Chicken Shawarma Bites are juicy, tender, and packed full of flavor! Inspired by the popular Middle Eastern street food, these chicken bites are smothered with spices, brightened with lemon, and then baked until perfect. Easy and delicious!
Be prepared for your kitchen to smell amazing when you make this chicken shawarma recipe! The Middle Eastern inspired combination of shawarma spices – cumin, paprika, turmeric, and cinnamon – add SO MUCH FLAVOR to this chicken.
I love making chicken bites, and have shared many chicken bite recipes over the years! We’ve got baked chicken bites and sautéed ones like these garlic butter chicken bites. I love both cooking methods, but sometimes I just really love using the oven. It’s hands-off – no cooking over the stove – and the result is juicy, perfectly cooked chicken, every time.
Serve these Chicken Shawarma Bites with veggies like cucumber, crisp red bell pepper, tomato, and red onion. I like to load up my plate with rice and shawarma chicken, then sprinkle it with feta and nestle some veggies and a warm pita alongside. Tzatziki sauce is delicious with these chicken shawarma bites, too!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- So simple to make – Just cut up the chicken, toss it with the schwarma spices, and bake. It’s that easy!
- Perfect for meal prep – Whip up a double batch for schwarma spice goodness all week long! Make chicken schwarma bowls, wrap them in pita, or serve them with crisp veggies and tzatziki.
- Special diet friendly – This easy chicken schwarma recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and lower in carbs!
What is Shawarma?
Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish that’s often served as street food. It consists of highly spiced meat, often lamb but also sometimes chicken or beef. Traditionally it’s sliced, piled up, then cooked on a vertical spit, then the flavorful outside is sliced off and served directly off the rotisserie
Recipe Notes
This Chicken Shawarma Bites recipe is as simple as promised! Just 9 ingredients and 25 minutes for a family friendly dinner.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Chicken Shawarma Bites to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken – You’ll need two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast (thighs will work, too)
- Lemon – Fresh lemon juice is a key ingredient in this chicken schwarma recipe. You’ll need the juice of one lemon.
- Olive oil – Use your favorite brand. Baking these chicken schwarma bites in olive oil helps ensure moist, juicy chicken.
- Garlic – Lots of garlic for lots of flavor! You’ll need 6 fresh cloves of garlic, finely minced.
- Salt & pepper
- Spices – Cumin, paprika, turmeric, and cinnamon
- Crushed red pepper – I like to use a small amount, but if you prefer a spicier chicken schwarma seasoning, feel free to increase the amount.
- Parsley – Finely diced and served over the top for a pop of color and flavor.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Spicy Chicken Shawarma Bites– Double, triple, or even quadruple the crushed red pepper flakes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Shawarma Steak Bites– Swap in bite-size pieces of New York strip steak or ribeye steak for the chicken.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Chicken Shawarma Bites.
Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Place chicken pieces into a large baking dish.
Add the lemon, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.
Stir the chicken until well-coated.
Bake until the chicken is fragrant and cooked through.
Recipe Tips
- Briefly freeze the chicken – Set the chicken in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before cutting into pieces. The cold will help firm up the chicken and make it easier to slice.
- Cut the chicken into even pieces – It doesn’t have to be perfect, but if the chicken is all roughly the same size, it will cook evenly and be done at the same time.
- Check the temp – As insurance that your chicken schwarma bites are cooked through, check the temperature with a meat thermometer. Insert the probe into the center of the thickest piece of chicken. If it’s 165°F, it’s done.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Prep ahead – Assemble the chicken bites up to the point of baking, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Use a spice blend – Some stores sell shawarma spice blend. Use a tablespoon of spice blend instead of having to measure out individual spices.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this Chicken Shawarma Bites recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To freeze before cooking
- Place chicken in a freezer bag and toss with all ingredients except for the lemon juice.
- Label and freeze.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Squeeze lemon in and mix it around until well-distributed.
- Bake as directed.
How to Freeze Chicken Shawarma Bites After Cooking
- Bake as directed then let cool to room temp.
- Transfer to a freezer bag or airtight freezer-safe container.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat in the microwave or in a covered dish in the oven.
What to Serve with Chicken Shawarma Bites
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of Middle Eastern food, it will pair well with many of your favorite Mediterranean-inspired side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Lemon Rice
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Classic Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Honey-Whipped Feta Dip
- Greek Layer Dip
Chicken Shawarma Bites Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Chicken Shawarma Bowls– Add leftover chicken schwarma bites to a bowl with rice, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, and tzatziki.
- Chicken Shawarma Wraps– Spread tzatziki sauce inside a pita and load it up with leftover chicken shawarma bites. Top with sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and lettuce.
Recipe FAQ’s
What is shawarma chicken made of?
Traditional shawarma chicken is made by piling chicken on a vertical spit and covering it with spices. The flavorful outside of the chicken is sliced off and served
How healthy is chicken shawarma?
This chicken shawarma is packed with protein and cooked in healthy fat (olive oil).
More EASY Chicken Bites Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Honey BBQ Chicken Bites
- Garlic Chicken Bites
- Ranch Chicken Bites
- Bang Bang Chicken Bites
- Easy Teriyaki Chicken Bites
Baked Chicken Shawarma Bites
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ cup olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch. Place in a large baking dish.
- Add the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes to the chicken. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Bake for 12-16 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165˚F internal temp.). Remove from oven and toss with fresh parsley.
- These can be served on their own, in a pita, or over rice. I like to serve any of these options with sliced cucumber tomato, onion, and tzatziki.
Recipe Notes
- Pita
- Rice
- Tzatziki
- Cucumber
- Tomato
- Red onion
- Feta cheese
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