Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma

 

This NYT Cooking recipe has quickly become a favorite! I first made it with some pieces of chicken breast we had in the freezer, and I served it with Iranian rice as a side. It was fantastic! We gave it a rare 4 thumbs up, and it was so good that I made it again the following month when my parents came to visit.

I highly recommend serving this dish with the Iranian rice as a side. Another good idea would be pita and hummus, and/or chopped cucumber and tomatoes.

2 lemons, juiced
½ cup + 1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. turmeric
1 pinch ground cinnamon
red pepper flakes, to taste
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large red onion, peeled and quartered
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Combine the lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl; whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 °F. Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan (I lined mine with tin foil for easier cleanup). Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisped at the edges, and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits. (If you want to make the chicken even more crisp, set a pan over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then add the sliced chicken and sauté until everything curls tight in the heat.)

Scatter the parsley over the top and serve.