Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma

The Best Chicken Shawarma recipe is jam-packed with amazing Mediterranean flavor! A hands-off slow cooker recipe, it’s freezer-friendly, and perfect as leftovers! Enjoy as a chicken shawarma wrap with fresh homemade pita bread, pickled red onions, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, and a side of hummus.

I’ve been making Greek night with a combination of Instant Pot yellow rice, Greek pasta salad, grilled chicken that’s been marinating in my homemade Greek salad dressing, and a big green salad using up the rest of the dressing.

But not too long ago, I wanted a different Mediterranean taste.

Something a bit easier, less hand-on, and easier to make a lot of so I can cook less later on in the week.

That’s how I found this chicken shawarma recipe!

Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Now, you could technically pick up some of Trader Joe’s chicken shawarma (aka shawarma), but you’d be missing out because this chicken shawarma recipe is:

• JAM-PACKED, tender chicken with amazing flavor and texture.
• Hands off and made in the slow cooker!
• Freezer-friendly – both uncooked and after cooking.
• Versatile and excellent as leftovers – whether you serve as-is or tucked in a pita or on top of a salad, you can’t go wrong!

Chicken Shawarma Ingredients

There are a lot of spices in this recipe, but you likely have all of them, so don’t get overwhelmed. And once you mix them all up, you just dump them in the slow cooker!

• Cumin
• Paprika
• Clove
• Turmeric
• Granulated garlic
• Cinnamon
• Cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes)
• Salt
• Lemon juice
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (or chicken thighs)

Note: Notice that my recipe does NOT call for olive oil or Greek yogurt. Yogurt is super common among Mediterranean-style dishes, but I didn’t think the yogurt added anything significant to this recipe in my testing.

If it doesn’t make the recipe better, why waste the money by using the ingredient?

(See the recipe card for complete ingredient amounts)

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma

Step 1: Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken, and sprinkle the spices evenly over the meat.

Step 2: Cook on high for 2 hours for boneless skinless chicken breasts, 3 hours for boneless skinless chicken thighs. You can also cook the chicken breasts on low for 4 hours, and the chicken thighs on low for 6 hours.

Step 3: Slice the chicken, or shred the chicken using two forks (use your KitchenAid mixer for this hack!), and serve immediately.

Chicken Shawarma Recipe FAQs

Variations on Chicken Shawarma

Use the spice blend as a seasoning for roasted potatoes or vegetables.

Make Oven-roasted Chicken Shawarma: Combine the spices and chicken in a large bowl, toss together well, then layer the chicken in a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Make Grilled Chicken Shawarma: Use the spice blend from this recipe, and the juice of 1 lemon, as a chicken shawarma marinade for grilled chicken shawarma on the grill!

1. Set your grill or skillet to medium-high heat.
2. Use skewers and place about 4-5 sliced chicken pieces on each skewer (depending on size of skewer).
3. Grill the chicken skewers until cooked through and slightly charred, being sure to turn them throughout cooking. 10 to 12 minutes total.

Crisp up the chicken in the oven: If you want your chicken shawarma to have a crispy outside, layer the cooked chicken on a baking sheet and place the pan under the broiler for 3 minutes. Then serve using the suggestions below!

Make Beef Shawarma: Follow the recipe instructions as written, substituting a 3lb chuck roast or shoulder roast for the chicken.

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma

I mentioned earlier that we like to serve this with other Mediterranean dishes on the table, but if I have extra time, I’d make a batch of homemade pita bread for sure and serve chicken shawarma like you would lamb gyros!

Tuck some shredded chicken shawarma inside a pita, add some sliced red onion, sliced tomato, diced cucumbers, a bit of lettuce, a smear of homemade hummus (or tahini sauce), and a dollop of tzatziki sauce (or yogurt sauce), and JUST LIKE THAT, you’ve got Mediterranean for dinner!

More Easy Mediterranean Recipes

• Greek Pasta Salad
• Mediterranean Grilled Cheese
• Greek Quinoa Salad
• Greek Couscous