Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma
You don’t need a rotating spit to enjoy the rich, spicy flavours of shawarma. This homemade, oven-baked version uses marinated chicken thighs threaded onto skewers to mimic that rotisserie effect. Slowly roasted, the chicken comes out juicy on the inside and caramelized on the outside, perfect for wrapping in flatbread.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp spicy smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 Spanish onion, halved
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and spices. Season generously with pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat well with the marinade. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.
- With the rack in the lower third, preheat the oven on convection mode to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and top with a wire rack.
- On a work surface, place 1 onion half cut-side down. Insert two 10-inch (25 cm) wood skewers into the onion with the pointed ends facing up. Working once piece at a time, thread the chicken onto the skewers. Finish with the second onion half, cut-side down.
- Place the stack of chicken on the wire rack. Insert two more skewers into the onion base, forming an “x” and threading them through holes in the wire rack to help hold the stack of chicken in place and upright as it cooks.
- Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the centre of the stack of chicken reads 165°F (74°C). The chicken should be golden on the outside but still juicy at the centre. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- On a work surface, using a very sharp knife, thinly slice the stack of chicken, working from the top down to the bottom. Remove the onion halves from the skewers (see note). Serve the chicken with salad or rice, or use in our Chicken Shawarma Sandwiches.
You don’t need a rotating spit to enjoy the rich, spicy flavours of shawarma. This homemade, oven-baked version uses marinated chicken thighs threaded onto skewers to mimic that rotisserie effect. Slowly roasted, the chicken comes out juicy on the inside and caramelized on the outside, perfect for wrapping in flatbread.