A quick and easy chicken shawarma marinade – lemon and yogurt tenderize the lean chicken breasts while fresh garlic, parsley, and spices add tons of flavor. Served on pita bread with a tahini garlic sauce.

My maternal grandparents emigrated from Syria and settled in West Michigan, so although I grew up eating Middle Eastern food, there are only a handful of Lebanese restaurants on this side of the state. As such, I grew up learning from my mother and grandmother how to make and perfect Lebanese recipes. This Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce is a result of my family’s culture and my childhood. We decided to wrap it into a pita with our favorite tahini garlic sauce, but it is great on its own served with rice pilaf and a green salad as well!
Ingredients
- For the Shawarma marinade: lemon juice, plain yogurt, parsley, garlic, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and cayenne.
- For the sauce: tahini, lemon juice, garlic, warm water, salt and pepper.
- For the wrap: pita, chicken shawarma, tahini garlic sauce, with any combo of lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, and red onion.
How to Make Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce

Start your Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce by making the shawarma marinade.

Add the plain yogurt to a medium sized bowl with the cinnamon, allspice, and cayenne.

Followed by freshly grated garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a touch of salt.

Add some freshly minced parsley and stir until a creamy sauce is formed.

Add cubed chicken to the marinade and mix until evenly coated. Let marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.

Then set the chicken out on a prepared baking sheet and broil in the oven for 4-5 minutes on high, or throw it on the grill (my preferred method).

While the chicken is marinating or cooking, make the tahini garlic sauce. Pour tahini into a small bowl.

Add lemon juice, grated garlic, and a touch of salt and pepper.

Slowly stir in warm water until you’ve reached desired consistency.

Now you’re ready to assemble the Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce. Start by spreading the sauce onto some pita.

Follow with the chicken shawarma, and desired toppings of lettuce, tomato, onion, or bell pepper.

Wrap it all up, and enjoy this delicious lunch or dinner!
Easy Substitutions
- Make it vegetarian. Instead of chicken, use chickpeas! Or tofu, or vegan “chicken.”
- No dairy? No problem. Luckily this meal already has very little dairy, but you can replace the yogurt with coconut yogurt, or a bit less conventional, apple sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do you tenderize lean chicken breasts?
Plain yogurt is a healthy way to tenderize lean chicken breasts while also adding an addictive tanginess. Plain yogurt is also packed with protein as well as magnesium and potassium.
What else can I use the Tahini Garlic sauce with?
It tastes great on white fish or drizzled over roasted potatoes.
How do I store leftover chicken shawarma?
Kept in an airtight container, it’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

More Lebanese Delights
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Lebanese Rice Salad
- Za’atar Roasted Carrots and Green Beans
- Vegan Tomato Kibbeh
- Lebanese Stuffed Kousa Squash
Like It, Eat It, Share It!
Did you try this Lebanese dish and love it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your meal.

This Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce is not only easy and delicious, but brings with it a sense of home and comfort (at least for me). I love it, my husband loves it, my kids love it, and I know you will, too.
No fork required.

Chicken Shawarma Pita with Tahini Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken Shawarma
Tahini Garlic Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 pitas
- slices lettuce (tomato and red onion to serve)
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together chicken marinade: lemon juice, yogurt, minced parsley, grated garlic, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and cayenne.
- Pour marinade over chicken breast cubes in a resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- While chicken is marinating, whisk together tahini garlic sauce in a small bowl. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
- To cook chicken, pre-heat grill or broiler to high heat. Spray grill or foil-lined broiler pan with non-stick spray. Grill or broil for 4-5 minutes per set or until chicken is cooked through.
- To serve, spread a quarter of the tahini garlic sauce down the center of each pita. Top with cooked chicken pieces, lettuce, tomato, and red onion slices. Wrap tightly and slice in half before serving.
Liz,
This looks yummy! My favorite Lebanese butcher in Falls Church, VA, just down the road from Saturday morning wheelchair basketball practice, served their chicken shawarma with slices of pickled turnips, too. I loved the whole thing, but especially those turnips. I’ve attempted to recreate my own, but I’d love to find a real pickled turnip recipe, as I’m starting to get turnips in the fall farm share.
Thanks!
I LOVE pickled turnips!! Honestly is there anything better?? I hope you enjoy this!
And there’s that sauce I love so much!!!
Hi Liz! I’m really excited to try this recipe. I think I got into liking middle eastern food because I had a Lebanese boyfriend who taught me how to make hummus, and introduced me to tahini, pitas and string cheese. I don’t have any tahini in the house right now, but I have everything else. And I’ve already warned my husband that it’s coming. I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing more recipes from this part of the world, because they really know how to cook!
Love your background of cuisines…. Beautiful heritage! I will definitely try this (as a way to use chicken breasts in a new & non-boring way). Pinning it now…
Thank you so much Kim!! I’m definitely an American mut!! :) xo
Been wanted to make shawarma at home. Thanks for the recipe! I, too, am of Middle Eastern background and love grape leaves, shawarma, all of it.
Isn’t it the best food in the world?? Enjoy!!
I love me some good shawarma pita! When we were living in Paris we used to go at least once a week to this delicious Lebanese spot that had delicious pita sandwiches and now that we’ve moved, I totally miss Lebanese food! Your recipe sounds delicious, I’ll try it sometime soon!
Oh I had some of my best Lebanese food when I lived in London!! Europe knows how to do it!! I hope you enjoy this!!
I just ran across your blog today for the first time and love it! I also love the looks of this recipe. We just moved to the country of Georgia, and I am not sure I would be able to find tahini…do you have another sauce to suggest that would also complement this recipe? Thanks!
Thanks so much for responding! I will def try it out!
I made this tonight and it is soo good. Best flavors didn’t know chicken could be so yum. Healthy too!! Thx
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed it Lizzie!
What a perfect dinner for busy nights!! I need to make this soon!
This would be fab with your fattoush!! Or you can get crazy and add the fattoush to the pita… :)
Want. This. Now. (!!!)
It’s funny – so do I!!! I’ll trade you for a babka!!
Oh my gosh, I can’t wait to try the tahini garlic sauce. I’m pretty sure I would put that on everything. Our local Lebanese restaurant closed, but luckily we have a Middle Eastern market nearby and I’m able to buy all the ingredients to cook at home.
I totally make extra of the tahini sauce and put it on everything. It’s really good as a dipping sauce for roasted cauliflower or raw crudite. Ok you’re making me hungry – haha. I’m so glad you have a Middle Eastern market available!!
uhhhh you know I love this!
I am still dreaming of my Lebanese meal in Dearborn!!
Great recipe. Thank you. You have experienced many foods and that’s why your recipes are super.
You are so sweet Liz – thank you!
I eat chicken shawarma almost every time I eat out at a Middle Eastern restaurant. Will definitely be trying your homemade recipe soon. It looks delish!
Isn’t it just the best?? We will be making more often, that’s for sure!
I love your site! I live in Michigan and was wondering what are the restaurants you visited in Dearborn? I’d love to try them as well!
I went to Le Pita in Dearborn! Highly, highly recommend!! :) So glad you found my blog! Enjoy!
Liz, I share your love of middle eastern foods. Just looking at warm pita makes my heart sing and discovering we’re almost out of tahini terrorizes me. We make hummus & muhammara frequently and I’ve made chicken shawarma before, but it’s been so long I’d almost forgotten. We’ll be giving your recipe a shot very soon. Thanks for sharing it!
So funny I’m almost out of tahini too and I’m so worried I’ll forget to buy more! I love that you love Middle Eastern food as much as I do!! There’s really nothing better than warm pita. Do you have a muhammara recipe?
It has been WAY too long since I made chicken shawarma, and your version looks way easier and healthier than ones I’ve used in the past. Pinned for next week’s dinner!
Really?? Maybe yours is better!! I just sort of made this version up but it was so freaking good!!
Why do people think it’s acceptable to use “freaking”, as in “it’s so freaking good”? These placeholders are just as offensive as the words they replace. Think before you speak.
I love eating food influenced by family and region. I’ve never had shwarma, but this makes me crave it!!
I do too!!! Like the time I went to Seattle and had the best king crab legs and wild salmon of my life!! xo I hope you make this!! So good and easy.
I will now be thinking of grape leaves all day…one of my favorite lunches. This pita would likely rank right up there with the grape leaves. Great flavors, Liz!
It’s so funny you say that – I’ve been wanting to make grape leaves too!!! I could eat 20 of them. :)
I love hearing about your heritage, Liz. This looks like a fabulously flavorful meal!
Aww thank you Brenda!! Basically lots of lemon, garlic and olive oil run through my veins. :)