Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma
If you’ve ever seen shawarma cooking on a spit or rotisserie, you know how amazing spiced meat smells as it roasts. Surprisingly, making shawarma at home doesn’t require any special equipment. In fact, all you need is a sheet pan to make a big batch of fragrant, juicy chicken that you can stuff into pita, roll up into lavash, or serve atop a grain bowl.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast tenders
For pita wraps: (optional)
- 6 pita, lavash, or flatbreads
- 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- 1 1/2 cups diced tomato
- 1 1/2 cups diced cucumber
- Tzatziki, green tahini sauce, or yogurt-dill sauce, for drizzling
- Stir the oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, and turmeric together in a large bowl to form a paste. Add the chicken and toss to coat; let marinate at room temperature while the oven heats, at least 20 minutes, or cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or oiled aluminum foil. Place the chicken on the baking sheet in single layer. Roast until browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- Let cool 5 minutes. (If using pita or flatbreads, stack them, wrap in aluminum foil, and place in the turned-off oven to warm through.) Thinly slice the chicken crosswise.
- To serve, divide the chicken among the pita, lavash, or flatbreads. Top with the lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber, and drizzle with sauce. For pitas, fold up the sides like a taco. For lavash or flatbreads, position with the long side facing you. Fold the bottom up and over the filling, then fold one side in towards the center over the filling. Continue rolling up tightly like a burrito.

