Grilled Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yogurt – an easy, grilled chicken version of the classic Turkish street food which is usually cooked on a rotating spit.
Chicken Shawarma
Chicken shawarma is perfect over couscous with yogurt and cucumbers as I did here, or try it with rice pilaf, or on a pita. Other sides that would work are tomatoes, tahini, olives, feta, or hummus. Harissa would also work great to add some spice. I made this with chicken breast, but you can also use thighs like I did with this Chicken Shawarma Kebab! Cook this outside on a gas grill, on a grill pan or in the air fryer! If you don’t like dairy, try it topped with tahini or baba ganoush.
I just returned from an incredible 10-day cruise along the Mediterranean on the brand new Carnival Vista, which started in Barcelona and made stops in France, Italy, Turkey and Greece. Now that I’m back, all I’m craving is Mediterranean food! What an experience of a lifetime traveling to Rome, Pisa, Tuscany, Naples, Florence, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Kusadasi, Crete, Rhodes and Athens with my family.
Are you craving something delicious and packed with flavor? Look no further than this Grilled Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yogurt recipe. This easy and healthy version of the classic Turkish street food is sure to be a hit with your taste buds.
While in Rhodes, Greece, I purchased these beautiful bowls which originate from Turkey. So I thought it’d be fitting to share this Turkish inspired recipe and serve them in my beautiful new bowls.
How To Make Chicken Shawarma
- To make the marinade: mix together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Marinate 1 pound of skinless chicken breasts (cut in half lengthwise) in the mixture for at least 30 minutes.
- Grill: preheat your grill or grill pan and grill the chicken until fully cooked.
- Yogurt Sauce: While the chicken is grilling, make the garlic yogurt sauce by mixing together a 7-ounce container of 2% Greek yogurt (I like Fage), 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 finely minced garlic cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt.
- Serve: Serve the grilled chicken over rice if you wish, with the garlic yogurt sauce on top, and garnish with chopped parsley.
Variations
- Use chicken thighs in place of chicken breast.
- If you want to make this dairy free, try it topped with tahini or baba ganoush.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes:
- Zesty Lime Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Salsa
- Grilled Bourbon Chicken
- Houston’s Grilled Chicken Kale Salad with Peanut Vinaigrette
- Grilled Chicken with Black Bean Mango Salsa
- Grilled Chicken Tacos with Lettuce Slaw and Cotija Cheese
Shawarma-Spiced Grilled Chicken with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 pound 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Juice from 1 medium lemon
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garlic yogurt sauce:
- 7-ounce container 2% Greek yogurt (I like Fage)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts, 1 at a time, in a Ziploc bag. Pound each breast to an even thickness, about ½-inch thick, being careful not to puncture the bag. Place pounded chicken breasts back into bag and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine olive oil and lemon juice. Whisk until combined. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, red pepper, salt and black pepper and whisk again.
- Pour the marinade into the bag with the chicken, massaging it to evenly coat. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
- In a small bowl (or right in the container), combine the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Stir to combine and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Over medium-high heat, grill the chicken for 3 minutes or until it no longer sticks to the grill. Turn the chicken and grill an additional 3-4 minutes. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes then slice it thinly, across the grain. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons sauce and a sprinkle of parsley. Serve.
Air Fryer Method:
- Air fry 400F 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
