Kamado BBQ

Chicken Shawarma

A bright garlic-and-lemon shawarma marinade with paprika, cumin, turmeric, herbs, onion, pineapple, and charred lemons.

Prep
20 mins
Cook
25-35 mins
Serves
4-6
Illustration of grilled chicken shawarma with lemon, red onion, herbs, and pineapple
Marinated chicken shawarma stacked tightly on a rotisserie spit before browning fully
Stacked and ready to take on more colour.
Close view of chicken shawarma on a rotisserie spit inside a Kamado grill
Building colour and char over indirect heat.
Chicken shawarma stacked on a rotisserie spit over glowing charcoal in a Kamado grill
Rotisserie chicken shawarma cooking over charcoal.
Front view of browned chicken shawarma on a rotisserie spit in a Kamado grill
Crisp edges starting to form.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • Zest and juice of 2 lemons
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 120 ml olive oil
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • Fresh parsley
  • Fresh oregano
  • Red onion
  • Pineapple
  • Lemons

Marinade

  1. Finely grate or mince the garlic.
  2. Mix the tomato puree, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, turmeric, and cracked black pepper.
  3. Chop a small handful each of parsley and oregano, then stir them through the marinade.
  4. Taste and adjust with more lemon or salt if needed.

Chicken

  1. Coat chicken pieces thoroughly in the marinade.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  3. Thread onto skewers, stack for rotisserie-style cooking, or cook as marinated pieces over the grill.
  4. Grill over medium-high heat until cooked through and lightly charred at the edges.
  5. Rest briefly before slicing.

To Serve

  1. Grill or char wedges of red onion, pineapple, and lemon.
  2. Slice the chicken and finish with fresh parsley and oregano.
  3. Serve with flatbreads, salad, rice, or chips.

Notes

  • The original note listed the marinade ingredients only, so the cooking method here is a practical grill version.
  • Keep the lemon halves near the heat and squeeze them over the chicken before serving.
  • Pineapple works best when it picks up a little char rather than cooking until soft.