How to Make Chicken Shawarma

Master the steps for sizzling spit-roasted shawarma at home.

Mary-Frances Heck is a chef and freelance food editor, formerly a senior food editor at Food & Wine. In addition to her recipes and articles appearing in many well-known publications, she has her own cookbook, “Sweet Potatoes: Roasted, Loaded, Fried and Made into Pie.”

The sight of sizzling, vertically spit-roasted meat, slowly turning and basting in its own juices, is enough to stop any hungry person in their tracks. Sold on street corners from Istanbul to Los Angeles, this slow-cooked meat is shaved to order and often wrapped in flatbread. This method of preparing meat originated in Istanbul, in kebab form, traveled to the Levant, where it became known as shawarma (literally "to turn" in Arabic), then jumped the Atlantic with Lebanese immigrants to Mexico, where it evolved as al pastor. All three variations on spit-turned meat — and dozens more riffs — are found across the globe today.

Famously affordable, shawarma has kept me well-fed throughout my life. Doner kebab nourished me as a broke student in Spain; shawarma carts sustained me as a broke intern in New York City years ago. To this day, the aroma of cumin-and-chile-scented meat remains a profound comfort.

It was with this taste memory in mind that I set out to make shawarma at home. Instead of a vertical spit, my method involves triple-skewering thin slices of marinated chicken to create a tight horizontal roast­ — a sort of shawarma-kebab hybrid. Searing the stacked chicken over hot coals before finishing it over low heat ensures the right ratio of crispy, charred outside to tender, super-juicy inside. Paired with grilled marinated mushrooms, fresh vegetables, pita, and a creamy tahini sauce, the result is a gorgeous spread perfect for early-summer eating.

Place chicken thighs between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound chicken to 1/8-inch thickness.

Lay pounded thighs on top of one another in one or two neat stacks. Cut stack crosswise into thirds. Marinate chicken as directed.

Arrange marinated chicken in three even stacks, rotating as needed to keep stacks as neat as possible. Top each stack with two onion petals.

Into the center of one stack, insert skewers one inch apart, forming a triangle. Use fingers to slide chicken up skewers.

Position skewers over second chicken stack; skewer stack. Repeat with remaining stack. Add onion petals to end of shawarma.

Sear shawarma over direct heat, turning often, until sizzling and charred. Move to indirect heat, and gently roast shawarma, turning often, until center is juicy and tender. Grill marinated mushrooms over direct heat until crispy, then finish cooking over indirect heat until tender.

Hold chicken shawarma upright on a cutting board. Starting at the top, slice downward into thin strips, rotating shawarma with each cut.

Tuck chicken and mushrooms in pitas with tomato, cucumber, parsley, and hot sauce. Serve with Lemon-Garlic Tahini Sauce.