Slow cooker chicken shawarma (aka shwarma) combines the ease of a slow cooker meal with the complex flavor of a slow-roasted middle eastern chicken feast! This is a quick version of the middle eastern favorite: the slow cooker does a lot of the work and it can be prepped ahead of time. Various serving options make this sensational paleo and gluten free dinner recipe adaptable for low carb and Whole30 compliance, too!
I’m afraid I’m going to blow your minds with this one. Or maybe I’m not; maybe I just don’t get out much anymore (I mean, have you seen the single digit highs we’ve been having in Chicago??? I’m way too wussy for this winter).
Here’s why: this slow cooker chicken shawarma recipe is…- …a healthy dinner…
- …that cooks in your slow cooker while you’re doing something else…
- … only a total of about 10-15 minutes hands on prep time…
- ..and produces a meal so flavorful that you’ll totally forget it is…
- …low carb, gluten free, and whole30 compliant.
- …also known as shwarma; by either name, it’s just as good.
How’s that for a sales pitch?
All hail the slow cooker!
It is so cliche this time of year, but I know I am not alone in relying heavily on my slow cooker this time of year. The ease with which that thing offers up comfort food; it’s practically magic. I’ve been rotating through a ton of slow cooker recipes for dinners lately, but this one is, by far, the one that has been getting the most mileage.
Like most slow cooker recipes, it’s one that can yield as much or as little food as you need. That said, I suggest doubling the recipe if you’re meal prepping, as an easy way to get a couple meals out of the least total time prepping.
I could eat chicken shawarma every day…
…and I’ve been known to. I think we had it three times last week, and I still want more. It’s no secret that I am moderately-to-let’s-face-it-extremely obsessed with middle eastern food, and I love making my own at home.
This chicken shawarma recipe is one that I kind of made up on a whim about a year ago and have been tweaking and perfecting ever since.
How to make shawarma:
I admit this is a total cheater’s shawarma (but until I achieve my dream of having my very own supply of meat on a spit in my own home, this will have to do!), and there are two parts to the cheat.
You’ll start by cooking a few boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker. You can use a mix of breasts and boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. Just don’t use all chicken thighs, which get too fatty once you fry them into shawarma. Oh, and if you prefer a longer cooking time on low heat (instead of quicker cook on high heat, as the recipe calls for), just use this easy slow cooker shredded chicken method, but don’t shred the chicken once it’s done.
Once your chicken is cooked, you’ll be ready to move on to part two, in which the shawarma-ing happens. It’s at this point that you’ll look at your cooked chicken and then back at me as though to ask “are you sure, Nora? This looks… unappetizing.” Yes, I’m sure.
Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker (discard the leftover liquid) and slice it up. Then you’ll simply fry the sliced chicken with your spice mixture, which I give you the recipe for below.
A few pointers for making shawarma:
Before you ask, you can definitely make the chicken ahead of time. Don’t worry about it getting cold; it will heat up when you finish cooking it in the pan with olive oil and a to-die-for homemade spice mix. Make the chicken the day before (or even a few days before) you plan to serve it, store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to eat, and then do the pan frying part right before your meal. You can also make the spice mixture in advance; store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
And, I’m sure you’re wondering why this recipe calls for double cooking? Well, two reasons, really.
First, so that this can be a make ahead recipe, if you want it to be, as I said above.
But also, because that is what mimics the texture of shawarma, without many hours on a rotating spit. Shawarma is made from marinated meat that is packed tightly together and slow cooked, so that the fat renders out of the cuts that have some to spare and moistens the entire cone. Yes, meat cone. The slow cooking near an open flame crisps the exposed edges so that you get some crunchy bits and some soft bits in every bite.
Frying the cooked, sliced chicken with spices adds the fat back in (from the extra virgin olive oil; this is the one I use and love) and crisps the edges (from the frying process), and flavors the whole thing with a heavy dose of seasoning mix that allows you to skip the time consuming marinating process. In order to prevent your chicken from drying out during the frying process, use a pan that just fits the amount of chicken you have, and keep the chicken pieces very close together (touching or close to it) in order to prevent too much moisture from escaping. (Yes, this is the opposite of all the frying advice you usually see!)
And a few more for serving shawarma:
As you can see in the picture, it’s not a particularly elegant food.
Chicken shawarma is, in my book, the kind of food that never stands alone, and is best enjoyed in a bowl full of lots of textures and flavors – rice, olives, sumac onions (or marinated red onion), and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice on top – with a fresh, crisp salad (I’m biased, I know, but I think my Jerusalem salad goes really well with this!) on the side to balance out the silky rice and aromatically-spiced chicken.
As for what to serve it over, rice is, as I said, my preference – and I’ll share the recipe for the turmeric rice you see in the bowl later this week or early next. But you can certainly stuff a gluten free pita bread with this shawarma to make it into a sandwich, or keep it in the bowl, but use a base of cauliflower rice to make it low carb and Whole30 compliant.
No matter how you eat it, I hope you enjoy it!
PS: Looking for more Middle Eastern recipes? How about trying:
If you pair this shawarma with Jerusalem salad and turmeric rice, it makes a perfect meal!
For a quick recipe video, click here for our new web story!
Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma
Slow cooker chicken shawarma combines the ease of a slow cooker meal with the complex flavor of a slow-roasted middle eastern chicken feast! This is a quick version of the middle eastern favorite: the slow cooker does a lot of the work and it can be prepped ahead of time. Various serving options make this sensational paleo and gluten free dinner recipe adaptable for low carb and Whole30 compliance, too!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 lbs chicken breasts , (boneless, skinless)
- 1/2 cup water
For the spice mix
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, (or garlic powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, (to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Generous pinch ground cloves
Ingredients for Frying
- 1/4 cup olive oil, (divided; you may need a little less)
Ingredients for Tahini Sauce (optional)
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons water, (or as much as you need to get your desired consistency)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- Generous pinch fine sea salt, (to taste)
Instructions
- Place chicken in the bowl of your slow cooker, and add water. Cook on high 2 hours until the chicken is cooked through (the juices run clear and the fat has rendered out of the chicken).
- When the chicken is cooked, slice each breast against the grain.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the spice mix ingredients. Set aside.
- Over medium high heat, preheat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan just large enough to hold all of the chicken in a single layer. (see cooking note below to avoid your chicken drying out!)
- Add the chicken to the skillet and sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the chicken.
- Allow the chicken to fry, without moving it, until crisp.
- Pour 1 Tablespoon more of oil over the chicken and flip the chicken, stirring gently to make sure that the chicken is well coated with the spice mix. If the chicken is starting to stick to the pan once flipped, add the remaining Tablespoon of oil and stir gently.
- Remove chicken from pan as soon as it is crisped to your liking.
- If serving with lemon tahini sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve immediately, with lemon tahini sauce, if desired. (See notes for serving suggestions.)
Notes
- You can definitely make the chicken ahead of time. Don't worry about it getting cold; it will heat up when you finish cooking it in the pan with olive oil and a to-die-for homemade spice mix.Make the chicken the day before (or even a few days before) you plan to serve it, store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to eat, and then do the pan frying part right before your meal. You can also make the spice mixture in advance; store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- In order to prevent your shawarma from drying out during the frying process, use a pan that just fits the amount of chicken you have, and keep the chicken pieces very close together (touching or close to it) in order to prevent too much moisture from escaping. (Yes, this is the opposite of all the frying advice you usually see!)
- Chicken shawarma is, in my book, the kind of thing you don't each on your own, but instead serve in a bowl full of lots of textures and flavors - rice, olives, sumac onions (or marinated red onion), and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice on top - with a fresh, crisp salad (I'm biased, I know, but I think my Jerusalem salad goes really well with this!) on the side to balance out the silky rice and aromatically-spiced chicken.
- As for what to serve it over, rice is, as I said, my preference. But you can certainly stuff a gluten free pita bread to make it into a sandwich, or keep it in the bowl, but use a base of cauliflower rice to make it low carb and Whole30 compliant.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 317Saturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 281mgCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 34g
Nicole Tingwall says
This is one of my favorite meals of all time! I make it at least once a week. Love that it’s a slow cooker recipe too!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thank you!!
Kambry says
It looks you have this over some form of yellow rice but there’s no mention of it in the recipe at all? I wanted to make this with that rice.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
It is the turmeric rice from my site! Here is the recipe: https://acleanbake.com/turmeric-rice/
Vinessa Hiser says
I love shawarma!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
You have great taste! 😉
Karly says
I have to admit that I’ve never had shawarma before. This recipe is very doable! Looks delicious!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Oh I hope you get to try it!
Kathleen says
I have a pre mixed shawarma mix that I bought at a middle eastern market. Is yours close to these, or have you tweaked it? Thank you.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
It’s hard to say, since most shawarma spice blends differ slightly. The best way to gauge would be to compare the ingredients in my blend with the ingredients in the package you bought. I’m sure it will work just fine as a stand-in, if you prefer.
Alisan says
Can you start with frozen chicken or is it best to thaw first? I’m planning to make this for dinner tomorrow but wasn’t sure if there’d be a texture difference.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
So sorry for the slow reply time! I never recommend using frozen chicken in the slow cooker because it defrosts slowly and stays too long at a temperature where bacteria can develop. I always recommend using defrosted/fresh chicken in slow cooker recipes!
Lamb says
I have this going right now. I have a whole chicken in sitting on some onions. I seasoned it with salt and pepper inside and out, but also used so,e of the spice rub while it’s cooking:). I’m looking forward to finishing it up tomorrow (I made a pile of the spice blend:))
Thank you!
*five stars for smell and simplicity until tomorrow!:))
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I hope you enjoy it!
Laila M O'Boyle says
Do you think it would still be tasty if I fried up the spices and then just added them to the slow cooker chicken and mixed? Serving this for a large group with rice and don’t want to fry it all by hand after. Thanks!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
You certainly can, but the chicken won’t be crispy! If you’re ok with that, then go ahead. It sounds like it would be much easier for a crowd!
Amanda Ayers says
Does the calorie count include the tahini sauce? and what is a “serving” size? (in ounces or grams)
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
The calorie count does not include the tahini sauce. Service size is 1/6th of the total recipe.
Debra Daniel says
Hey,
Thank you for shawarma recipe, I really really like the way you explained it, Me and my family like shawarma when we ate it in asian restaurant so i’m going to try this one in upcoming weekend where we set together once in a week so this will be amazing can you please tell me if i use persian saffron in it ? this will be perfect or not give me some suggestion
Thanks
Debra
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I’d recommend following the recipe as written.
Rebecca Scott says
I am not sure why I wouldn’t just cook the chicken breasts for 25 minutes in the oven, and proceed with the recipe. A 2 hour crock window of time seems silly to me.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
There are two reasons for the crockpot method: first it ensures the chicken stays moist. Remember, you’re double-cooking the chicken (first cooking it through, then frying it with the spices). If you cook the chicken in the oven, then try to fry it until crispy, it’s going to take on the texture of a hockey puck. And second, doing it in the slow cooker means you can let it cook while you’re at work, running errands, or generally not paying attention. That’s a key aspect of any reliable recipe for me, and I know I’m not alone. If you prefer to use the oven, feel free to bake some chicken breasts according to your usual method, seasoned with the spice mixture from the recipe, then slice them against the grain before serving. That will work fine too.
Robert says
Super easy and tasty. I recommend doubling all the spice amounts, or else your chicken will taste a bit bland
Susannah // Feast + West says
Just wanted to stop by and say how much I love this recipe. My fiance and I have made it a few times now. The first time I was a little overzealous on the frying stage because I wanted it to be crispy, but since then we’ve kept frying to 30 seconds and it’s the best. We love it for salads and stuffed in pita pockets for sandwiches. It’s fantastic for meal prepping. Thank you for this awesomeness!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thank you so much!!
Malena says
Do you think it’d work if you boil the chicken and the cutnitnto fry it with the spices instead of the crockpot?
Thank you!!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Yes, although it won’t be quite as tender. But it will work fine if you bake, boil, or poach the chicken instead of using the slow cooker. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken and use that instead (skip the cooking step).
Bruce says
Made this for dinner. Turned out pretty darn good. Threw it on some salad mix with olives. Will definitely make again. Very easy to do, and minimal cleanup after. The crockpot really made the chicken tender then nice and crispy after frying. Thank you for posting.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That’s so wonderful to hear! Thank you so much!!
BK says
Has anyone tried this in an Instant Pot? I’m thinking of put the 1/2 of the spices in with the chicken breasts and water for 15 minutes on high (or poultry setting) to infuse the flavors. . Then finish according the the recipe with the other half of the spices.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I’m sorry that I don’t have the IP instructions on here yet, but if you try it, I would absolutely love to hear how it turns out!
Victoria says
I made the chicken in an instant pot and then followed the directions after number 1. For 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs, I did 1 cup of water and set it to Pressure Cook on high for 8 minutes. It takes maybe 30 min to pressure cook it, prep, and fry it, so definitely worth using the Instant pot if you have time!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Great to know!
emalani says
I made the chicken in the crock pot, but when I was trying to slice it just kept shredding. Do you think it will work with shredded chicken when I go to fry it tomorrow? Thank you!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Absolutely! That is what usually happens since the cooked chicken is so tender.
Andrea says
Can this be made with a rotisserie chicken? I am looking for a good, fairly quick weeknight dinner and I LOVE Schwarma. Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Yes, absolutely! I do it all the time. Just skip the slow cooking part of the recipe (obviously) and just shred, fry, and season the rotisserie meat. I do it all the time to save time!
Candice says
Can I cook the chicken as directed then place the crockpot on high with the oil and add the cut chicken and seasonings then cook that until it’s done? I know it won’t be crispy but looking not to dirty another pan.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
You’d need to use a multi-cooker, not a slow cooker so that you can get the oil hot enough to fry in. If you have a multicooker than can do that, then yes! Here is the one I use and recommend: https://amzn.to/2XoCd3g
sherryn moore says
can the tahini sauce be made a few days earlier?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Yes!
Lori says
I don’t know if I am missing it, but can you please provide guidelines for how wide I should slice the cooked chicken breasts and approximate frying time within the instructions? I made this last night and it was very dry so I am assuming that I got one of these things wrong. I would like to try it again! Thanks!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I usually slice them about 1/2 inch thick. If you’re finding that your chicken is drying out, you may need a little more oil in the pan and a slightly higher flame to make sure the edges are crisping up before the inside dries out.
Lisa says
If I could give this recipe 10 stars I would!! I get most of my recipes from Pinterest or best rated recipes from google and I have enjoyed many of them but this one is at the very top of my list!! I have never commented before but this one is SO deserving! I made this recipe as stated except I used ghee to fry instead of olive oil. I served with the sauce and the Jerusalem salad that’s linked in the recipe. It was AMAZING!! My husband even took a picture! Might go as far as to say it was better than the Greek restaurant we love! Thank you for sharing!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That is so wonderful to hear! Thank you!!
Emily says
FANTASTIC recipe! I cooked the chicken in my instant pot and shredded it instead of cut it, but followed the spice recipe as written except subbing in lemon pepper seasoning for the ground sumac. Paired it with your turmeric rice and Jerusalem salad per your suggestion and my husband got wide-eyed and gave me two thumbs up without me even asking if he liked it! I know this will become a regular dinner meal at our house. Thank you for the delicious recipes!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
So glad to hear it! Thanks Emily!
CarliD says
Made your shawarma, turmeric rice, and Jerusalem salad for Easter lunch and it was beyond delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That’s so nice to hear! Thank you so much, and I hope you had a lovely Easter!
Ellen says
So many people love this recipe — I had to try it! But unfortunately, even though I followed the recipe to the letter, it came out waaaaaaaay too dry. The Crock Pot chicken totally soaked up the oil when I put it in the pan, and I even coated it again, as per your recipe. I’m trying to figure out what I did wrong. I made enough for tomorrow, so I will try again. I hope you get this message before I made it again, just in case you have another suggestion. Interesting spice combination! I agree with the commenter who suggested adding more spice. Thank you!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Hi Ellen! I’m sorry to hear that. My guess is that you may need to crank up the heat so that the outside crisps before the inside dries out.
Mindy says
This looks delish! Making it tonight. Couldn’t track down the sumac though. What is a suitable sub for that spice? Never cooked with it before.
Thanks!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
Thanks! You can omit it, or use a little bit of lemon zest in place of the sumac (it’s not a perfect replacement, but sumac is bright so it does the job!). I hope you enjoy your dinner!
Mindy says
Thank you Nora! We made this last night & I took your advice and used lemon zest as a sub for the sumac. It was absolutely delicious, so many yummy flavors. Served it with your Jerusalem salad & tahini sauce over cauli rice. I’m a bit obsessed with Mediterranean food as well, so thanks for another great dish to add to the rotation!
Laura says
This was so good! I mixed it with the tahini sauce and made of bowl of it, adding in your turmeric rice and sumac onions. OMFG so good. If my husband wasn’t eating with me and I was alone I’d totally gorge and be a piggy. It was soo time consuming to make all of that though so I don’t know if I’d make the combination again. Next time I might opt for just putting it in a pita.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I love that you made the whole thing!! You can make a lot of the components ahead of time if that helps with the time issue!
Nichole says
Can’t wait to try this – putting chicken in the crock pot now…. have you ever tried the frying step using an air fryer??
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I haven’t tried it! But I’d love to know how it goes if you try it.
Matt Freund says
This looks like a great recipe. I am going to have to give this one a try,
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
thanks! I hope you enjoy it!
Heather says
Now I know how I’m going use up some chicken breasts in the freezer I had no idea what to do with. Can’t wait to try this!!! And super versatile too! Thank you
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
You’re welcome!
Jenny says
Why wouldn’t you marinate the chicken beforehand in the spices? Also, I’d sear the chicken on a grill pan or cast-iron skillet before adding to the slow. cooker to a) get some char and b) sear the juices into the meat. Just my two cents.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
This is designed to be as easy as possible, but you can feel free to marinate beforehand if you want!
Kara says
This meal is AMAZING!
So easy and absolutely delicious. I always use my pressure cooker and chicken thighs. I tried it one w breast but turned out dry.
We make this once a week and have it with cauliflower rice. Thanks for a great recipe!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I’m so thrilled you like it! Chicken thighs work great as well, especially if you’re sensitive to the dryness of breasts.
Shelly says
Can you let me know where I can find Sumac? I have been to 2 stores and looked in 2 spots and nothing.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
I get it on Amazon! Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FVMOW6/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=butterfanati-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B000FVMOW6&linkId=8c28f75a1293b6330ebbef15e9852e34
Specialty stores like health food stores or middle eastern grocery stores will also carry it, if you have access to those types of places!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a great lunch meal prep for the week!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Does it reheat well?
Suzanne says
Can’t you make this with meat? I hate boneless chicken, especially breasts.
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
This is a recipe for chicken shawarma.
Julie W says
I made this the other night and EVERYONE said it was delish! As good as a restaurant!! I served it with the sumac onions, tahini sauce, a Mediterranean salad (with kalamata and green olives, red onion, cucumber, sweet pepper and feta cheese and an oil-vinagrette dressing), turmeric rice, and flatbread with hummus, and it was awesome! All that took quite a while to make though. I was asked to add it to the repeat list for sure!! Thank you!
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
That’s so nice to hear! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Gretchen says
So you basically used a slow cooker to cook chicken breasts for 2 hours? Why not just cook it in a pan?
Nora (A Clean Bake) says
You can, but it is more moist and shreds more easily into a shawarma-like texture when cooked in the slow cooker.
Tanya says
You can cook it in a pan or use slow cooker or even a pressure cooker. Personally, I love using the slow cooker and cook for 4-6 hours.