Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma with Creamy Yogurt Sauce Recipe
This Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma recipe offers a flavorful and tender Middle Eastern-inspired dish made with marinated chicken thighs cooked slowly with aromatic spices and onions. Served with a refreshing cucumber yogurt sauce and fresh vegetables in warm pita bread, it’s a perfect hands-off meal for busy days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus marinating time of 4 hours to overnight)
- Cook Time: 3-6 hours (slow cooker, depending on setting)
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes (including minimum marinating time and slow cooking)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 onion, sliced
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons paprika (sweet or smoked)
- 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
Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons cucumber, grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
To Serve
- Pita breads
- Fresh lettuce
- Red onion slices
- Cucumber slices
- Tomato slices
Instructions
- Prepare Marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the plain Greek yogurt, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, paprika, ground cumin, black pepper, salt, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, and red pepper flakes until smooth and well combined.
- Marinate Chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the marinade, tossing to coat all pieces evenly. Transfer everything into a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to infuse deeply.
- Layer Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Slice the onion and spread it evenly on the bottom of your slow cooker to create a flavorful base for the chicken.
- Cook Chicken: Place the marinated chicken thighs over the sliced onions in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 4-6 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker to keep it warm and soak up juices.
- Make Yogurt Sauce: While the chicken cooks, combine the plain Greek yogurt, minced garlic, grated cucumber, ground cumin, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Assemble Shawarma Wraps: To serve, warm the pita breads and fill each with shredded chicken, a drizzle of the yogurt sauce, red onion slices, lettuce, cucumber, and tomato slices. Roll or fold the pitas and enjoy your delicious slow cooker chicken shawarma.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken overnight for best flavor and tenderness.
- Adjust red pepper flakes in marinade and sauce according to your preferred spice level.
- Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- The yogurt sauce can be made a day ahead to enhance flavors.
- This recipe works well with chicken breasts if thighs are not available, but thighs remain juicier and more flavorful.
Keywords: slow cooker chicken shawarma, chicken shawarma recipe, slow cooker recipes, Middle Eastern chicken, chicken shawarma with yogurt sauce
