Name: Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 pounds (900g) chicken thighs, (skinless and boneless); 1 cup (240g) natural yogurt (full-fat); 2 cloves garlic (, minced); Small piece fresh ginger (, minced (optional)); 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tsp salt; 2 tsp cayenne pepper (, add more if you like it spicy); 2 tsp paprika; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground cardamon; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp ground cloves; 1 cup (240g) Greek yogurt; 2 tbsp tahini (stir first); 2 tbsp olive oil (, extra virgin); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 garlic clove minced; 1 tsp salt or to taste; ⅓ cup (80ml) olive oil (, extra virgin); 1 tbsp lemon juice (, or to taste); 2 cloves garlic; 1 bunch fresh cilantro ((coriander)); 1 jalapeño (, seeds removed); ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp ground cardamom; ½ tsp ground cumin; pinch red pepper flakes

Air fryer chicken sharwama served with flatbreads, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, pickles

What Is Chicken Shawarma

Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern street food. Layers of marinated meat are stacked on a vertical rotisserie, slowly cooked and then shaved to serve in a wrap.

It is not unlike my favorite, Greek Gyro, which is also cooked on a rotisserie. Shawarma derives from the Turkish word çevirme which means “turning” and “gyros” also means turning in Greek.

Despite their similarities, these are two distinct recipes with their own flavor profile – both incredibly delicious!

Since a vertical rotisserie is not possible for home cooking I have adapted the recipe to make Shawarma in the Air Fryer. Prepare to drool when the aroma of the chicken hits your nostrils!

Air Fryer chicken sharwama on a plate with flatbreads and other fixings

Ingredients in Chicken Shawarma

Chicken – boneless chicken thighs are perfect for this recipe and generally cheaper than chicken breast too.

Shawarma Marinade

Natural yogurt
Minced garlic and ginger (I know the ginger is not really traditional so feel free to leave out)
Spices – cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, turmeric and cardamom. If this sounds like a long list you can pick up a Sharwama spice blend to use instead.
Lemon juice
Olive oil – you can leave the olive oil out or just use a cooking spray to make this recipe Slimming World friendly.

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma

Marinate the Chicken / Prep Ahead

Mix together all the marinade ingredients. Add to the chicken thighs and turn them over a few times so that they are well coated. If you have time, marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge for maximum flavor. A pyrex dish is great for marinating.

Sharwama marinade and chicken in the marinade collage

Cook the Chicken

Preheat the air fryer to 180° (350°F). Pile the chicken into a deep container and cover tightly with foil, pressing down to compress the chicken.
Cook, covered with foil, for 40-60 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and registers 167°F (75°C) on a meat thermometer.

Chicken sharwama inan air fryer before and after cooking

A digital thermometer displaying 25.0°C lies on a marble surface next to a large knife, a carving fork, and a small bowl of herbs and coarse salt—perfect for prepping Air Fryer Chicken Sharwama.

Drain any liquid that has been released. Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest for about 5 minutes. Slice the chicken into thin strips.

Add back into the air fryer, directly into the basket this time and cook for about 5 minutes at 190°C (375°F) to get crispy edges.

Sliced chicken sharwama in an air fryer basket

How to Serve Shawarma

Pile the sliced chicken on flatbreads with the yogurt sauce, sliced lettuce, pickles, onions and tomatoes. Optional but delicious: zhoug or hot sauce and fries.

Alternatively serve a portion of chicken with a salad like Tabbouleh, with other Middle Eastern favorites such as Falafel, or simply with a green salad. Absolutely scrumptious!

Recipe Tips

The chicken releases a lot of juices while it cooks so I prefer to cook it in a container within the Air Fryer. The juices are drained once the chicken is cooked.
If you have an Air Fryer that has a grill option (such as my Chefree Air Fryer / Indoor Grill) then you can thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and cook them on the grill for about 30 minutes at 190° (375°F) turning a few times so that they char evenly.
Replace the long list of spices listed in the marinade with 2-3 tablespoons of Shawarma Spice Blend.
Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes at 375°F (190°).
Cook in the oven: Preheat to 350°F (180°C). Prepare in the the same way as the recipe method and cook for 40 minutes.

Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma

This Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma recipe is everything! Easy to prepare, outrageously delicious and so versatile. Simply marinate chicken thighs in a Sharwama spice mixture and air fry until the chicken is tender with hard-to-resist crispy bits. Prep a day ahead to allow for the chicken to absorb the wonderful flavors of the marinade.

Serves 4

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 1 hour

Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma

What Is Chicken Shawarma