Even though it’s been 14 years since I first shared this recipe, I still believe the marinade for this Chicken Shawarma Wrap is one of the best marinades I’ve ever made. EVER. It’s so good that I find myself using it on everything! If you’ve never had a shawarma wrap before, the flavor is an interesting mix of savory garlic and sweet spices, topped with a tangy yogurt sauce and wrapped in soft flatbread. It’s pure magic and much easier to make at home than you think.
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“This recipe is in my regular rotation of BB recipes. I always chop up the chicken so it gets more marinade up the garlic in the sauce. This time I didn’t have cucumber so I subbed spinach for both that and the lettuce. So good!”
Kelsey
Easy Chicken Shawarma Wrap Recipe
Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish traditionally made from marinated meat that’s slow-roasted on a rotating spit. Lamb is a popular choice, but for my recipe, I use chicken because it’s a more accessible and budget-friendly option. I don’t have a rotating spit at home (and I’m assuming you don’t either!), so my take on this traditional recipe involves marinating the chicken and then cooking it on a grill. So while my recipe isn’t technically authentic, it’s an easy option for home cooks to try!
I mix warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves with yogurt, and let the chicken marinate in it for AT LEAST 4 hours. I even use the marinade in my roasted potato wedges with shawarma sauce recipe. So good!
Budget-Saving Tips
- I used 2 large chicken breasts as that’s what I had to hand, but chicken thighs will also work (and are usually cheaper!). The fattiness of the thighs will make these wraps taste a little more like the traditional rotisserie version, too. The marinade will work for about 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- If you don’t want to buy two different types of yogurt (plain yogurt for the marinade and Greek yogurt for the sauce), you can just use Greek yogurt for both and save some pennies. The reason I use both is that plain yogurt is thinner and works best in marinades, while Greek yogurt makes a creamier sauce. But if you’re trying to stick to one tub, Greek yogurt can totally do double duty.
Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Servings 4Ingredients
CHICKEN & MARINADE
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt ($0.76)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice ($0.32)
- 1 Tbsp garlic (minced, $0.04)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves ($0.02)
- 2 large chicken breasts (1.25 lbs, $2.67)
YOGURT SAUCE
- 7 oz plain greek yogurt ($1.52)
- 1/4 tsp garlic (minced, $0.02)
- 1/4 tsp dried dill ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
SANDWICH
- 1/2 head romaine lettuce ($0.80)
- 1 medium cucumber ($0.74)
- 2 medium roma tomatoes ($0.49)
- 1/4 red onion (optional, $0.27*)
- 4 homemade naan (pita or flatbread, $0.64**)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade (yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cinnamon, oregano, salt, nutmeg, and clove). Add chicken to the marinade, coat well, cover and refrigerate for 4-24 hours. If desired, slice the chicken into strips before marinating to maximize the flavor.
- Prepare the yogurt sauce for the sandwiches. Combine the plain Greek yogurt with the garlic, dill, and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- After marinating the chicken, grill until cooked through (I use an indoor tabletop grill; the total amount of time it'll take to cook will vary from grill to grill). Don't forget to flip your chicken over if your grill doesn't have a lid that cooks evenly from both sides (like a George Foreman grill).***
- After it's grilled, let it sit for a few minutes to let the juices redistribute and then slice it into strips (if not already sliced).
- Prepare the vegetables for the sandwich. Chop, rinse, and drain the lettuce in a colander. Wash and slice the cucumber and tomato. Slice the red onion.
- Build the sandwiches. Spread the yogurt sauce on your flat bread, top with the chicken and vegetables. Roll the sandwich closed. You can wrap the sandwich in foil to help it stay closed as you eat.
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Equipment
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- Grill
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Chicken Shawarma Step-by-Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Make the marinade: Add 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp ground cloves to a small bowl. Mix to combine.
Marinate the chicken: Coat both sides of 2 large chicken breasts in the marinade. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for 4-24 hours. You can also slice the chicken into strips before marinating to allow more flavor to permeate the chicken.
Make the yogurt sauce: While you wait for the chicken to marinate, you can make the herby yogurt sauce. Add 7 oz plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp dried dill, and 1/4 tsp salt to a mixing bowl.
Mix to combine and then store the sauce in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble your wraps.
Cook the chicken: Once the chicken has marinated for a least 4 hours, grill until the chicken is cooked through. (I’m using the Ninja Sizzle Indoor Smokeless Grill. The total amount of time it’ll take to cook will vary from grill to grill). You can also cook it in a skillet on the stovetop.
Don’t forget to flip your chicken over, unless you’re using a grill with a lid that cooks it evenly from both sides (like a George Foreman grill).
The chicken is done once it has noticeable grill marks on the outside, the juices run clear, and is no longer pink on the inside. If you’ve got a meat thermometer handy, you’re aiming for 165°F right in the thickest part. After it’s grilled, let the chicken sit for a few minutes to let the juices redistribute and then slice it into strips (if not already sliced).
Prepare the vegetables: Chop, rinse, and drain 1/2 head Romaine lettuce in a colander. Then, wash and slice 1 medium cucumber and 2 medium Roma tomatoes into rounds. Slice 1/4 red onion into thin slices.
Make the wraps: Spread the yogurt sauce on your chosen bread (naan, pita, or flatbread) and top it with the chicken and salad. Roll the wrap closed. You can also wrap it in foil or parchment paper to help it stay closed as you eat.
Serving Suggestions
I made this grilled chicken shawarma with the sole intention of making sandwich wraps, but then I started topping salads with it and eventually just snacked on the chicken plain. It’s just that good. I even divided the ingredient list in case you want to use the marinade for something else because even if you don’t want the wrap, you NEED to at least try the chicken.
If you do make the recipe as written and serve it in wraps, there are so many sides you could add! Because I’ve already got the grill on, I like to throw on some sliced zucchini, onions, or bell peppers because grilled veggies go with everything. White bean hummus is another favorite with fresh-cut vegetables, as is quinoa tabbouleh. If I want to go take-out style, I’ll make some air fryer French fries. And if you’re not in the mood for the yogurt sauce from the recipe, tzatziki is a solid swap. I like it when I want something with a little more tang and cucumber kick.
Storage Instructions
Leftover cooked shawarma chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop it back in the grill or pan until heated through. The yogurt sauce can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I’d store everything separately and assemble when ready to eat.
More Delicious Sandwich Recipes
Our Chicken Shawarma Wrap recipe was originally published 6/22/11. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 6/9/25.
I used chicken thighs and cooked in my cast iron because no grill and it was perfect. Served with flat bread, whole roasted cauliflower, and yogurt.
My husband and I are obsessed with this and keep it in our regular rotation. The garlic sauce is my husband’s favorite. I was skeptical at first (cinnamon? In CHICKEN?) but it really works and is so flavorful. I make mine with the israeli salad recipe from Tori Avey (usually scaled down for portion sizing). We cook it on our panini press (basically a giant George Foreman). This is definitely a winner.
Question, why do you cook the bread in a panni press? To warm, or crisp it?
I have a panni press & like different ideas for using it.
Also, I have a small, 4″ waffle maker & could use it to make heat/crisp small shawarma bread for appetizers.
Hi Joyce, I can only speak for myself but it’s the chicken that I cook in the George Foreman, not the bread. I don’t want to use my grill all the time, and I find that the press does a great job of cooking the chicken through.
Cinnamon and, less often, nutmeg are used in very small quantities in many Middle Eastern meat recipes. I spent years in Saudi Arabia, and can attest that the flavors of this recipe are quite similar to the delicious shwarmas we bought weekly from street vendors. The garlic sauce is sort of a tzatziki minus cucumbers, so no reason not to use cucumber in these sandwiches. Those SA wraps were very simple–seasoned beef, lamb, or chicken cooked on a vertical rotisserie; garlic sauce; and–believe it or not–strips of dill pickle, and sliced red onion. Lebanese shwarmas use pickled turnips instead of the dill pix, and those are really crunchy and delicious. I think the shwarmas we ate those many years ago used sumac or a spice mix with za’atar instead of lemon for the tart flavor. Za’atar is related to oregano–I only remember it used in conjunction with sumac, garlic, and a few other spices.
I just found your page and already it’s a hit! I wish I found it a long time ago. Meals for me are tough I’m not the world’s best cook🙄😬lol also with boys I’m on a budget but need to fill them! Everything I’ve made from your site has been raved about, but these were hands down everyone’s favourite 😍
I dont have a “foreman” so instead I did them stovetop 3 min a side and they were perfect!!!! Amazing thank you
Made this tonight and had to come back and leave a comment–it was delicious! I didn’t have naan or pita in the house (and didn’t want to make it), so I sliced some focaccia we had, drizzled w/ a little olive oil, and grilled them after I finished the chicken. It made for a very messy but delicious open-faced sandwich. Thanks, Beth, for the solid recipes time after time.
Has anyone tried making this with bone in thighs? I supposed I could de-bone them, but it seems like too much extra work for a busy mom…
I have made this before with boneless thighs and it was such a hit. Love it! Many thanks!
You’d need to remove the bone before adding it to the wrap anyway, so I think your best bet is to just debone them before cooking.
Can the chicken be broiled in the oven? No grill…
I would probably do it in a hot skillet instead of the broiler. You’ll have more control over the browning.
This recipe is in my regular rotation of BB recipes. I always chop up the chicken so it gets more marinade up the garlic in the sauce. This time I didn’t have cucumber so I subbed spinach for both that and the lettuce. So good!
This is one of my favorite recipes of yours! I’m about to pop out a baby and trying to do some freezer prep– think this would freeze okay or would the yogurt do something weird? I can’t decide.
Thanks!
Hmm, I’m actually not sure how the yogurt would react to freezing and thawing, but the vegetables will definitely be a problem. The water in the plant cells will freeze and burst the cell walls, so they’ll get limp and watery upon thawing.
Honestly I am floored by how good and authentic this tastes. I’m trying to save money by not eating out so much, and now I won’t have to worry when I crave some chicken shawarma! Couple things to try if you’re looking for variation — instead of the yogurt sauce, try mixing fresh minced garlic with mayo and using that instead, and topping a naan bread with the chicken, sauce, and thinish sliced baby dill pickles. Not as healthy, but a family favorite!
Will try this
My thirteen year old loved it and ensured there were no leftovers of your naan bread or this chicken recipe.
This is a great recipe, it would be great to see Beth update it with new photos and the slight adjustments she sometimes makes to old recipes! ;)
This one is definitely on my list! ;)
This is by far the BEST recipe I have tried from Pinterest. I’ve made this so many times that I can’t count. I was just coming back on for the recipe to marinate the chicken for tonight’s dinner. My family loves this so much! I like to serve it with your yougurt sauce and a side salad of tomato and cucumber tossed with a little vinegar and oil, topped with feta if we have it. Sometimes we do your naan or without when cutting carbs, which is great for keto! Love, love, love this, thank you!!
Tasted delicious! My only problem (which is solely my problem because I drifted from the directions), was that the marinade fell off from the chicken when I cooked it. But this was my experience cooking it on a skillet. Still, the flavor was there, but the next time I attempt this recipe I’ll use my bbq!
We paired it with your pita bread, which was a trial by error, but overall delicious! Such a great meal that felt homemade and yet simple. :)
i have ras el hanout – how much would you recommend using in place of the spices in the recipe? thanks!