Chicken Shawarma

The lemon and garlic marinade gives these chicken thighs an insane amount of flavor.

The word shawarma is derived from the Turkish word for “turning.” Keep this in mind throughout the baking process on this dish. High heat, a beautiful spice blend, fatty and delicious chicken thighs, plus consistent turning to mimic the rotisserie all lend to this flavor-packed, easy dinner. Pair with fluffy warm pita, cool tabbouleh, and garlicky toum. Dinner is served.

Easy Baked Chicken Shawarma 

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The high oven temperature and frequent turning recreate the effects of the traditional rotisserie to great effect.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour

Course: Main

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Keyword: baked chicken, easy dinner

Servings: 6

Calories: 556kcal

Author: Skylar Bush

Ingredients

• 2 lemons zest of one lemon and juice of both
• ½ cup olive oil
• 7 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 ½ teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• A whisper of ground cinnamon
• Red pepper flakes or sambal to taste
• 2 pounds chicken thighs skin on, bone-in
• 1 large red onion peeled and cut into eighths
• 2 tablespoons butter cut into small pieces
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

• Combine the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl and whisk well. Add the chicken and toss to coat with marinade. Cover and chill 1 hour or overnight.


• Preheat an oven to 425°F. Add the red onion to chicken mixture and toss to combine. Place in a roasting pan. Bake until browned and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes, flipping the chicken a few times.
• When almost done, dot with butter, and broil for 3-5 minutes to get nice crispy skin. Remove and discard the bones (they should slip out easily) and slice the chicken into strips, cutting against the grain. Shower with parsley and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 543mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 880IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg

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*This recipe comes to us from Edible Nashville as part of the story “Ain’t Garlic Grand.”