Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken with Potatoes and Onions
This sheet pan shawarma chicken takes advantage of the popular middle eastern shawarma spice mix to add flavor and dimension to your weekday sheet pan recipe. This simple, easy and effortless recipe gets done in an hour. It’s hearty and healthy with flavorful chicken, roast potatoes, caramelized onions, lemon, and garlic.
Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken with Potatoes and Onions
My absolute favorite middle eastern food has got to be Shawarma followed by Falafel and then hummus.
Do you remember my very popular recipe for Quick Homemade Shawarma or Shawarma Pockets?
I shared all about shawarma. I hope you enjoyed reading that. A very common middle eastern food that can also be referred to as the middle eastern fast food recipe. Here in Israel the three food places that make for a quick lunch on weekdays and are always crowded around lunch – First is the hummus usually most affordable, second is falafel priced a bit more than hummus and third is usually a Shawarma place which is not necessary cheap but considering the amount of meat and accompaniments is still considered a middle eastern fast food.
The shawarma meat can be anything from beef, veal to lamb or turkey and chicken. Or even a mix of some of them.
Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken with Potatoes and Onions
So what is Shawarma? How to make shawarma homemade?
In short shawarma chicken is stacked meat on a horizontal rotating spit surrounded by a grill. Furthermore, meat is surrounded by fat which melts while grilling; keeping the meat moist and juicy.
But the main highlight of this shawarma meat is that it is heavily spiced with a special aromatic shawarma spice mix!! And that is what makes shawarma even more special.
So while we won’t stack our meats, or load it with fat nor grill it on a rotating spit that spice mix which is a star of this dish enables us to make shawarma homemade. And making a sheet pan shawarma version means making simple every day cooking more easy, full of flavor and healthier. Here we have replaced the saturated animal fat with good old olive oil.
Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken with Potatoes and Onions
Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (Save this recipe for later)
Chicken
I prefer to use chicken thighs and legs with bone on for baking. Call me old school but I believe that the bones add so much more flavor to a dish. Personally, we don’t mind eating with bones on. In addition, its a lot more inexpensive to buy bone on than boneless.
Having said that feel free to use boneless chicken thighs. However, I would not recommend using breast. It cooks much faster so by the time the potatoes get done the chicken breast will be dry.
If you have only chicken breast and want to make chicken shawarma homemade? I highly recommend using my recipe for Quick Homemade Shawarma Chicken. It’s another one of our family favorites and gets done in 20 minutes.
Spices
These spices are mostly used in middle eastern and Indian dishes. Now, I know that not all of us have a pantry full of spices. If you ask my husband he will tell you I have way too many spices!! But I’m big on cooking from scratch and love playing with spices and I love making my own spice blends. If you are like me and want to make your own, I have given you my recipe for shawarma spice mix below.
But if you don’t have these individual spices on hand and still want to enjoy a good homemade Shawarma Chicken? Guess what?
There are plenty of good easy to use shawarma spice mixes in most supermarkets these days. NO! I won’t judge. It’s better than not having homemade shawarma – right? Buy one of those and I promise you will not regret it. Look for a reputed brand you trust, that has a good range of spice mixes. I have used one in my recipe for Quick homemade Shawarma Chicken. I highly encourage you to look for that recipe.
Potatoes
I highly recommend using baking potatoes. They hold their shape and get a nice brown caramelized edges. When baking in the oven the potatoes will absorb not just the chicken juices but also some of that shawarma marinade, so you have very flavorful roasted potatoes.
Onions
Who doesn’t love caramelized onions? Use red onions and it will be the best thing you will eat with this dish. Don’t like onions? Just omit them – no biggie.
Lemon
Well, I know it’s optional so feel free to omit but if you have never tried roasted lemon before – OMG – Please do try!!
Garlic
Again, If you have not tried roasted garlic? you are in for a treat and no they are not garlicky. The roasting transforms them into this sweet delicious jam-like paste. Spread it over a slice of toast – absolute heaven!! Leave the skin on as the protect the garlic and prevent them from burning.
Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken with Potatoes and Onions
The Shawarma Spice Blend / Shawarma Seasoning Recipe
The shawarma spice mix differs slightly from region to region mostly in the quantity and number of spices used. I like to try store bought spice mix so I can try different variations.
Over the years I have come to define my own flavor and combination that works best for me, so I make my own shawarma seasoning recipe. This blend works best for me and is one that will tantalize your taste buds. Absolute heaven! In the recipe below I have used fresh ginger and garlic instead of powders because I always go with fresh ingredients when I can. You can find my Shawarma Spice Blend aka Shawarma Seasoning Mix here.
Though we cooked this in a sheet pan – look how fancy it looks when plated? The chicken gets a beautiful color from the spices, the onions are soft and sweet. The potatoes are perfectly roasted tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. That’s a perfect lunch for me. Can you see those roasted garlic and lemon slices? That is heaven on a plate….. you have to try it to experience it.
Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken with Potatoes and Onions
Recipe – Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken with Potatoes and Onions (Save/Pin for later)
Tools
Shawarma Ingredients
- Chicken thighs and legs – 8 pieces
- Potatoes – 3 large
- Onions – 2 large
- Lemon – 1 large (optional)
- Garlic bulb – 1 large (optional)
- Garlic – 2 large – minced or grated
- Ginger – 1 tbsp grated
- Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
- Olive oil – 4 tbsp
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Pepper – 1 tsp
- Shawarma spcie mix – 4 tbsp (more or less) – https://veenaazmanov.com/homemade-shawarma-spice-mix/my homemade recipe or store bought works too
Method
Marinate Chicken
- Preheat the oven at 200 C / 400 F
- Clean and skin chicken pieces. Remove any excess trimmings
- Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice
- Rub grated ginger and garlic into the chicken pieces
- Prepare spice mix blend – mix thoroughly
- Rub the spices all over the chicken
- Let chicken marinate while you prepare the veggies
- This chicken can be left to marinate overnight in the fridge as well.
Prepare Veggies
- Wash, peel and cut potatoes into bitesize pieces
- Cut onions and lemon into round slices – remove seeds from lemon slices.
- Separate garlic cloves from the bulb but leave the skin on.
- Grease the sheet pan with 2 tbsp olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Place potatoes on the sheet pan
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper to season.
- Next lay chicken pieces over potatoes
- Place onion and garlic slices all over chicken pieces.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over onion and lemon slices.
- Drizzle remaining olive oil all over the ingredients.
Bake
- Bake in a preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes
- Turning chicken and potatoes every 20 mins to encourage even cooking.
- When done – remove from the hot sheet pan to a serving platter if desired.
Don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken with Potatoes and Onions
Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken with Potatoes and Onions
Ingredients
- 8 pieces Chicken thighs and legs
- 3 Potatoes large
- 2 Onions large
- 1 Lemon optional
- 1 Garlic bulb optional
- 2 cloves Garlic minced or grated
- 1 tbsp Ginger grated
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 4 tbsp Olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 4 tbsp Shawarma Spice Mix (my homemade recipe here)
Instructions
Marinate Chicken
- Preheat the oven at 200 C / 400 F
- Clean and skin chicken pieces. Remove any excess trimmings
- Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice
- Rub grated ginger and garlic into the chicken pieces
- Rub the shawarma spice all over the chicken
- Let chicken marinate while you prepare the veggies
- This chicken can be left to marinate overnight in the fridge as well.
Prepare Veggies
- Wash, peel and cut potatoes into bitesize pieces
- Cut onions and lemon into round slices - remove seeds from lemon slices.
- Separate garlic cloves from the bulb but leave the skin on.
Prepare sheetpan
- Grease the sheet pan with 2 tbsp olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Place potatoes on the sheet pan
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper to season.
- Lay chicken pieces over potatoes
- Place onion and garlic slices all over chicken pieces.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over onion and lemon slices.
- Drizzle remaining olive oil all over the ingredients.
Bake
- Bake in a preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes
- Turning chicken and potatoes every 20 mins to encourage even cooking.
- When done - remove from the hot sheet pan to a serving platter if desired.
Do you like Middle Eastern Food? Israeli Food?
I have some amazing recipes like quick Sheet Pan Shawarma Chicken and Shawarma Pita Pockets to Heart Healthy Classic Hummus and Tahini Sauce as well as indulgent falafel and Passover favorite Chocolate Pecan Cake to summer classics Kebabs and festive latkes. You can find them all here Middle Eastern Recipes. Alternatively you can find a whole list all all my recipes here on this Recipe Index
Middle Eastern Recipes or Israeli Recipe Collections
My favorite part of traveling in the middle east was all the street vendors selling shawarma and falafel. I love it!
Thanks Juli. Yes the hummus, falafel and shawarma are definitely a huge hit when it comes to street food in the middle east.
I love the flavor combination in the Shawarma! Yum!
Thanks Valentina
I’ve been loving sheet pan dinners lately! They’re so easy! This one sounds delicious.
Me too. Nothing beats 10 mins hands on and then an amazing full meal for dinner.
This looks so yummy!!! I love the flavors used in this recipe.
Thank you Deanna
I am all ears for this shawarma sheet pan dish! Your seasoning sounds perfect, is that how shawarma is always seasoned? I always wondered how they made it. I stopped having shawarma because they usually sell it in mapusa and I just don’t go there very often.
The seasoning is the best part of this recipe. Lots of flavor and really so simple and easy
I love shawarma too. Your version sounds amazing, and so easy! I don’t think I’ve ever had roasted lemon before, but you’ve inspired me to try it. I’ll bet it adds so much flavor!
Thanks Jen. You must try the roasted lemon it’s so delicious.
Love all those spices and mixes mixed in with the potatoes and onions. All on one sheet too. Yum!
Thanks Ginny. I definitely love the spcies.
I love sheet pan dinners, so easy and always delicious. This looks amazing!
Thanks Emily. Me too.!
What a comprehensive post! I love the way you turned your favorite fast food, into something you can make at home on a sheet pan. I am totally making that spice blend asap!
Thanks Katie – definitely worth trying with this spice blend