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    Home » Recipes » Dinner & Main Dishes

    Chicken Shawarma Plate

    Published Jul 18, 2022 · by Jacqueline Piper · Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links

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    A chicken shawarma plate with chicken, pita, sauces, couscous and cucumber salad.
    A chicken shawarma plate with chicken, pita, sauces, couscous and cucumber salad.

    Chicken Shawarma Plate | This sheet pan chicken shawarma is easy to make, boldly flavored and the chicken is done in only 15-20 minutes. You can customize the rest of your plate with the sides that you like or any leftover or meal-prepped items you have on hand for a quick dinner. For my plate I use the sheet pan chicken shawarma, Mediterranean couscous, a simple cucumber salad, homemade hummus, and homemade Toum - a Lebanese garlic dip.

    A chicken shawarma plate with chicken, pita, sauces, couscous and cucumber salad.

    I love watching traditional foods being prepared. I've watched Chicken Al Pastor cook on a spit in Merida, Mexico and ordered the smoky, flavorful red tinged dish in tacos to devour on the spot.

    I've had fresh gyro meat sliced off the spit in the street in Greece and stuffed into a thick pita, dolloped with Tzatziki sauce and topped with tomato and onion.

    But… what happens when you're craving shawarma and you don't have a vertical rotisserie (aka spit) set up in your kitchen?

    You make sheet pan shawarma chicken. That's right, we'll spice up the chicken with a shawarma inspired spice mix and cook everything up sheet pan style. Then you'll add various other tasty ingredients to make your very own chicken shawarma plate, and I'll show you how. And you can customize your plate!

    Use the table of contents below to jump to any section of this blog post. You can also use the jump to recipe link above to get right to the recipe card.

    Jump to:
    • What is the origin of shawarma?
    • What is a chicken shawarma plate?
    • What condiments are used with chicken shawarma?
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • More recipes for Shawarma Plates
    • Tips + FAQs
    • Recipe

    I use a variety of common spices mixed together with the roasted chicken for a beautiful blend of middle eastern inspired flavors.

    The ingredients for the side dishes that I give you in this recipe are just a guide and you can use them and have the same dish as me, or you can use up whatever you have on hand, or make exactly what you like. If you have items meal-prepped or leftover from another dinner, use them here.

    Don't like hummus? Use another dip like tzatziki or spinach artichoke dip. Don't like couscous? Use a quinoa or rice dish. Or potatoes. This chicken shawarma plate is a great way to use up leftovers, try little bits of different recipes at the same time and it's the perfect dish to meal prep.

    While the chicken cooks in the oven you can make the couscous which just steams for 5 minutes, and the cucumber salad which also comes together quickly. Use your choice of dips or make my hummus or Toum recipe.

    What is the origin of shawarma?

    If you haven't heard of chicken shawarma before, it's a middle eastern dish consisting of spiced meat that is stacked on a vertical spit and then slowly roasted rotisserie style. Meat is then carved off once it's cooked. Chicken shawarma is a popular street food.

    What is a chicken shawarma plate?

    A chicken shawarma plate usually consists of the spiced chicken shawarma, a quinoa or couscous or tabbouleh, chickpea salad, hummus, toum and pita chips. My local shawarma place also serves pickled turnips with their shawarma plate. To make the perfect shawarma plate use side dishes that you love!

    What condiments are used with chicken shawarma?

    I like to use both a hummus (a whipped chickpea based dip) and Toum (a thick garlic dip).

    A chicken shawarma plate with chicken, pita, sauces, couscous and cucumber salad.

    Ingredients

    About the ingredients for this recipe. See the recipe card below for exact amounts.

    • Boneless skinless chicken breast strips: You can buy either a pound of the strips or a pound of chicken breasts and cut them into strips yourself.
    • Olive oil + lemon juice: for extra flavor on the chicken
    • Spices: I use a mix of spices including paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and ground cinnamon
    • Bell pepper: Not in these photos but I use red bell pepper usually for this shawarma recipe
    • Onion: a yellow, white, or red onion, whichever you prefer
    • Grain Salad: I like my Mediterranean couscous salad for this shawarma plate but you could also use a Pearl Couscous Salad or a quinoa salad.
    • Cucumber Salad: I use a simple cucumber salad but you could also use my cucumber tomato and chickpea salad, or a tabbouleh
    • Pita: Use your favorite and cut into small triangles. I like to spray them with oil, season with salt and pepper and then bake for 8 minutes, or air fry for 5 minutes for crispy pita chips - so good dipped in Toum.
    • Toum: Toum is a Lebanese garlic dip, heavy on the garlic flavor. Try my easy small batch Toum recipe.
    • Hummus: Use your favorite! I'll give you a basic hummus recipe in the recipe card but I also have several other recipes on my website like Lemon Basil Hummus, Avocado Cilantro Lime Hummus, Roasted Sweet Potato Hummus and Butternut Squash Hummus.

    Note on Ingredients: This recipe is for a shawarma plate, so you can just make the sheet pan shawarma chicken from the recipe card and then either use my side recipes or use your favorite recipes. This is a great time to use up leftovers also like chickpea salads or the last of a hummus container.

    Instructions

    Prep Tips

    • Make or buy the dips like the Hummus or Toum
    • Make a salad like cucumber salad
    • Make a grain or potato like Mediterranean Couscous
    • Cut pitas into triangles. Bake them if you want to

    As I said above, you can make this whole plate the same as I do and I give you all of the recipes in the recipe card, or you can pick and choose and substitute what you want.

    Below I'll show you step by step how to make the chicken and then put the plate together.

    If you want more information on how to make super smooth hummus, how to make Mediterranean Couscous, and how to make a cucumber salad, check the recipe card and those blog posts.

    Pouring spices onto raw chicken strips.

    Add the spices to the strips of chicken, bell pepper, and onion.

    Mixing spice into chicken with tongs.

    Mix everything around well with tongs.

    Adding raw chicken strips and onions on a sheet pan.

    Spread the chicken, pepper, and onions on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

    Cooked spiced chicken strips and onions on a sheet pan.

    Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

    A plate with hummus spread out on it.

    To make the shawarma plate, start with spreading hummus on a plate.

    A plate with pita and hummus.

    Add pita triangles.

    A plate with pitas, hummus and a bowl of toum.

    Add toum.

    Adding couscous salad to a chicken shawarma plate.

    Next add a few scoops of the Mediterranean couscous.

    Adding cucumber salad to a chicken shawarma plate.

    Add cucumber salad.

    Adding chicken to a chicken shawarma plate.

    Now add the sheet pan shawarma chicken.

    Adding onions to a chicken shawarma plate.

    Add some of the onions and bell peppers (not shown in these photos).

    A chicken shawarma plate with chicken, pita, sauces, couscous and cucumber salad.

    Serve the finished plate.

    All of the recipes used here last for several days in the fridge, making these recipes perfect for meal prep.

    RECIPE TIP: Make pita chips by cutting pitas into small triangles - I use kitchen scissors for this. Spray them with oil and then season with salt and pepper. Bake for 8 minutes at 350ºF (180ºC) or air fry them for 5 minutes.

    A chicken shawarma plate with chicken, pita, sauces, couscous and cucumber salad.

    Substitutions

    ✔ Make this recipe vegetarian by skipping the chicken strips and adding extra onion and bell pepper.

    > Don't like garlic? Use just hummus.

    > Instead of the Mediterranean Couscous, try my Pearl Couscous Salad or Roasted Lemon Potatoes

    Equipment

    For this sheet pan chicken shawarma recipe I use a baking pan and I line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

    When I make hummus I use the food processor attachment of my Ninja Kitchen System.

    When I make toum, I use the immersion blender attachment from my 3-in-1 stick blender.

    Storage

    The chicken and the couscous keep in the fridge in a covered container for 3-5 days. The cucumber salad is good for a day or so - it can start getting watery.

    The hummus and toum keep in the fridge for 5-7 days.

    A chicken shawarma plate with chicken, pita, sauces, couscous and cucumber salad.

    More recipes for Shawarma Plates

    • Toum
    • Roasted Sweet Potato + Garlic Hummus
    • Avocado Cilantro Lime Hummus
    • Lemon Basil Hummus
    • Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus
    • Mediterranean Couscous
    • Pesto Couscous
    • Pearl Couscous Salad
    • Chickpea Salad with Cucumber + Tomatoes

    Tips + FAQs

    What goes in a chicken shawarma plate?

    This chicken shawarma plate includes sheet pan chicken shawarma strips with onion, a couscous salad, a cucumber salad, toum, hummus and pita triangles.

    What do you eat with shawarma?

    Shawarma is typically serve with tabbouleh, cucumber salad, garlic sauce and pitas.

    How to do you cook chicken shawarma?

    Authentic shawarma is made by stacking meat (chicken, lamb, or beef) on a vertical spit and slow roasting it. To make it at home without a vertical spit, you can roast it in the oven.

    Recipe

    A chicken shawarma plate with chicken, pita, sauces, couscous and cucumber salad.

    Chicken Shawarma Plate

    Jacqueline Piper
    5 from 3 votes
    This sheet pan chicken shawarma is easy to make, boldly flavored and done on a sheet pan, in only 15-20 minutes. You can customize your plate with the sides that you like or any leftover or meal-prepped items you have on hand. For my plate I use the sheet pan chicken shawarma, Mediterranean couscous, a simple cucumber salad, homemade hummus, and homemade Toum - a Lebanese garlic dip.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Servings 4

    Equipment

    • Half Sheet Pan
    • Ninja Food Processor

    Ingredients
      

    For the Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma

    • 1 lb chicken strips
    • 1 onion (cut into strips)
    • 1 red bell pepper (cut into strips)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoons ground paprika
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • pinch crushed red pepper flakes

    Cucumber Salad

    • ¼ cup diced red onion
    • 1 cucumber (diced)
    • 1 tablespoon chopped mint
    • 1 tablespoon chopped parley
    • 1 small tomato (diced)
    • drizzle olive oil
    • drizzle lemon juice (to taste)

    Hummus

    • 2 cups chickpeas
    • ¼ cup tahini
    • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 4-5 ice cubes

    Toum

    • 6-7 cloves garlic
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 large egg white
    • 1 cup neutral oil (like canola, or vegetable)

    Mediterranean Couscous

    • 1 ½ cups dry couscous
    • 1 ½ cups water (boiling)
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup diced mixed bell pepper
    • ¼ cup diced red onion
    • 1 tablespoon capers (chopped)
    • ¼ cup sliced black olives (chopped)
    • juice of half a lemon
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • bunch of chopped parsley
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    For the sheet pan chicken shawarma

    • Preheat oven to 400ºF (200°C).
    • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Add the strips of chicken, onion, and bell pepper to a bowl. Sprinkle the spices over top and mix everything together well with tongs.
    • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

    For the Mediterranean Couscous

    • Add the dry couscous, boiling water and salt to a bowl. Stir quickly and then cover with a lid. Let sit for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.
    • Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.

    For the Cucumber Salad

    • Add everything to a bowl and mix together. Season with salt and pepper.

    For the Hummus

    • Blend the chickpeas in a food processor until pureed.
    • Add the rest of the ingredients except the ice and mix well for about 5 minutes or until smooth.
    • Add the ice cubes, one at a time, blending and scraping the sides down until you have a smooth, whipped hummus.

    For the Toum

    • Add the garlic, salt and water to a tall, thin cup and blend with an immersion blender to break up the garlic.
    • Add the rest of the ingredients and set the immersion blender on the bottom of the cup. Blend, pulling the immersion blender up as the ingredients whip into a thick dip.

    To make the shawarma plate

    • Spread some hummus on the plate and then add some pita triangles. Add a bowl of the toum. Scoop some couscous salad and cucumber salad onto the plate and then add some of the chicken, onions, and bell pepper. Serve.

    Video

    Notes

    Use your favorite side dishes and dips with this chicken if you prefer something else for your shawarma plate.
    The nutritional information in the card is for the chicken and the cucumber salad as they serve 4 and the other recipes differ. The nutritional information for a serving of each of those are below. You can find more information by going directly to those blogs posts.
    Nutrition for ¼ cup Hummus:
    146kcal Carbohydrates: 16g Protein: 6g Fat: 7g Fiber: 5g
    Nutrition for Toum (⅛ of the recipe):
    225kcal Carbohydrates: 2g Protein: 1g Fat: 28g
    Nutrition for Mediterranean Couscous (⅙ of the recipe)
    94kcal Carbohydrates: 13g Protein: 2g Fat: 4g Fiber: 1g Sugars: 1g

    Nutrition

    Calories: 219kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 37gFat: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 5g

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used.

    Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
    Keyword 20 minute meals
    Have you tried a recipe? Tag @pipercooksblog or tag #pipercooksblog!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

    A chicken shawarma plate with chicken, pita, sauces, couscous and cucumber salad.

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    A chicken shawarma plate with chicken, pita, sauces, couscous and cucumber salad.

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    Hi, I’m Jacqueline Piper and I’m all about the homemade because I love to make things. From 15 minute meals for your weeknight dinner to more effort for special dinners and desserts on the weekend, I’ll show you how to cook from scratch. We’ll do healthy and we’ll do delicious, everything from kale to chocolate with beautiful, fresh ingredients. Search my recipes for your cravings, because we can make it!

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