern salad, hummus, and pita chips. Or stuff the chicken in Middle Eastern bread or flatbread and add French fries, tabouli, and drizzle with garlic tahini sauce.

Chicken Shawarma Bowls

Yet another option is to make shawarma bowls instead of plates or platters. Shawarma Bowls are similar to Mexican rice bowls. First, you'll want to add some rice, I recommend vermicelli rice. Next, pile on some chicken shawarma, and Middle Eastern salad. A sprinkle of sumac would also work.

🤷🏻‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips

• Slicing the chicken before marinating enhances the traditional shawarma flavor even further and ensures the marinade penetrates the chicken more evenly. This is especially recommended if you don't have hours to marinate the chicken.
• If you decide to slice the chicken while raw, you can still prepare it on the grill using a grill basket.
• This marinade is also tasty when used to marinate beef, pork, and lamb.
• To transform this recipe from a chicken shawarma plate to a chicken shawarma wrap, just stuff all the tasty ingredients inside a flatbread or this lavash bread recipe. You can even use these sourdough discard tortillas!
• Another delicious salad to try with shawarma chicken is tabbouleh.

🍖 More Middle Eastern Recipes

📖 Recipe