Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma Recipe
This Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma recipe offers tender, flavorful chicken thighs marinated in Middle Eastern spices and slow-cooked with onions for an effortless dinner. Perfectly spiced and easy to prepare, it’s ideal for serving with pita, fresh vegetables, and sauces for a delicious homemade shawarma experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes plus marinating time
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
Vegetables
- 1 large red onion, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, minced garlic, ground cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice to create the flavorful marinade base.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add the boneless skinless chicken thighs to the marinade and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and let marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator to enhance the flavors.
- Arrange in Slow Cooker: Place the sliced red onion in the bottom of the slow cooker, spreading evenly. Layer the marinated chicken thighs on top of the onions to ensure even cooking and flavor infusion.
- Slow Cook the Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and tender enough to shred easily.
- Shred and Serve: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred or slice as desired. Serve the shawarma warm with pita bread, fresh vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers, and your favorite sauces such as tahini or garlic sauce.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken overnight will result in more intense flavor.
- Use chicken thighs for juicier, more tender meat compared to chicken breasts.
- If you prefer, you can use chicken breasts but reduce slow cooking time to avoid drying out.
- Serve with traditional accompaniments like hummus, tabbouleh, or pickled vegetables for an authentic touch.
- Leftover shawarma can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
Keywords: chicken shawarma, slow cooker recipes, Middle Eastern chicken, easy dinner, slow cooked chicken thighs, shawarma marinade
