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    Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

    Chicken Shawarma Skewers

    Published: Jun 20, 2022 · Modified: Oct 30, 2022 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Chicken shawarma skewers will be your absolute favorite dinner to grill all summer long! Generously seasoned with a stunning mix of bold spices, fresh lemon juice and a good amount of garlic! The chicken skewers are grilled to absolute perfection, charred on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Serve alongside hummus, saffron rice or on top of your favourite crisp salad.

    Grilled chicken shawarma skewers are seasoned with a stunning mix of Mediterranean spices, garlic, lemon and grilled to perfection. The kebabs are served alongside hummus and saffron rice.

    Chicken Shawarma Skewers

    Oh do I have a fantastic dinner recipe for you! If I could 'shwarm-ify" everything I would! The combination of striking spices and fresh citrus is absolutely addictive.

    Once you have the base marinade down, you can add the shawarma marinade to just about anything!

    A cauliflower shawarma is coming up soon or you can make chicken shawarma bowls topped with Turkish sumac onions or salmon shawarma on top of a fresh and crisp salad.

    Here is another great chicken recipe:

    Honey dijon Chicken and roasted pears

    And because we are in deep grilling mode,we're grilling chicken shawarma kebabs. The deep color from the spices creates the most colorful and charred exterior. I also like to add a few halved lemons to grill and squeeze the smoky lemon juice over the top.

    More great skewers:

    Turkish Kofta Kebab (Grilled Beef and Lamb Skewers)

    Shish Tawook (Grilled Chicken Skewers)

    Shawarma Marinade Ingredients

    • Olive Oil
    • Garlic: chopped finely or grated using a microplane.
    • Fresh Lemon Juice
    • Cumin: This adds warmth and great flavor.
    • Turmeric: Adds bright color and an earthy layer of flavor.
    • Paprika: I love the deep flavor of smoked paprika but if you don't like smoky flavors, sweet paprika is a great substitute. Also offers color and great rich flavor to the shawarma marinade.
    • Sumac: One of my favorite spices, sumac is tangy and bright. If you can't find sumac, you can omit since lemon is a good substitute in a pinch.

    Chicken Shawarma Kebab Recipe

    • Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour over cubed chicken breast.
    • If you have the time, marinate for at least 30 minutes to up to overnight.
    • Skewer cubed chicken breast, lemon slices and red onion wedges onto skewers and place on a hot grill.
    • Grill chicken shawarma kebabs until charred on all sides, turning as needed and cooked through in the center.
    • Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Chicken is recommended to be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Make a chicken shawarma plate. Serve chicken shawarma skewers with pita bread, homemade hummus, chopped salad and saffron rice.
    Grilled chicken shawarma skewers are seasoned with a stunning mix of Mediterranean spices, garlic, lemon and grilled to perfection. The kebabs are served alongside hummus and saffron rice.

    Side Dishes for Grilled Chicken Shawarma

    • Chopped Kale and Chickpea Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing
    • Honey Harissa Cauliflower.
    • Drizzle creamy tahini sauce on top of the chicken shawarma skewers.
    • Serve alongside quinoa tabbouleh.
    • And with Mediterranean watermelon salad for the ultimate summer dinner!

    Chicken Shawarma Skewers

    Samantha Ferraro

    LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    Grilled chicken shawarma skewers are seasoned with a stunning mix of Mediterranean spices, garlic, lemon and grilled to perfection.
    5 from 10 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Marinate 30 mins
    Total Time 55 mins
    Course Dinner, Main, Main Course
    Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 833 kcal

    Equipment

    Microplane
    Skewers

    Ingredients
     
     

    Marinade

    • ¾ cup olive oil
    • 2 garlic cloves grated or finely chopped
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ¾ teaspoon turmeric
    • ¼ teaspoon sumac
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
    • Ground black pepper

    Chicken Skewers

    • Avocado oil for wiping on grill
    • 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 1 lemon sliced thin
    • 1 red onion cut into 1 inch chunks

    Saffron Rice

    • 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
    • 1 cup jasmine rice
    • Pinch of Saffron
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    To Serve and Garnish

    • Hummus homemade or store bought
    • Olive oil for drizzling on hummus
    • Parsley or cilantro chopped, for garnish
    • Lemon wedges

    Instructions
     

    • Mix marinade ingredients together in a large bowl and add cubed chicken. Toss to coat so all the chicken is coated evenly. Cover bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
    • Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat and skewer chicken cubes onto skewers, alternating every few with lemon slices and onion wedges.
    • Grill shawarma skewers for 4-5 minutes per side or until a deep char is formed and chicken is cooked through.
    • Once done, remove skewers and let chicken rest for a few minutes.
    • For the saffron rice, add broth, rice and pinch of saffron to a small pot and place the lid on. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until rice is cooked and liquid has absorbed, about 20 minutes.
    • Once done, fluff rice with a fork.
    • To serve, line a platter with saffron rice and hummus and top with chicken shawarma skewers. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped herbs and lemon wedges.

    Notes

    If using wooden skewers, soak skewers in water for at least 1 hour before grilling. 
    Marinate for as long as you have, even 10 minutes before grilling. 
    Grilled chicken shawarma lasts for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 833kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 55gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 32gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 596mgPotassium: 1120mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 328IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword chicken shawarma kebobs, chicken shawarma skewers, grilled chicken shawarma
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

    More Chicken Recipes

    • Creamy chicken tikka masala recipe in a creamy spiced coconut and tomato sauce.
      Chicken Tikka Masala
    • Greek style nachos layered with pita chips, hummus and olives.
      Greek Nachos with Hummus
    • One pot Dutch oven chicken thighs are cooked with rice and chickpeas and seasoned with lemon and cumin.
      One Pot Chicken and Rice with Lemon and Chickpeas
    • Sticky Hawaiian shoyu chicken thighs with rice and mac salad.
      Hawaiian Style Shoyu Chicken

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jess says

      June 22, 2022 at 12:32 pm

      5 stars
      This is so delish!

      Reply
    2. Crystal says

      June 22, 2022 at 1:36 pm

      5 stars
      This is my kind of meal! These chicken skewers go perfectly with hummus, and the flavors are on point!

      Reply
    3. nanc says

      June 22, 2022 at 2:12 pm

      5 stars
      total flavour bomb. i loved the skewers and wished i made more!

      Reply
    4. Natalie says

      June 23, 2022 at 2:16 am

      5 stars
      Love your chicken skewers and the Mediterranean spices are my favorite. Thank you Samantha!

      Reply
    5. Katie says

      June 23, 2022 at 5:34 am

      5 stars
      Such a perfect recipe for summer! The whole family loved this skewers!

      Reply
    6. Sabrina says

      June 25, 2022 at 7:17 am

      5 stars
      great dish, thank you, a nice change to my much more generic chicken recipe. I appreciate the flavors in this dish!

      Reply
    7. ShaRon says

      January 26, 2023 at 6:10 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! The entire family enjoyed including my toddlers.

      Reply
      • Samantha Ferraro says

        January 27, 2023 at 3:54 am

        Fantastic. Thank you so much for the feedback. Samantha.

        Reply

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