Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma delivers bold Middle Eastern flavor with almost zero effort. Juicy chicken thighs simmer gently in warm spices, yogurt, garlic, and lemon, creating incredibly tender, flavorful meat perfect for stuffing into pitas with fresh veggies and creamy yogurt sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons paprika (sweet or smoked)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons grated cucumber
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- For Serving: pitas, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, cumin, black pepper, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.
- Place sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add chicken thighs and coat evenly with the marinade.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours until chicken is tender.
- Shred or slice chicken and return it to the juices to soak up more flavor.
- For the yogurt sauce, mix yogurt, garlic, cucumber, cumin, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Serve chicken in warm pitas with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and yogurt sauce.
Notes
- To get crispy edges, broil the cooked chicken for 3–4 minutes.
- Can be meal-prepped and stored for up to 4 days.
- Works great with chicken breasts too.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern