Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma Recipe
This Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma recipe offers a flavorful and tender Middle Eastern-inspired dish that is effortlessly made in your slow cooker. Marinated with a blend of aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, and cinnamon, the chicken absorbs deep, rich flavors while cooking low and slow. Perfect for a hands-off meal, the shredded chicken is ideal for serving in pita bread with fresh vegetables and your favorite sauces for an authentic shawarma experience at home.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
Additional
- 1 large red onion, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice until well combined to create a flavorful marinade.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs to the marinade, turning to coat each piece thoroughly. For best results, let the chicken marinate for at least 15 minutes or refrigerate overnight to develop deeper flavors.
- Layer Onion and Chicken in Slow Cooker: Place the sliced red onion evenly across the bottom of your slow cooker. Arrange the marinated chicken thighs over the bed of onions in a single layer.
- Slow Cook the Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4 hours, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender enough to shred easily with a fork.
- Shred and Serve: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks or slice as desired. Serve warm with pita bread, fresh vegetables, and your favorite sauces such as tahini or garlic sauce for an authentic shawarma meal.
Notes
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator.
- You can substitute chicken breasts if preferred, but thighs provide a juicier result.
- Serving suggestions include warm pita bread, fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, pickles, and garlic sauce or tzatziki.
- If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook the chicken in a covered oven-safe dish at 325°F (163°C) for about 1 hour until tender.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Keywords: chicken shawarma, slow cooker chicken, Middle Eastern chicken, slow cooker shawarma, easy chicken shawarma recipe, slow cooked chicken thighs
