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Marinated chicken is stacked together in a loaf pan and baked in the oven until it reaches tender perfection. It’s then sliced thin and makes the perfect, most succulent chicken shawarma!
You can also use this juicy shaved chicken for gyros, sandwiches, salads, wraps, bowls and more.
Chicken Shawarma in the Oven
An easy combination of yogurt, fresh garlic, parmesan, butter, parsley and seasonings are tossed together with the chicken pieces and baked without needing to dedicate any time to marinating. Because the chicken is packed together and baked in it’s own juices, it yields an incredibly juicy and moist chicken that just falls apart.
Although this buttery garlic parmesan flavor profile it’s what you traditionally find on a chicken shawarma, this is my spin and it’s absolutely mouth-watering. You are welcome to use this same cooking method and use more traditional seasonings.
Key Ingredients
Chicken – I used breasts that have been pounded thin, but you can also use thighs.
Yogurt – a few tablespoons of greek yogurt, unsweetened plain yogurt of course.
Garlic – lots of freshly minced garlic.
Seasonings – paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and freshly ground pepper.
Parmesan – grated parmesan is best as it easily incorporates.
Parsley – fresh parsley is minced up and added to the mixture.
Butter – one stick of butter is partially melted
How to Make Chicken Shawarma in a Loaf Pan
This chicken shawarma is made easily in the oven with minimal effort. In just a few easy steps you can have this chicken ready to go for easy meals all week.
Toss Chicken in the Marinade
In a large bowl, add in the chicken followed by all the marinade ingredients: garlic, yogurt, seasonings, parmesan, butter and parsley. Toss everything together until chicken is evenly coated on both sides. Be sure to scrape excess marinade off the sides of the bowl and spread it on the chicken.
Bake Chicken
Pile the chicken evenly in a loaf pan coated in non-stick spray. Bake at 450 degrees uncovered for 45 minutes or until the internal temp reaches at least 165 degrees at the thickest point.
Rest Chicken
Remove from the oven. There will be lots of excess pan juices. Pour excess juice into a bowl, then pour the bowl of juices back into the loaf pan over the chicken. Pour the juices back into the bowl and set aside. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
To slice, turn out the pan onto a clean cutting board. Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the chicken. To store, add some of the reserved pan juices into the food storage container along with the chicken. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Can I Use Traditional Flavors Instead?
If you are looking for a traditional chicken shawarma recipe that’s made easily in the oven in a loaf pan, you can use my method and swap out the flavors. See the notes in the recipe card below for an authentic chicken shawarma recipe.
Seasonings – coriander, cumin, cardamon, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, black pepper
Greek Yogurt – this keeps the chicken moist as it cooks.
Onion – minced finely and incorporated in the marinade.
Garlic – fresh garlic is used and adds lots of flavor.
Lemon Juice – to add a vibrant tang to this chicken.
Olive Oil – instead of butter, we use olive oil in this traditional version.
Did you love this chicken shawarma recipe? Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback.
Don’t forget to tag me on IG with any photos; @BadBatchBaking and use #BadBatchBaking
Chicken Shawarma In A Loaf Pan
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken breasts pounded to an even 1/4 inch thickness
- 3 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated pepper
- 3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
- 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 stick butter, partially melted
- 1/3 cup parmesan
- 1/4 cup freshly minced parsley
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add in the chicken followed by all the marinade ingredients: garlic, yogurt, seasonings, parmesan, butter and parsley.
- Toss everything together until chicken is evenly coated on both sides. Be sure to scrape excess marinade off the sides of the bowl and spread it on the chicken.
- Pile the chicken evenly in a loaf pan coated in non-stick spray. Bake at 450 degrees uncovered for 45 minutes or until the internal temp reaches at least 165 degrees at the thickest point.
- Remove from the oven. There will be lots of excess pan juices. Pour excess juice into a bowl, then pour the bowl of juices back into the loaf pan over the chicken.
- Pour the juices back into the bowl and set aside. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- To slice, turn out the pan onto a clean cutting board. Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the chicken.
- To store, add some of the reserved pan juices into the food storage container along with the chicken. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Notes
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground cardamon
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- Black pepper
- 3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
- 1/3 white onion, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
I used this method with my usual traditional shawarma spice blend and it was great. I marinated the chicken thighs for 3 hours and then baked it in my Breville Smart Oven. I didn’t fill my loaf pan but it still worked beautifully. I loved not having to stand over the stove to cook them.
Hi Marlene – I am so happy to hear that. I agree, this is my favorite method of cooking chicken. Plus, you get a lot with little effort 🙂
Delicious!
Is it good to marinate this overnight, or maybe a few hours
Thanks
It’s honestly not necessary. I marinate mine only a few minutes sometimes and it always turns out just as juicy. The yogurt and butter keeps it super juicy, plus it cooks in it’s own juices within the pan. You can’t go wrong 🙂
Hi, could I cook this in an air fryer? Do you have any idea what temperature and time I should use?
I have not tried this recipe in the air fryer yet, so I don’t have a recommended temp or cook time.
Outstanding recipe. It made a lot of lettuce wraps…
Lettuce wraps is a great idea for this chicken! Happy you loved it 🙂
My boyfriend is not a chicken breast fan, so we have a lot of chicken thighs in our freezer. I took a chance and made them with thinly pounded thighs. It was amazing, even our son who’s 15 and a picky eater loved it. I didn’t have a loaf pan but I did have a small square Corning ware dish and it worked great!
That’s great feedback! Thank you for coming back here to share this 🙂
Delectable! I did not have the exact seasonings called for but substituted for similar stuff- the recipe is so versatile you can really season it with anything you like. I had five pounds of chicken I needed to cook and the marinade was more than enough for five pounds. I think the yogurt makes all the difference. Definitely a recipe I’ll return to!
This is fire. I kinda messed up and threw it in the fridge to marinade before going on a walk and I was so worried it wouldn’t work out because of the butter! But it did!
The marinade seems super versatile (butter, Greek yogurt, seasonings) – I can’t wait to come back after trying different versions!
Glad to hear it worked out great for you! Yeah exactly, the fridge will solidify the butter but it’s no big deal since it’s baked in the oven. There are so many other flavor variations, the options are endless! Thank you for reporting back 🙂
This was delish! we had it for we had it for dinner and my husband is looking forward to it with his salad for lunch tomorrow. Thank you so much. I can’t wait to add this to our rotation.