Chicken Shawarma

My Chicken Shawarma is packed full of warming spices and Middle Eastern flavors! It’s not hot and spicy but we have added a small amount of cayenne pepper so you can adjust the amount up or down to suit your tastes.

This recipe for Chicken Shawarma is naturally low carb and keto friendly with the main flavors coming from a small amount of lemon juice, garlic, and a mixture of warming spices including cumin, coriander, a little ground cloves, and the wonderfully healthy turmeric which gives it such a fabulous color too.

Coming in at only 3g net carbs per serving this low carb chicken Shawarma is a perfect healthy addition to your low carb dinner menu rotation.

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The best way to make Chicken Shawarma

So the first thing you need to do is ensure that the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade, and that you leave enough time for the marinade to infuse all its wonderful flavors into the chicken.

I’d say an hour minimum if you’re in a rush, but the longer the better for a more flavorful final result.

Then you need to decide how you are going to cook it.

In my opinion the very best way to cook Chicken Shawarma is over a grill, but I realize that’s not alway convenient so my second choice method, and actually the one I used to cook the chicken you see in these photographs, is with a cast iron grill pan.

I have a cast iron grill pan and I’ve used it for years, it will give you these lovely grill marks on the chicken and you don’t even need to go outside! my quick tip for using it is to scrape out any cooked chicken and marinade bits that collects in between the ‘grills’ on the skillet as they can start to burn after you’ve cooked a couple of batches of chicken.

Don’t have a grill pan or an outdoor grill? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered too! This recipe for Low Carb Chicken Shawarma is equally easy to cook in the oven. Simply line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean up and then add the chicken thighs.

You’ll find all the cook times for each of these methods in my recipe card at the end of the post.

What’s best to serve with Chicken Shawarma?

Chicken Shawarma is most often served as a wrap inside some sort of flatbread. If you’re looking for a low carb bread to serve this with you can use my Low Carb Keto Coconut Flour Tortillas which are the same tortillas pictured in the recipe photos above.

It’s also delicious if you serve it alongside a salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, and  red onions for a fantastic flavor combination, you can either add them inside your chicken shawarma wrap with a little natural yoghurt, or serve them on the side with a little oil and vinegar dressing.

What does Chicken Shawarma Taste Like?

The combination of cumin, turmeric, paprika, garlic and lemon juice, plus a very small amount of cloves, give this chicken shawarma recipe a distinctive warming spice flavor that’s quite unique.

If you love grilled chicken in general but are looking for something not too spicy then you’ll love the taste of this recipe.

I prefer to use chicken thighs for my chicken shawarma as they have a higher fat content than chicken breast and fat=flavor.

Chicken Shawarma Recipe – Middle Eastern, Low Carb, Keto, Paleo

Chicken Shawarma recipe with warming spices & Middle Eastern flavors, it’s naturally low carb, keto, Paleo, whole30, a healthy grilled chicken recipe.

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes

Total Carbs: 2 g

Net Carbs: 3 g

Protein: 0.4 g

Servings: 6

5 from 20 votes

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Ingredients

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs , about 2.2lbs

Marinade

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp salt , fine salt, not flaked
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper , or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Instructions

1. Add the chicken shawarma marinade ingredients and chicken thighs to a large zip-top bag. Seal and mix well to coat.

2. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

How to cook Chicken Shawarma on the Stove

1. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.

2. Cook the chicken thighs for 7–10 minutes per side, or until fully cooked.

3. Use an instant read thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part.

How to Cook Chicken Shawarma on a Grill

1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs on the hot grates, close the lid, and cook for 4-8 minutes per side, or until fully cooked.

2. Use an instant read thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part.

How to Cook Chicken Shawarma in Oven

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (avoid foil, as the chicken may stick)

2. Arrange the chicken on the pan and bake for 22–35 minutes, or until fully cooked.

3. Use an instant read thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Shawarma Recipe – Middle Eastern, Low Carb, Keto, Paleo

Amount Per Serving (166 g)

Calories 74 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Sodium 390mg17%

Potassium 67mg2%

Carbohydrates 2g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 0.3g0%

Protein 0.4g1%

Vitamin A 410IU8%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 15mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional information on Noshtastic is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

Author: Sheena Strain

Course: main

Cuisine: Middle Eastern