Grilled Chicken Shawarma on a Spit
Suzy Karadsheh
Category
Entree
Cuisine
Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Servings
6-8
Prep Time
30 hours
Cook Time
1 minute
Authentic grilled chicken shawarma is easy to make, you just need a hot grill with a rotisserie attachment or an inexpensive pan. This simple recipe brings a wow-factor that's perfect for special occasions, summer cookouts, Father's Day and more.
Ingredients
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1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
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1 large lemon, juiced
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8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
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Kosher salt
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Black pepper
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1 large yellow onion, sliced into thick rounds
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1 Roma tomato (optional)
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3/4 tablespoon ground cumin
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3/4 tablespoon turmeric powder
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3/4 tablespoon ground coriander
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3/4 tablespoon garlic powder
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3/4 tablespoon sweet Spanish paprika
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1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
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1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if you prefer
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2 large tomatoes, sliced into wedges
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2 to 3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds
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Pickled onions, cornichons, or your favorite pickles
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Kalamata olives, to your liking
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Tahini
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Pita bread
For the Shawarma Spice Blend
To Serve
Directions
Make the marinade. In a large bowl, combine the shawarma spice blend (all 1/4 cup), enough olive oil to fully coat the chicken (about 1/3 cup), and the lemon juice. Whisk well.
Marinate the chicken. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss well so the chicken is well coated in the marinade. Tuck in the onion rounds, leaving them whole. If you have the time, cover and refrigerate for a couple hours or overnight, otherwise, set aside at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes while the grill heats up.
Assemble the chicken on the spit/vertical skewer. Slide a thick slice of onion onto the vertical spit and push it all the way down to the base. Slide the chicken onto the spit, one at a time, changing the direction of the chicken pieces as you layer and adding the sliced onions in between every 2 to 3 pieces of chicken (this imparts great flavor). Add the tomato at the very top, if using.
Prepare and heat the grill. Heat the grill to 375°F (or medium-high).
Grill the chicken. Place the base of the vertical spit with the chicken over indirect heat and close the lid. After 30 minutes, open the grill and turn the base of the spit 90 degrees. Using a brush, baste the chicken with the drippings. Close the lid and cook another 30 minutes. Do this again, if needed, rotating the spit and basting the chicken, until the chicken is well charred on the outside and its internal temperature reaches in the thickest part closer the skewer is 160°F, about 1 1/2 hours.
Slice. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes at room temperature so its juices redistribute as its temperature rises to 165°F. Take a large chef’s knife and thinly slice the chicken from top to bottom. Rotate the spit and keep shaving the chicken off until all the chicken and onions have landed in the pan attached to your spit.
Serve. Serve the chicken shawarma on a large platter, adding the fixings–tomatoes, cucumbers, pickled onions, olives, and pickles–around the chicken. Add sliced pita and tahini to the side.
Recipe Note
Where to find the Spit/Grill Pan: Unless you have a rotisserie attachment for your grill, you will need a spit or Vertical skewer like what is used for Al Pastor.
Nutrition
Calories 153, Carbs 4 grams, Protein 22 grams, Fat 4 grams, Saturated Fat 1 grams, Polyunsaturated Fat 1100 milligrams, Monounsaturated Fat 1600 milligrams, Trans Fat 0 grams, Cholesterol 107 milligrams, Sodium 103 milligrams, Potassium 427 milligrams, Fiber 1 grams, Sugar 2 grams, Vitamin C 13 milligrams, Calcium 22 milligrams, Iron 1 milligrams
