Shawarma

Name: Shawarma
Prep time: 14 min
Cook time: 26 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Egyptian
Ingredients: 1 kg Chicken Thighs; 1 tbs Coriander; 1 tbs Cumin; 1 tbs Cardamom; 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper; 2 tsp Paprika; 2 tbs Lemon Juice; 3 tbs Olive Oil; 1 cup Greek Yogurt; 1 Garlic Clove; 1 tsp Cumin; Splash Lemon Juice; Sliced Lettuce; Sliced Tomato; 6 Pita Bread

By The Spice & Simmer Kitchen · Published May 3, 2026

A one-pot Chicken recipe with Egyptian flavors, built for busy weeknights when you want real food without a sink full of dishes. Comes together in roughly 65 minutes, serves about 4, and uses ingredients you can find at any normal grocery store. The technique is simple: build a base in your pot, layer in the main ingredients, simmer until everything has had time to talk to each other, and serve straight from the pan. If you're cooking for picky eaters, this one tends to land — the flavors are recognizable, the texture is comforting, and there's nothing weird hiding in the ingredient list. Perfect for the kind of evening where you want dinner on the table by 7pm and the kitchen empty by 7:30.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings · 40 min total

1 kg Chicken Thighs
1 tbs Coriander
1 tbs Cumin
1 tbs Cardamom
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 tsp Paprika
2 tbs Lemon Juice
3 tbs Olive Oil
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1 Garlic Clove
1 tsp Cumin
Splash Lemon Juice
Sliced Lettuce
Sliced Tomato
6 Pita Bread

Step-by-step instructions

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag (or bowl).
Add the chicken and use your hands to make sure each piece is coated. If using a ziplock bag, I find it convenient to close the bag then massage the bag to disperse the rub all over each chicken piece.
Marinate overnight or up to 24 hours.
Combine the Yoghurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover and put in the fridge until required (it will last for 3 days in the fridge).
Heat grill/BBQ (or large heavy based pan on stove) on medium high. You should not need to oil it because the marinade has oil in it and also thigh fillets have fat. But if you are worried then oil your hotplate/grill. (See notes for baking) Place chicken on the grill and cook the first side for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely charred, then turn and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes (the 2nd side takes less time).
Remove chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
TO SERVE Slice chicken and pile onto platter alongside flatbreads, Salad and the Yoghurt Sauce.
To make a wrap, get a piece of flatbread and smear with Yoghurt Sauce. Top with a bit of lettuce and tomato and Chicken Shawarma. Roll up and enjoy!

Why this works on a weeknight

Shawarma lands at about 40 minutes total — a little longer than our 30-minute target, but most of that time is hands-off simmering, which is why it earned a spot in our Skillet & One-Pan collection. The technique is forgiving, the ingredient list is grocery-store standard, and the active cooking time is short enough that you can answer a text message in the middle without ruining dinner.

Cleanup notes

This is a single-pan recipe, so the cleanup is exactly one pan, one cutting board, and one knife. While the dish rests, fill the pan with hot soapy water — by the time you are done eating, the residue lifts off with a single pass of a sponge. Skip the steel wool on cast iron; a stiff brush and warm water are all you need to keep the seasoning intact.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a dry pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce. Shawarma actually improves overnight as the flavors keep talking to each other, so doubling the recipe and packing tomorrow's lunch is a high-leverage weeknight move.

Filed under 🥘 Skillet & One-Pan Chicken Egyptian