Baked Chicken Shawarma

Middle Eastern foods rely on an abundance of spices and seasonings to create richly flavored food. Shawarma usually involves a stack of meat on a grill, but this recipe calls for a layer of chicken thighs on a sheet pan, in the oven. Use the broiler briefly, at the end of the baking time, to achieve extra flavor from the light char. Chicken can be served on steamed white rice, or sliced and served in a pita or flatbread with tomatoes, lettuce, and your favorite tzatziki or tahini sauce.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 479 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium lemons, juiced
• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 4 tablespoons finely minced fresh garlic
• 4 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 large onions, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, turmeric, and cinnamon in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and gently squeeze ingredients together until they are well blended. Add chicken thighs to the bag, squeeze out most of the air, seal, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Lightly grease a 12x18-inch baking sheet. Spread onion slices over the bottom; add chicken thighs on top.

Step 3

Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven, about 30 minutes. Switch on the broiler and move rack closer to the broiler. Broil chicken until a light char develops, 2 to 3 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Garnish with parsley.