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–+ servings
A ceramic beige plate piled with shredded Chicken shawarma pieces an tzatziki
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Easy Oven Chicken Shawarma

Juicy chicken thigh fillets marinated in shawarma spice, oven roasted and served with pickle tzatziki.
Total Time50 minutes
Servings: 4 - 6

Ingredients

Shawarma Chicken

Pickle Tzatziki

  • 400g Greek yoghurt
  • 250g shredded pickles
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon rind
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped dill fonds
  • Salt and black pepper

Instructions

  • Prepare the Chicken:
    Remove skin from chicken thighs and cut into 1-inch strips. Next, cut chicken pieces into 1-inch strips. 
  • Combine shawarma spice blend
    with the olive oil and lemon juice. 
  • Transfer chicken meat and skin to a large bowl. Season with salt and then cover with the shawarma marinade, making sure each piece of chicken and skin is coated nicely. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and transfer to the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours or anywhere up to 24 hours to marinate. Obviously, the longer you leave it the better it will taste.
  • Pickle Tzatziki: This can be made the night before or fresh on the day of cooking. Grate pickled cucumbers using the large-holed side of a box grater. Combine with the remaining tzatziki ingredients. Taste and season with salt and pepper or lemon juice if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with extra olive oil. 
  • Cooking the chicken shawarma
    : Remove chicken from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. When ready to cook, heat the oven to 200°C. 
  • Rub a little olive oil onto a roasting tray
    , then spread chicken pieces onto the tray, keeping them together without gaps so the fat spreads around the meat. Divide the chicken skin evenly throughout the meat, pushing it gently in between the chicken pieces. Transfer tray to the oven and roast for approximately 30 - 35 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and juicy. 
  • Remove the tray from the oven. Discard chicken skin. Carefully remove meat from the tray and using a large knife, chop the chicken into thinner strips.
  • Return chicken strips to the roasting tray, squeeze over a little extra lemon juice, then toss the chicken around in the pan juices and fat, coating each piece as evenly as possible. Taste, and season with salt if needed.
  • To finish:
    Serve chicken shawarma on a large plate with the pickle tzatziki and side dishes of your choice.