This slow cooker chicken shawarma is made with marinated chicken thighs and bold spices, then cooked until tender and juicy. Serve it in pita or over rice with a creamy yogurt sauce and your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Chicken & Marinade
2poundsboneless skinless chicken thighs, or breasts
⅓cupplain Greek yogurt
2Tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
3Garlic cloves, minced
2teaspoonssmoked paprika
2teaspoonsground cumin
1 ½teaspoonsblack pepper
1teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonground turmeric
½teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonred pepper flakes
1onion, sliced
Yogurt Sauce
2Tablespoonsgrated cucumber
1cupplain Greek yogurt
1teaspoonminced garlic
1teaspoonground cumin
1Tablespoonfresh lemon juice
¼tspsalt
¼tspblack pepper
⅛tspred pepper flakes
Instructions
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients until well combined.
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 3 Garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Place chicken thighs in a large zip-top bag. Pour in the marinade, seal the bag, and gently massage to coat the chicken evenly. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Place sliced onion in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the marinated chicken on top. Cover and cook on high for 3–4 hours or low for 4–6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through to 165℉.
1 onion
Slice or shred the chicken and stir into the onion and juices in the crockpot.
Before mixing, place the grated cucumber between a few layers of paper towels and gently squeeze out the excess moisture. Then, stir to combine the cucumber with the remaining ingredients for the yogurt sauce in a small bowl.
Serve chicken over rice or in pitas with yogurt sauce and your favorite toppings.
Notes
Make-ahead friendly: Marinate the chicken the night before and simply add to the slow cooker in the morning.Chicken breasts: You can use boneless skinless breasts instead of thighs, however I highly recommend cooking on low to help prevent drying out.Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.