Recipes with Raviv: Episode 13 - Chicken Shawarma
Brought to you by The Crown Market – Your One-Stop Shop for Kosher Cooking in West Hartford
Welcome back to Recipes with Raviv, where tradition meets taste, and every week we bring a beloved dish to life in your kitchen. This week, let’s whip up a Crown Market staple; chicken shawarma!
An iconic Mediterranean classic, chicken shawarma is a shockingly versatile dish. It’s wonderful warm with fried rice, cold with an Israeli chopped salad, in a wrap or pita bread - the sky is the limit!
Crown Market Shopping List:
All ingredients are certified kosher and available now at The Crown Market.
You can either shop in store or online through Instacart! We’ve linked the items within the shopping list so you don’t even need to leave your couch.
Chicken shawarma is said to have originated in the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) during the 19th century. The cooking technique evolved from the Turkish döner kebab and spread across the Levant region (including Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine), where it was adapted into the beloved street food known today.The term shawarma comes from the Arabic translation of the Turkish word çevirme, which means "turning". This refers to the traditional method of slowly roasting seasoned meat stacked on a vertical rotating spit. While it was originally made with lamb or mutton, chicken shawarma became incredibly popular in Arab nations and globally due to its lighter flavor and versatility with spices.
There are two ways chicken shawarma can be prepared in the home; either with a shawarma pan, as Debbie uses in the video, or with a loaf pan in the oven. While the shawarma pan is most ideal for creating the authentic technique, you can easily recreate the effect with a loaf pan, layering the chicken thighs on top of each other to simulate the stack needed for the juices to flow over the meat.
As Seen on TV!
More of a visual learner? Watch the video below for an in-depth tutorial with Debbie on Great Day Connecticut!
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
Begin by patting the chicken dry with paper towels. Removing excess moisture helps the seasoning adhere better and encourages beautiful browning during cooking.
Place the chicken into a large mixing bowl or a resealable plastic bag.
Step 2: Season and Marinate
Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and add your shawarma seasoning blend along with any additional spices you enjoy. Toss thoroughly to ensure every piece is evenly coated.
For the best flavor, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. If time allows, marinate overnight. The longer the chicken sits in the spices, the deeper and more developed the flavor will become.
Step 3: Assemble the Shawarma Stack
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Thread the marinated chicken onto the spindle of a shawarma pan, stacking the pieces tightly together. This method helps the chicken retain moisture while creating the signature shawarma texture and appearance.
Step 4: Roast
Place the shawarma pan into the preheated oven and roast for 20–30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer.
Cooking times may vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken pieces. If desired, finish under the broiler for 2–3 minutes to achieve extra browning and crispy edges.
Step 5: Rest and Serve
Remove the shawarma from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. This helps the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
Using a sharp knife, shave thin slices from the outside of the shawarma stack.
Serve warm in pita bread, laffa, wraps, over rice, or on top of a fresh salad. Garnish with tahini, hummus, Israeli salad, pickles, amba, or your favorite shawarma toppings.
Here’s a printable version:
Debbie's Tip
For the most authentic shawarma experience, use chicken thighs rather than breast meat. Their higher fat content keeps the chicken tender and juicy while developing the rich flavor shawarma is known for.
Serving Suggestions
Pair your chicken shawarma with:
Israeli salad
Hummus and tahini
Pickled vegetables
Yellow rice or couscous
Warm pita or laffa bread
French fries tucked right into the pita, Israeli-style
Enjoy a restaurant-quality shawarma experience right from your own kitchen!
Want to know the best part about this dish? We have it EVERY DAY at our 5 O’Clock Shop! We invite you to try some in store, and if you love it, you now have all the tools you need to make it at home. Or buy it at Crown Market when you don’t feel like cooking… we got you!
Get Cooking
Visit our store this week to grab your shopping list and ingredients. Then, head to our blog or social channels to find your next favorite dish.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @TheCrownMarketWH and tag your dish with #RecipesWithRaviv—we can’t wait to see what you’re cooking!
We’re making kosher cool!
With love from The Crown Market and Debra Raviv.
