Skip to Content

Sheet Pan Marinated Chicken Shawarma: Low Carb

Sheet Pan Marinated Chicken Shawarma: Low Carb

Chicken Shawarma is a traditional Middle Eastern dish that is usually served on warm flatbread topped with a savory yogurt sauce.  This recipe for low carb Chicken Shawarma foregoes the yogurt sauce and focuses primarily on the flavorful spice mix used in the marinade.

Low carb chicken shawarma dinner
Low carb chicken shawarma dinner

Jump to: RECIPE

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I also earn from qualifying purchases. You can read our disclosure information here– 

Bland Chicken No More

Chicken is such a popular and versatile dish, but it can often be pretty bland.  Chicken Shawarma is anything but bland, with a lively marinade of lemon, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes.

While typically served with flatbread, flatbread is not compliant with a low carb diet. However, creamy Greek yogurt is a low carb option that would be a great addition to this dish. Other serving options might include tzatziki, roasted vegetables, a tahini sauce, or even these low carb bread/buns.

Honestly though, it was delicious without flatbread, yogurt or tahini sauce- and if you didn’t know that it was usually served that way, you would never miss it!

Tips & Tricks for Success

The hands-on part of this low carb chicken Shawarma recipe is very quick and easy, although you do have to allow a couple of hours for marinating and cooking time (about an hour marinating in the fridge and an hour in the oven).  

Add some greens and/or yogurt and you have a perfect, semi-fancy low carb chicken dinner without much prep time at all!

Classic shawarma is cooked with stacked, spice-marinated meats– lamb, turkey, chicken, beef, or a mix of meats– on a vertical spit. The shawarma turns and cooks on the spit for hours and hours, basted in fat and its own juices.  

If you like my articles about cooking and gardening, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, where I share free recipes and gardening tutorials.

Chicken Shawarma

Low carb chicken shawarma dinner
Chicken thighs in a lively marinade of lemon, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 535

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons freshly juiced
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 5-6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp cumin preferably toasted seeds which are then ground
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 lbs chicken thighs skin-on
  • 2 onions yellow or red, quartered

Instructions
 

  • For the marinade:  In a medium to large bowl, combine lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes.  Whisk to combine.
    2 lemons, 1/2 cup olive oil, 5-6 cloves garlic, 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Add chicken thighs and toss to coat them with the marinade.  Cover and store in refrigerator for 1 hour up to 12 hours.
    2 lbs chicken thighs
  • When ready to cook, preheat over to 425o F.  Spray rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or oil.  Quarter the onions (or cut in large chunks) and coat with the marinade in the bowl.  Remove the chicken and onion and place on baking sheet.  Pour any remaining marinade over the chicken.
    2 onions
  • Roast the chicken in the oven until it is browned, about 30-40 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit a couple of minutes while you make the accompaniments if using.  Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 535kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 38gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 222mgSodium: 766mgPotassium: 624mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 726IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?If you tried this recipe, please give it a star rating! To do this, just click on the stars above. Comments are always helpful also and I respond to all of them (except rude ones)

Online Coaching

Although I am not currently taking clients for diet & health coaching, I have been a coach for many years with the online service called coach.me. It is a great platform for all kinds of coaching – anything from specific diets, writing a blog, getting up early, or getting rid of that pesky procrastination.  Explore the site through the link below. There are some wonderful coaches and the testimonials will tell you what you need to know.  You can always contact me to get referrals also.  Click here to get to my profile and then explore others from there.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.