This simple Shawarma Marinade is packed with warming flavors from the blend of Middle Eastern spices, and it’s delicious on chicken, beef, lamb, seafood, and veggies. It comes together in about 5 minutes and uses basic ingredients you already have in your pantry. If you’re in need of an easy marinade that can be used on just about any protein or veggie, you’re going to love this recipe!
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This Is My Go-To Marinade for Making Chicken Shawarma
I am absolutely obsessed with chicken shawarma, and more specifically, halal cart-style chicken shawarma bowls. I love all the warming spices and flavors, but it’s not readily available where I live so I wanted to create a copycat recipe.
If you love Halal Guys and other similar restaurants, this shawarma marinade will be your go-to. I use it to season chicken, fish, beef, lamb, and veggies and it comes together SO quickly.
This Middle Eastern-inspired recipe will be your summer go-to for all things flavor, guaranteed!
What is Shawarma? And What Does It Even Taste Like?
Shawarma is a Middle Eastern food that consists of thinly-sliced marinated meat stacked together and slow roasted on a vertical spit. Think: gyros and al pastor vibes! This unique cooking style originated in Turkey and eventually made its way to Greece where the gyro was created.
This recipe is inspired by all my favorite shawarma recipes, but I don’t claim for it to be authentic. It’s flavored with paprika, cumin, turmeric, and several other spices, which creates richly seasoned, aromatic chicken (or whatever protein you’re using).
Some people hear “richly spiced” and assume that shawarma is spicy, but that’s not the case at all! It’s just mega flavorful, but there’s no heat in this dish.
Tools Needed
The 4 Main Ingredients
- Olive oil. Any oil really will work here, but I love the slightly fruity flavor that olive oil adds.
- Garlic. To really get a punchy and bold flavor, we’re using fresh cloves and grating them into the marinade.
- Spices. You’ll need ground paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, oregano, and ginger.
- Lemon. To brighten up the marinade, we’re using both lemon juice and lemon zest.
How to Make Shawarma Marinade
Making shawarma marinade is as simple as adding the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine — that’s it! You may also combine everything in a mason jar, screw on the lid, and shake to combine.
Jenny’s Tip: I have a recipe for chicken shawarma bowls that uses this incredible marinade. Be sure to make it next!
Suggested Marinating Times
- Meats like chicken, beef, and lamb. Marinate for at least 4 hours, up to 48 hours. Don’t marinate for longer than that or else the acidic lemon juice will begin to break down the muscle fibers and your meat will become grainy.
- Vegetables. Only need 2-4 hours to marinate, depending on the vegetable. Hearty veggies like cauliflower can be marinated longer.
- Fish and seafood. Since there’s lemon juice in the marinade, you’ll only want to marinate delicate seafood like fish and shrimp for about 1 hour.
Jenny’s Tip: Grilling Is My Preferred Cooking Method for This Marinade
Grilling is my favorite cooking method anytime I’m using this shawarma marinade. Whether I’m using chicken, beef, lamb, veggies, or seafood, the combination of the warm spices and smokiness from the grill is absolute perfection.
Here are a few key tips to remember when grilling with this marinade:
- Before using your grill, make sure to clean the grates of any food and debris.
- Lightly grease the grates with nonstick spray to keep your food from sticking.
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high until the temperature reaches 400-500 F.
- Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness.
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Grilling Recipes You’ll Love
- Harissa Chicken Bowls
- Grilled Greek Chicken Salad
- Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Spatchcock Grilled Lemon Chicken
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Easy Shawarma Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs meat or vegetables of choice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 6 garlic cloves, grated (or 1 tablespoon garlic paste)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried Mediterranean oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Mix the marinade. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the salt and pepper.
- Marinate your protein or veggies of choice. Coat the meat or veggies in the marinade, cover, and transfer to the fridge for a few hours.
Suggested Marinating Times
- Meats like chicken, beef, and lamb. You'll want to marinate for at least 4 hours, up to 48 hours. Vegetables. Vegetables will only need 2-4 hours to marinate, depending on the vegetable. Hearty veggies like cauliflower can be marinated longer. Fish and seafood. Since there's lemon juice in the marinade, you'll only want to marinate delicate seafood like fish and shrimp for about an hour.
Rate & Review This Recipe
Loved this marinade! It looks like a lot of ingredients but as I started pulling everything out I realized it’s mostly just spices. Very easy to prepare and my chicken turned out super juicy and flavorful. I used the chicken to make your shawarma bowls and each night this week I’ve been excited for dinnertime to roll around just so I can eat them again!