This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Marinated chicken thighs slow cook until tender in this Chicken Shawarma recipe. Serve piled high on pita with all the toppings and a simple cucumber yogurt sauce for an easy dinner that’s packed with flavor.
Chicken shawarma is popular in Greece and other Mediterranean and some Middle Eastern countries. Traditional shawarma is spit-roasted for several days. This slow cooker version skips that step, of course, and makes chicken shawarma an accessible recipe anyone can make. It still has that same savory flavor and using chicken thighs keeps it extra tender and juicy. So good!
Why I Love This Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Here are a few reasons why I can’t get enough of this recipe.
- Hands-off recipe. The slow cooker really does all the work in this recipe! The hands-on time to prep the marinade and the yogurt sauce is less than 15 minutes. I love marinating the chicken overnight, dumping it in the crockpot in the morning, and coming home to dinner ready to enjoy!
- Fresh & flavorful. There’s so much depth to the flavor of this chicken, from the tangy yogurt, bright citrus, and warm spices that it marinates in. Add in the yogurt sauce and the fresh veggies for serving…yum!
- The yogurt sauce! The yogurt sauce is similar to tzatziki but not quite the same. But it adds a pop of fresh flavor to the chicken shawarma. It also makes a great dip for fries and potato wedges, if you serve those as a side!
What You’ll Need
This recipe is made with chicken thighs, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and a handful of spices. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
Chicken
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless thighs for extra flavorful chicken.
- Onion – The chicken is cooked with the onions for added flavor.
- Greek yogurt – Be sure to use regular plain Greek yogurt with no added flavor.
- Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice is key! It adds acidity and flavor to the chicken.
- Garlic
- Spices – Smoked or sweet paprika, ground cumin, black pepper, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.
Yogurt Sauce
- Greek yogurt – The base of the sauce.
- Minced garlic
- Cucumber – Grate the cucumber with the small edge of a cheese grater. This helps incorporate evenly into the sauce and releases more of the flavor.
- Lemon juice – A bit of acidity that also helps thin the sauce.
- Spices – Cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- For serving – I like to serve my chicken shawarma in pitas with lettuce, red onion, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma
This slow cooker chicken shawarma is so quick and easy to prepare. Just remember to prep the chicken with plenty of time for it to marinate! The printable version of the instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Marinate the chicken. Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and marinade to a ziploc bag, ensuring the chicken is coated. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
- Cook. Add the sliced onion to the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the chicken on top. Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low.
- Chop. Once fully cooked, remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Chop it into slices then return to the slow cooker.
- Make the yogurt sauce. Combine all yogurt sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Enjoy. Assemble the chicken shawarma onto pitas with red onion, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and the yogurt sauce. Enjoy!
Tips & Variations
Here are a few helpful tips for making perfect chicken shawarma.
- Use chicken thighs. I highly recommend using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for this recipe. They stay so much more tender and juicy during the slow cooking process.
- Marinate overnight. The longer the chicken marinates, the better! Four hours is the minimum I would recommend but overnight is even better.
- How do I know when it’s done? The chicken should be tender and easy to slice. I like to double-check with an instant read thermometer. The chicken should be 165F at the thickest part.
- Add more heat. To make this chicken slightly spicier, add some more red pepper flakes to the marinade.
Chicken Shawarma Wrap
As you can see in the photos, my favorite way to serve chicken shawarma is in a gyro-style wrap with pita, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, and the yogurt sauce. It makes such a simple, fresh, and flavorful dinner!
This also makes great chicken shawarma bowls over rice, with the same ingredients. I’ll often repurpose leftovers that way!
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Store leftover chicken shawarma in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers will last for up to 3 days. Store the yogurt sauce in a separate container.
- Freezer. The chicken can also be frozen. Let cool, then place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge. The yogurt sauce does not freeze well.
- Reheat. Portions of the chicken can be reheated in the microwave.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Caprese
- Chicken Pad Thai
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Chimichurri Chicken
- French Onion Chicken Casserole
Chicken Shawarma
Marinated chicken thighs slow cook until tender in this Chicken Shawarma recipe. Serve piled high on pita with all the toppings and a simple cucumber yogurt sauce for an easy dinner that's packed with flavor.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 onion sliced
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons grated cucumber
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- For serving – Pitas, lettuce, red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients, ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 2 teaspoons smoked or sweet paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- Add the chicken thighs and marinade to a ziploc bag and refrigerate for 4 hours up to overnight.
- To the bottom of your slow cooker add the sliced onion.
- Place your marinated chicken on top of the onions.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 4-6 hours.
- Once the chicken is cooked and tender remove from the slow cooker and chop into slices.
- Place the chopped chicken back into the slow cooker.
Prepare the Yogurt Sauce
- In a mixing bowl combine the 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons grated cucumber, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flake.
- Assemble your pitas with the sauce, chicken, red onion, lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Serve!
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Nutrition
Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 647mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 476IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 2mg
Leave a Review!
We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or comment here.
Your email address will not be published.