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Chicken shawarma roll on a plate
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Air fryer Chicken Shawarma

This chicken shawarma is a very satisfying recipe. You can have it for lunch or dinner. It is healthy too. Chicken can be cooked in air fryer or
Course Main
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Keyword air fryer chicken shawarma, chicken shawarma
recipe air fryer chicken
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 176kcal
Author Rachna Parmar

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Chicken breasts or thighs boneless skinless
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Pepper
  • 1.5 tsp. Minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. Paprika
  • ½ tsp. Cayenne
  • 1 tsp. Ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

Tzatziki Sauce

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 Persian cucumber peeled grated and squeezed
  • 1 tbsp. dill finely chopped or use parsley
  • 1.5 tsp. Lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. Olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ tsp. Salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper

Salad

  • 2 cups lettuce shredded
  • 2 tomatoes chopped
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 1 tsp. Olive oil
  • 1 tsp. Pepper
  • 1 tsp. Lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. Salt
  • Flatbreads or Pita Bread to serve

Instructions

To prepare the chicken

  • I took chicken breasts for this recipe. Chicken thighs work equally well. Add all the ingredients mentioned under chicken and mix well. You can marinate for an hour or more or cook immediately in case you are in a rush. Marination helps in absorbing the flavours quickly.

Air Fryer Method

  • Preheat air fryer to 180C  or 360F for 3 minutes. Lightly grease the air fryer basket and spread the marinated chicken breasts in a single layer.  You could slice the breasts for faster cooking. I normally cook the breasts and then store the leftovers for cooking later.
  • Air fry for 10–12 minutes at 180C or 360F. Flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes till golden brown and cooked through. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165F.
  • Do not overcook as chicken breasts tend to dry out easily. So depending upon the size of your chicken breasts, modify the cooking time. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Take out the chicken breasts and slice them. Leftovers can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for upto 3 days.
  • Instructions to make Tzatziki Sauce
  • Assemble all the ingredients of the sauce. Peel, grate and squeeze grated cucumber so that you can get rid of all the moisture. This prevents the sauce from becoming watery.
  • Now in a bowl mix together yogurt, chopped garlic, chopped dill, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cucumber. Mix well to form the thick garlic yogurt sauce. Top with olive oil. It will keep for a week in the fridge.

Salad

  • Chop tomato and lettuce. Slice onion. You can use chopped onion too. Make a dressing of salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Just before serving, add the dressing to the salad and mix well.
  • Assembling Chicken Shawarma Roll
  • Heat a paratha or toast pita bread in a toaster. Spread tzatziki sauce all over the flatbread. Top with sliced and cooked chicken breast along with salad and serve warm.
  • If using pita bread, fill the pocket. You can also serve chicken shawarma in a Buddha bowl with rice or cooked grain. Or ditch the carbs and just have it as it is with the delicious salad that you have prepared.
  • Every which way it is so tasty and filling.

Oven Method

  • Preheat oven to 425 F. In a baking tray lined with parchment papers, place marinated chicken breasts.
  • Roast in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes till the chicken is cooked through and golden. You can flip midway if you like.
  • Use a digital thermometer to make sure that the thickest part has reached 165F temperature.
  • Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

1. Chicken thighs can be used in place of breasts for tastier chicken, but chicken breasts are leaner. So use as per your choice.
2. Marinating the chicken makes it more flavourful. You can marinate it overnight.
3. This recipe is perfect for meal prep as you can cook the chicken and store in the fridge. Same can be done for the sauce and the salad. Avoid adding salt to them so that they don’t get watery. Just assemble and have a delicious dinner ready in no time.
4. Wrap it in pita with garlic sauce, serve over rice with grilled veggies or throw it into a salad for a healthy meal option.
5. If you prefer your salad to be crisp, just use chopped crunchy veggies and skip the dressing.
6. You can add a little mayo for more creaminess to the sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 1278mg | Potassium: 720mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1615IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 3mg