Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma

Tender chicken thighs marinated in warm spices—cumin, paprika, and turmeric—emerge from the oven with crispy, caramelized edges and juicy interiors. Bright lemon juice and garlic create a bold, aromatic coating that tastes like it took hours but comes together in under an hour. Perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep, this crowd-pleasing shawarma rivals the takeout version.

Ingredients

2 lemons, juiced

½ cup plus 1 tbsp olive oil

6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and minced

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp paprika

½ tsp turmeric

A pinch of ground cinnamon

Crushed red pepper, to taste

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 large red onion, peeled and quartered

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 425°F. Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp at the edges, and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits. To make the chicken even more crisp, set a large pan over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the sliced chicken, and sauté until everything curls tight in the heat.

Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, white sauce, hot sauce, olives, fried eggplant, feta, rice — really anything you desire.