Crispy, juicy, and packed with Middle Eastern flavors, this Viral Crunchy Chicken Shawarma is the easiest homemade shawarma you’ll ever make. No grill, no spit, just simple ingredients and a pan, yet the result is incredibly flavorful and unbelievably crunchy. Perfect for lunch, dinner, or meal prep and the recipe is easy to double or triple.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Crunchy & Juicy: roasted chicken then pan-fried for that viral crisp.
Fast & Easy: no long marinades needed.
Flavor Explosion: spices + tomato paste + garlic yogurt = perfection.
Super Customizable: double, triple, or scale down anytime.
Serving Suggestion
Serve hot with extra toum on the side, fries, or a fresh cucumber-tomato salad. These shawarmas taste best straight out of the pan when the wrap is golden and ultra-crispy.
Pro Tips for the Crunchiest Shawarma Ever
Take your time in the pan: slow toasting = maximum crunch.
Never fry with the tomato mixture: the tomato paste burns quickly; always brush it on the wrap, not in the pan.
Slice chicken thinly: cooks faster and crisps better.
Let the chicken rest 2–3 minutes after baking: it stays super juicy when you crisp it.
Use plenty of pickles: they cut through the richness and add the classic shawarma bite.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
• 250 g chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp MSG (optional)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp olive oil
Fake/Quick Toum:
• 5 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
• Salt & pepper to taste
Extras:
• About 10 pickles, quartered lengthwise
• 2 wraps (large) in the video is shown how I use two wraps for one shawarma, but I recommend using just one.
Tomato Oil Mixture:
• 20 g olive oil
• 20 ml water
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ketchup
• Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
In a bowl, mix chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, curry, MSG, tomato paste, yogurt, and olive oil. Stir well until everything is evenly coated.
Bake
Preheat oven to 220°C (top/bottom heat). Lightly oil a baking sheet and spread the chicken pieces on top. Bake for 15–18 minutes until cooked and lightly crisp on the edges.
Make the Fake Toum
Mix Greek yogurt with grated garlic, salt, and pepper. • Set aside.
Prepare the Tomato Oil Mixture
In a bowl, mix olive oil, water, tomato paste, ketchup, salt, and pepper. This will be used to brush the wraps, not for frying.
Assemble the Shawarma
Lay your wrap flat and brush the INSIDE with the tomato oil mixture. Add the baked chicken, quick toum, and pickle slices. Roll the shawarma tightly.
Crisp the Shawarma
Heat a pan over medium heat with ONLY oil (no tomato mixture in the pan, the tomato paste will burn (learned it the hard way😅). Add the shawarmas and toast them slowly until the outside becomes deeply crispy. This step takes a bit longer, but that’s exactly how they get ultra-crunchy.