Baked Chicken Shawarma Sheet Pan Recipe Is a Fantastic High-Protein Dinner by Donna John

Shawarma is a dish that originated in the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) in the 18th or 19th century. Shawarma means "turning" in Arabic, which makes sense because traditional shawarma is stacked and cooked on a rotisserie. This delicious chicken shawarma recipe uses an easier cooking method that's more accessible to us everyday home cooks: baking. This sheet pan chicken recipe was simple to prep and turned out amazing. The chicken dinner is full of Middle Eastern spices, juicy and can be eaten in so many different ways.

To make this gluten-free, high-protein baked chicken shawarma recipe you will need boneless, skinless chicken thighs, a red onion, lemons for juicing, olive oil, fresh garlic, sea salt, black pepper, ground cumin, paprika, ground turmeric and optional crushed red pepper flakes for a little kick. The chicken is marinated in the oil, juice and spices before being baked on a sheet pan. You can take an optional step of slicing and crisping the chicken up in a skillet.

The chicken can be served whole with the onions over rice, quinoa or any grain. You could also slice it up and serve it with naan or pita bread, stuff it into a tortilla for a wrap or use it in a salad. This chicken is packed with flavor and will be on dinner repeat. I served mine over a quinoa/seed mix with roasted cauliflower and a garden salad. The chicken would be wonderful served with tzatziki, cucumbers and pickled red onions.

This chicken is a great meal prep recipe. Put it into meal prep containers with your favorite sides.

Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Prep Time: 5  minutes plus time to marinate
Cook Time: 30 to 40 minutes
Total Time: 35 to 45 minutes 
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges

Marinade

• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika (I used sweet Hungarian paprika)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put all the marinade ingredients into a plastic zipper bag or shallow baking dish. (I put the spent lemons into the marinade too, and removed them when adding the onion.)
   
2. Stir to combine. Add the chicken and make sure it's thoroughly coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12.
   
3. Right before cooking, toss the onion in the marinade to coat.
   
4. Put the chicken and onion in a single layer onto a baking sheet. (I covered my baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup. You also could use aluminum foil.)
   
5. Bake in a preheated 425-degree F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is browned and cooked through.
   
6. Remove the chicken from the oven. It is ready to eat now, or you can take an extra step for crispier chicken.
   
7. Let the chicken rest for a couple minutes, then slice it into pieces and cook in a little olive oil in a skillet until it crisps up. (I preferred the chicken crisped up in the skillet, but my husband liked it served whole, skipping that step. It's great either way!)
   
8. Serve the chicken whole or sliced with the onions as desired. (I sprinkled the cooked chicken with some parsley flakes for a little color. You could also use fresh parsley.)
   

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