Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma

Name: Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (700g); 3 tablespoons olive oil; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon allspice; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 lemon (juiced); 1/4 cup Greek yogurt; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/8 teaspoon salt

By Arman Liewpublished on Aug 10, 2026

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Total Time 1 20

Servings 4 servings

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Once you learn how to make chicken shawarma in the air fryer, you’ll never use the oven again. The chicken is perfectly seasoned and gets those gorgeous crisp edges, and you can assemble them into pita sandwiches.

My air fryer chicken shawarma tastes like it came off a rotisserie spit

Making chicken shawarma in my air fryer was a happy accident. I bought one of those oven spits intending to make shawarma at home, only to realize- after it arrived- that my oven couldn’t actually accommodate it. Clearly, I should have done my research first!

I already had my chicken marinated and ready to go, so I threw it in the air fryer instead. And honestly? I was thrilled with how it turned out! Here’s why:

Crispy edges, juicy chicken. The chicken develops the crispy, charred edges I love about traditional shawarma, while staying juicy in the middle.
Easy weeknight dinner. The chicken takes about 16 minutes to cook, so once you pile it into warm pitas, dinner is ready in about 20 minutes.
Less oil, plenty of flavor. Traditional shawarma gets a lot of its richness from the oil used while it cooks. I use considerably less, but the generous spice blend means you don’t lose any of the flavor.
No special equipment. You don’t need an oven spit or an oven that can actually fit one. The air fryer does the job beautifully.

Key Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.

Boneless skinless chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are the ideal cut of chicken for shawarma. The extra fat keeps the meat juicy
Olive oil. Just enough to coat the chicken and help the spices stick. You won’t need much, especially since we’re cooking the chicken in the air fryer.
Garlic. Freshly minced cloves, please.
Shawarma spice mix. I’m using cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. The cinnamon is my secret ingredient- you won’t taste cinnamon, but it adds a subtle warmth that really rounds out the spice mix.
Lemon juice. A little citrus tenderizes the chicken and adds a subtle tang.
Garlic sauce. Greek yogurt, a touch of mayo, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.
To serve. I typically serve these in warm pitas with tomato, red onion, lettuce, and some parsley. Pickled onions or some hot sauce are also great additions.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1- Start by making the marinade by whisking the oil, spices, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add the chicken thighs, cover, and chill for at least 10 minutes or up to 4 hours.

raw chicken thighs coated in shawarma spices in a white bowl.

Step 2- While the chicken is marinating, quickly whisk the garlic sauce ingredients together.

Step 3- Now, place the marinated chicken in the air fryer basket and air fry at 400°F for 16 minutes, or until the edges are charred.

marinated raw chicken thighs in an air fryer basket.

Step 4- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

sliced air fried chicken shawarma on a plate with pita, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, cucumber, and yogurt sauce.

Step 5- Finally, assemble the shawarma in warm pita with fix-ins and drizzle garlic sauce over the top.

air fryer chicken shawarma in warm pita with cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, and red onion.

Arman’s tips for the best texture

Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. Give the chicken plenty of room so the hot air can circulate around it. If you pile it in, it’ll steam rather than develop those crispy edges.
Let the chicken cook undisturbed. I only open the air fryer basket to flip it. It gives the chicken time to develop some color.
Don’t overcook it. Chicken thighs are pretty forgiving, but they can still dry out. I recommend checking the thickest piece with a meat thermometer and removing the chicken once it reaches 165°F.