Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma Wrap

We are huge chicken shawarma fans over here. With my husband being Middle Eastern, having a delicious and easy homemade chicken shawarma wrap recipe is a must. Traditionally, shawarma is made on a vertical rotisserie. If you have one at home, that is amazing. But if you don't have one, this oven-roasted chicken shawarma wrap is perfect.

If you never had shawarma before, it is Mediterranean street food with bold flavors. Traditionally it is slowly roasted for as long as a day. But don't worry, my recipe is delicious and easy to make, and it won't take you a whole day to complete. The secret to a good chicken shawarma wrap is the moist and juicy chicken, right spice mix, creamy sauce, and acid balance. It is super easy to make your spice blend, or you can purchase a premade blend. When oven roasting your chicken, you must keep your eyes on it. You don't want to overcook your chicken and leave the chicken taste dry. We want the moist and juicy chicken to go into your wrap.

Every time I make this dish, it always brings me down a memory lane of us visiting the Middle East and picking up endless late-night shawarma from shops. Our favorite chicken shawarma is to serve it in pita bread with toum (garlic sauce) and pickles (pickled turnips, pepper, onion). There are varieties of what you can put into chicken shawarma wrap, and you can be as creative as you like. From adding french fries to cheese to adding jalapenos, we have seen it all. Below is a classic oven-roasted chicken shawarma wrap that we often serve in our household. But feel free to be as creative as you like.

Ingredients

Chicken Recipe

1 1/2-2 Pound of Chicken Breast Or Thighs
4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil/ Avocado Oil
3 Tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 Tablespoon Himalayan Salt
1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Garlic
1/2 Teaspoon Paprika

Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma Wrap Recipe

1 Pita Bread
Toum
Chicken
Pickled Turnip
Pickled Cucumber
Fresh Tomato
Parsley

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, mix all the dried ingredients and then add the wet ingredients.

2. Slice your chicken breast (thickness to your liking), dip into the mixture, and then place it in another empty bowl. Make sure your chicken coasts with spices. Once the chicken is all dipped, close the lid. Let it sit in the fridge for about an hour and let it marinade. The longer you can let it sit and marinate, the better it will taste.

3. Pre-heat the oven at 425F.

4. In a small pan or a loaf pan, layer the chicken to create that shawarma effect. Once you are done layering the chicken, put it in the oven and let it cook for 30-40 minutes at 425F. Because it is layered, you want to make sure the middle piece gets fully cooked with browned, crisp at the edges. 

5. Once it is done cooking, remove from oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes so the juice can go back into the chicken.

6. To serve, tip the chicken out of the pan and slice your shawarma into strips.

7. Assemble your oven roasted chicken shawarma wrap to your liking. 

Nutritional

Serving size: 4

Amount per serving: Calories: 437 calories with EVOO. Total Fat: 20 g. Saturated Fat 2.2 g. Cholesterol: 145 mg. Sodium: 225 mg. Total Carbohydrate: 13.4 g. Dietary fiber: 0.8. Total Sugar: 8.8 g. Protein: 48.7g.

**Based on 2 pounds of chicken breast. The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.**

Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma Wrap Tips

• Optional Prep Tip: Recommend that you marinate the chicken in the spices for at least one hour. The longer you let it sit, the more flavor it will absorb. 
• Cook's Tip: Traditional shawarma is made with chicken thigh but if you are looking for a healthier option, go with chicken breast. 
• Cook's Tip: The thinner you slice your chicken, the faster and easier it will cook. 
• Cook's Tip: If you don't have all these spices on hand, and you don't want to buy some spice you might not use again, you can always purchase shawarma spice blend.
• Serving Tip: Recommend you pair it with toum, pickled turnip, pickled hot peppers, and pickled cucumber. 

What Is Chicken Shawarma?

Traditionally, shawarma consist of meat cut into thin slices, stacks, and roasting on a slowly turning rotisserie for hours. The meat will then be thinly sliced or shaved off the cooked surface. The meat can be either beef, chicken, or lamb.

Chicken shawarma is traditionally made with thigh because it has more flavor and fattier, so it is less likely to dry out. If you are looking for healthier alternatives, go with chicken breast.

What does chicken shawarma taste like?

Chicken shawarma has a complex flavor. It is tangy, garlicky, a little sweet, and juicy.

How to store and reheat Leftovers

Store your cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, put it in the oven, microwave, or reheat it in a pan.

How To Serve Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

Traditionally shawarma is wrapped in a soft and thin flatbread or pita bread and drizzled with either toum, tahini, or yogurt sauce. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber.

My favorite way to enjoy shawarma is to wrap it thin flatbread, drizzle it with you, and top it with pickles.

Nowadays, you can order shawarma as a plate and make your wrap to your liking. Many shawarma shops are now starting to create their unique signature shawarma wraps. From adding cheese to adding french fries into your wrap. If you are in the mood to experiment, add something new to your shawarma.