Simple Chicken Shawarma (Syrian-Style)

Who doesn’t love shawarma? It’s one of those dishes that I find myself craving from time to time, but nothing beats making it at home. Shawarma marination varies depending on where you are—from Jordanian and Lebanese to Turkish, Greek, and Saudi. The list goes on! But my personal favorite has to be the Syrian version. The aroma of orange in the marination brings me so much joy, and it’s what makes this recipe stand out.

This is my absolute favorite shawarma recipe, and I truly hope you enjoy it as much as I do. One thing I can’t skip when making this is the tahina sauce—it’s an essential part of the experience. So, no matter what, don’t skip the tahina! Trust me, it makes all the difference.

Serves: 4-6

Preparation Time: 20 minutes (plus 4-7 hours for marination)

Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Marination Ingredients:

• 1 orange (cut into cubes, with skin)

• 1 lemon (cut into cubes, with skin)

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon sweet pepper paste

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

  Ground spices:

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon curry powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 2 teaspoons salt

Chicken

500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts, cut into thin slices

Marination Instructions:

1. In a blender, combine the orange, lemon (with skin), garlic, tomato paste, sweet pepper paste, olive oil, vinegar, and all the ground spices. Blend until smooth.

2. Pour the marinade over the sliced chicken, making sure it's well-coated. Place in a sealed bag or container, and refrigerate for 4-7 hours.

Sides:

Tomato Salad:

• 2 tomatoes (chopped small)

• 1 tablespoon chopped white onion

• 1 clove garlic (minced)

• Fresh coriander (chopped)

• Lemon juice and olive oil to taste

• Optional: 1 teaspoon pomegranate paste (if available)

Mix all ingredients for a quick, fresh salad.

Tahina Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons tahina

• 1 tablespoon yogurt

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin to taste

• Water to thin as needed

Mix until smooth and creamy.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.

2. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and golden brown.

3. Warm pita or Arabic bread.

Let everyone assemble their own shawarma wraps using the pita bread and their choice of toppings.