Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma
Slow cooker chicken shawarma is marinated in the perfect mixture of spices and slow cooked until incredibly tender, flavorful and delicious. Serve with pitas, over rice or hummus, or in a salad or grain bowl.
Yield: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced thick (about ½ inch pieces)
For the marinade:
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (or regular paprika as a substitute)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or plastic bag. Add the chicken thighs and mix well to coat all of the chicken in the marinade. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Add the onion slices to the slow cooker insert. Add the marinated chicken on top of the onions, with as much of the marinade as you can get out of the bowl/bag.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken thighs and roughly chop the chicken. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir until well mixed with the sauce and the onions. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to help the chicken absorb the juices and flavor.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Chicken: The recipe calls for chicken thighs and I highly recommend using them. They have the extra fat, flavor and meatiness that is associated with chicken shawarma. (But you can substitute chicken breasts or use a combination if you really want.)
Marinade: This recipe calls for at least a 4-hour marinade, so please plan accordingly. That marinade time is critical. You can marinate this in the morning then start it at lunchtime or in the afternoon. Or you can marinate it overnight the night before.
Onion: I adore the tender onion slices mixed in with the chicken. However, you can skip the onion if you’re not a fan. (Or cook the chicken with them but remove the onions when serving.)
Serving ideas:
- Stuff the chicken into a pita pocket or wrap along with some hummus or tzatziki, lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Serve over steamed rice (white, brown, basmati or yellow rice) with a side salad. (We love a marinated cucumber and tomato salad with this. Recipe coming soon!)
- Add the cooked chopped or shredded chicken to a plate of hummus and serve with pita bread.
- Serve the shawarma chicken as the protein in a rice bowl or salad bowl, along with your favorite veggies and sauces for topping.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 185mg | Sodium: 488mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g
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