Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic (minced; for the marinade)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp turmeric
• 0.5 tsp cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp allspice
• 0.25 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt (for the marinade)
• 1 lemon (juiced; for the marinade)
• 0.25 cup Greek yogurt (for the garlic yogurt sauce)
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise (for the garlic yogurt sauce)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced; for the garlic yogurt sauce)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (for the garlic yogurt sauce)
• 0.125 tsp salt (for the garlic yogurt sauce)
• warm pita (for serving)
• cucumber (for serving)
• tomato (for serving)
• red onion (for serving)
• parsley (for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, minced marinade garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, salt, and the juice of the lemon.

2. 2

   Add the chicken thighs and massage the marinade into them thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes or up to 4 hours.

3. 3

   While the chicken marinates, mix the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, minced sauce garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl to make the garlic yogurt sauce.

4. 4

   Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and place the marinated thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Do not overcrowd the basket; cook in batches if necessary.

5. 5

   Air-fry at 400°F for 15 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. Remove it when the thickest piece reaches 165°F.

6. 6

   Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice it into strips.

7. 7

   Assemble the sliced chicken in warm pita with cucumber, tomato, red onion, and parsley. Drizzle with the garlic yogurt sauce and serve immediately.

Notes

To store, cool the chicken completely, transfer it to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For the best texture, reheat it in the air fryer at 350°F for 3–4 minutes, or until warmed through; microwaving is also possible but the edges will not remain as crispy. Pickled onions or hot sauce are suggested additions. The source notes that overcrowding causes the chicken to steam instead of developing crisp edges.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• air-fried
• Middle Eastern-inspired
• high-protein
• weeknight dinner
• chicken
• meal-prep