This Chicken Shawarma is off the charts for effort vs output. Just a handful of everyday spices, a splash of olive oil and squeeze of lemon transform into the most incredible flavour.  It’s a sure-fire crowd pleaser for even the fussiest of eaters!

This is the next instalment in my “Arabian Feast” series! This is my “go to” main dish when I’m entertaining for large groups because whether you’re making it for 4 or 40, it takes 5 minutes to prepare the marinade for the chicken then I leave the men to take charge of the grill while I sip wine with the girls.

“The chicken takes 5 minutes to prepare, whether you are making it for 4 or 40.”

I have a theory that a lot of people love the flavours of Middle Eastern food but are not sure how to combine spices to achieve the aromatic flavour that is so unique to the region. It always surprises me when I make a Middle Eastern dish that I usually have most of the ingredients in my pantry and all I need is to get the fresh produce. But thinking it through, it makes sense because the spices that are most commonly used in Middle Eastern dishes are spices like coriander, cumin, cinnamon and paprika which are pantry essentials in most households (I think).

So I think Chicken Shawarma is a great example of Middle Eastern dish that showcases how a handful of everyday ingredients can be combined together for an incredible flavour that smells and tastes so exotic!

I can no longer find the blog from which I sourced the original recipe about 7 years or so ago. The original recipe required “Grill Seasoning” which differs depending on where you live (and even brand to brand) so I made adjustments to exclude it. That way the spice rub will produce a consistent flavour.

Because the chicken has so much flavour and if you use thigh fillets as I do, then it will be nice and juicy as well so you won’t need a sauce on the side. But I have provided a Yoghurt Sauce in the recipe which is my standard sauce I use for most Middle Eastern dishes I make.

I like to serve this with flatbreads and a simple salad (like this Shredded Red Cabbage Carrot Salad which is pictured). Usually I use the flatbreads to make wraps (DIY style – I lay it all out on a platter).

This recipe is part of an Arabian Feast I recently made. 7 dishes that took 1 hour to prepare – 3 starters, 2 meat dishes (including this Chicken Sharwarma ) plus 2 salads (including the red cabbage salad pictured). I’ll be doing a post on the menu soon but here’s a little preview for you!