Ground Chicken Shawarma Kebabs in the Oven
These juicy ground chicken shawarma kebabs are seasoned with garlic, peppers, onions, fresh parsley, and warm shawarma spices. The chicken mixture is pressed onto a sheet pan, scored into long kebab strips, and oven-baked until golden and caramelized. Serve them with creamy garlic yogurt sauce, warm pita, rice, or a fresh Greek salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: MEDITERRANEAN INSPIRED
Ingredients
Scale
Ground Chicken Shawarma Kebabs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup red bell pepper, very finely diced
- ½ cup onion, very finely diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Cold water, as needed for thinning
Optional for Serving
- Warm pita or flatbread
- Cooked rice or couscous
- Chopped romaine lettuce
- Sliced cucumber
- Chopped tomatoes
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Kalamata olives
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Hummus
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
Make the Ground Chicken Kebabs
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat the parchment with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Add the ground chicken, garlic, red bell pepper, onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and parsley to a large mixing bowl.
- Gently mix until the vegetables, herbs, and spices are evenly distributed. Do not overmix, or the cooked chicken can become dense.
- If the chicken mixture feels exceptionally soft or sticky, cover the bowl and refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to the prepared baking sheet. With lightly oiled hands, press it into an even rectangle approximately ½ inch thick.
- Use a knife or bench scraper to score the chicken mixture lengthwise into eight long kebab strips. Cut almost completely through the meat, but leave the strips touching so the mixture remains in one sheet while it begins baking.
- Lightly brush the top of the chicken mixture with olive oil.
- Bake for 16 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully separate the kebab strips along the scored lines.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 4 to 6 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- For deeper browning and caramelized edges, broil the kebabs for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch them closely so they don’t burn.
Make the Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- Add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and parsley to a small bowl.
- Stir until smooth and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- For a thinner, drizzleable sauce, stir in one teaspoon of cold water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Refrigerate the sauce until ready to serve.
Serve
- Arrange the warm chicken shawarma kebabs on a platter with pita, rice, or Greek salad.
- Drizzle the garlic yogurt sauce directly over the kebabs.
- Serve with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta, hummus, and lemon wedges, if desired.
Notes
- Dice the onion and red bell pepper very finely so the chicken mixture holds together.
- Ground chicken is naturally soft and sticky. Lightly oil or dampen your hands before pressing it onto the baking sheet.
- Chilling the mixture for 20 to 30 minutes makes it easier to handle, but it isn’t always necessary.
- Press the chicken into an even ½-inch-thick layer so the strips cook at the same rate.
- Scoring the meat before baking creates long kebab strips without having to shape each one individually.
- Avoid overmixing the chicken, which can make the finished kebabs dense or rubbery.
- Ground chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
- The broiling step is optional but gives the kebabs deeper color and lightly caramelized edges.
- Store leftover kebabs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Refrigerate the garlic yogurt sauce in a separate covered container.
- Freeze the cooked and cooled kebabs for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make sure your individual ingredients are certified gluten-free if needed.