One of my favorite traditions at 26 is our family supper, when we have a local refugee family come cook for us. We bond over the meal and raise some money for a great cause…and the food is SO GOOD. No shawarma will every be as good as that family’s recipe, but this oven roasted chicken shawarma helps satisfy my craving between events.
Taste (and nostalgia) aside, my kids and I love the versatility of this dish. You can stuff it in a pita, wrap it in lettuce leaves, throw it over rice, or top a salad.
I recommend prepping a double batch to start a week for delicious and healthy lunches all week!
Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Yields: 6 servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1⁄4 cup (60ml), plus 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground paprika
• 1⁄2 tsp. turmeric
• pinch ground cinnamon
• chili flakes, to taste
• 2 lbs. (900g) chicken legs
• 1 red onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Prepare the marinade by combining the lemon juice, 1⁄2 cup
olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric,
cinnamon and chili flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to
combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat in the
marinade. Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 1
hour, or up to 12 hours.
Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Use the remaining 1 tablespoon
of olive oil to grease roasting tin.
Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade.
Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade and
place in the roasting pan. Roast in the oven until golden and
cooked through, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Remove
from the oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes, then shred the
chicken into pieces.
To serve garnish the chicken with the parsley over the top.
Serving suggestions:
Tomato, cucumbers and chickpea salad, warm pita bread,
hot sauce and olives.
Want a printable version of this recipe, complete with nutrition facts and a scannable MyFitnessPal code? Click here!
Give it a try and see what you think! And, if you would love some more healthy, delicious, family-friendly recipes (plus some wellness tips), I’d love if you’d sign up for our email list!
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