Yes! You can make moist chicken on the grill that’s super flavorful…and you never need to flip a thing.
From the time the weather gets warm, we always need new grilling ideas. After all, how many times can we serve steaks, burgers, and hamburgers?
And we definitely need an alternative to basic grilled chicken. As long as you plan ahead, this one will become a favorite all summer long. The chicken stays super moist, there’s no need to babysit it, and the prep is minutes. Note that it does take awhile to cook, though, so you do need to plan ahead!
Plus, all the heat and mess stays outdoors.
Plus, shawarma is such a welcome profile. So many seem to love it. It seems we can’t get enough of it. We make Shwarama Chicken on a Sheet Pan, we make Shwarama Chicken in One Pot, and we also like the easy, basic version prepared on a grill pan.
It’s perfectly paired with this Between Carpools favorite–toasted grilled pita, Israeli salad, techina, chummus, charred eggplant, and so many more salatim. You pick!
Which chicken cutlets to choose? Go for the thin, but not the extra thin. Would butterflied chicken cutlets work? Yes, but we like thin better as when there’s more layers, there’s more flavor.
You’ll need this pan that’s made for this. It’s called an Al Pastor Vertical Skewer and it’s just right for cooking spit-style shawarma on a grill.
It will be worth the investment this summer!
Start by combining the chicken, spices, and olive oil in a bowl. That’s all the ingredients.
The amount of salt you add depends on whether there’s already salt in the shawarma spice mix that you buy.
Add the chicken to the skewer, poking them through the center.
Layer to form a tower.
Add to the grill.
We cook this over medium heat (400-450°F), but the pan should not go directly over the fire. Leave one fire off and leave the pan in that section.
Close the lid and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Slice the shawarma chicken off the skewer
and enjoy with hot pita, chummus, techina, pickles, slaw, or whatever else you love in your shawarma chicken!
Grilled Shawarma
Ingredients
- 3 lbs thin chicken cutlets (not extra thin)
- 3 tbsp shwarma spice mix
- 3 – 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt (or more or less, depending on whether your spice mix contains salt)
Special equipment:
- Al Pastor Skewer for Grill
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat, about 450-475°F. Don’t turn on all the burners.
- Insert metal skewer into slot. Layer chicken on skewers.
- Place pan over indirect heat on the grill (the fire directly under the chicken should be off). Close lid and grill for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Drain liquid.
- To serve, slice chicken off of the skewer and enjoy with hot pita, Israeli salad, and hummus or techina.
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