How to Make Grilled Chicken Shawarma

By The Mediterranean Dish · 60 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Make the marinade: in a large bowl, whisk the shawarma spice blend (all 1/4 cup), the extra virgin olive oil (about 1/3 cup) and the lemon juice until well combined.
2. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, add them to the bowl and toss to coat well. Tuck in the onion rounds, leaving them whole.
3. Refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight if you have time; otherwise leave at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes while the grill heats.
4. Slide a thick onion slice onto the vertical spit and push it down to the base. Add the chicken one piece at a time, changing the direction of each piece, and put sliced onion between every 2 to 3 pieces of chicken. Add the Roma tomato at the top if using.
5. Heat the grill to 375°F (190°C), or medium-high.
6. Set the spit base over indirect heat and close the lid. After 30 minutes, open the grill, turn the spit base 90 degrees and baste the chicken with the drippings. Close the lid and cook another 30 minutes. Repeat as needed until the chicken is well charred outside and the thickest part near the skewer reads 160°F (71°C), about 1 1/2 hours.
7. Let the chicken rest a few minutes at room temperature until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Thinly slice the chicken from top to bottom, rotating the spit, until all the chicken and onions have fallen into the pan under the spit.
8. Serve on a large platter with the large tomatoes (sliced into wedges), Persian cucumbers (sliced into rounds), pickled onions, Kalamata olives and pickles, with pita and tahini alongside.

Summarized from The Mediterranean Dish's video. Watch it for the details.