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Easy Chicken Shawarma

A delicious and healthy Middle Eastern dish featuring tender marinated chicken thighs, perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prepping.
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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Calories: 300
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Marinade
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Chicken
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil for brushing on chicken

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, cardamom, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
  2. In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and olive oil mixture. Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
Cooking
  1. After marinating, drain the chicken from the marinade.
  2. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
  3. Brush the chicken with canola oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Add the chicken to the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until fully cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
  5. Serve immediately with tzatziki sauce.

Notes

For the best flavor, marinate the chicken overnight if possible. Make sure your grill is hot enough to get good grill marks and flavor. Adjust the spices according to your taste; if you prefer more heat, add more cayenne pepper.