Serve this easy shredded Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma with your choice of side dishes for a delicious Mediterranean style meal! Slow cooked with a variety of spices like paprika, sumac, turmeric, and more, this tender chicken is perfect in wraps, salads, and bowls!
This easy slow cooker version of classic Chicken Shawarma results in tender shredded chicken that is jam packed with Mediterranean flavors for a much-needed changeup to enhance plain chicken breasts!
Traditional chicken shawarma is typically served in a wrap made of pita bread with fresh vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, and onion with delicious sauces like tzatziki sauce or garlic sauce alongside hummus and falafel.
In case you’re new to chicken shawarma, I’ll give you a quick rundown. Chicken breasts or thighs are marinated in spices, then grilled or baked to perfection. I love this crock pot rendition because the chicken becomes infused in aromatic flavors through and through.
Classic shawarma recipes are cooked on a spit revolving around an open flame. Because most households don’t have this capability, I figured making an easy crock pot chicken shawarma recipe would be much desired!
Use this simple crock pot chicken shawarma for wraps, salads, and bowls! I like using it in bowls with my Ginger Turmeric Aromatic Rice and some fresh vegetables like cherry tomatoes, Easy Asian Cucumber Salad, and some chopped green onions.
If you’d like a baked version, make my Easy Chicken Shawarma, which is roasted in the oven.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for chicken shawarma! The majority of ingredients are spices that can be found at most grocery stores.
Chicken Shawarma Ingredients:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Choose either chicken thighs or chicken breasts, or a combination of the two. I have made shawarma both ways and love how each turns out.
I have a slight preference for boneless thighs because the meat has extra richness from the dark meat of the thigh and the higher fat content. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for lean protein, feel free to stick with chicken breasts.
Avocado Oil: We need some quality oil to provide richness to the meal and to enhance all of the spices. Feel free to use olive oil instead.
Shawarma Spices: paprika, sumac, garlic powder, Aleppo pepper flakes (or chili powder), allspice, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, ground turmeric sea salt, and black pepper are the seasonings we need to make this delicious recipe happen!
This spice blend is what is responsible for the Middle Eastern flavors.
As is true for so many cuisines, the amounts of each spice as well as the spice selection varies depending on who you ask.
I find this combination of ingredients yields a result that tastes just like authentic chicken shawarma, which is why I have selected the individual spices and amounts that I have.
Recipe Adaptations:
For an infusion of citrus flavor, add 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the crock pot.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma:
Mix together all of the spices in a small bowl.
Drizzle one tablespoon of avocado oil in the bottom of your crock pot. Sprinkle both sides of each chicken breast with the spice mixture, and be sure to use all of the mixture.
Place chicken at the bottom of the crock pot, then drizzle in the remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons of avocado oil. For richer, more flavorful chicken, consider adding an extra 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. It is perfectly fine for the chicken to be in two layers in this application!
It may seem strange that we aren’t adding any liquid, but trust me, the process works.
Secure the lid on the crock pot and cook on Low heat for 8 hours.
Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken to your desired consistency, or chop it into chunks.
Transfer the shredded chicken back into the crock pot with the juices and keep warm until you’re ready to serve.
Use chicken in wraps with sauces and fresh vegetables, or in bowls with rice, or salads. For wraps, you can use pita pockets or naan bread. I recommend whipping up some form of yogurt sauce using Greek yogurt for serving crockpot chicken shawarma as well.
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Ordinarily, I provide a cooking time option for high heat, but I truly recommend low heat in this application, especially when using breasts. If using boneless skinless chicken thighs, feel free to cook on high for 4 hours.
And that’s it! A delicious crock pot recipe that is easy to set up for the best weeknight chicken shawarma.
I love using big batch recipes like this for meal prepping protein, as it is easy to make in bulk for a flavorful meal prep bowl.
If meal prepping bowls, include your favorite kind of rice or pita bread, pickled red onions, any kind of leafy greens like romaine lettuce, and/or salad. For a low carb option, go with a salad or serve with cauliflower rice or a low-carb tortilla.
Add it to your weekly lunch or dinner rotation!
Recipe Tip:
For the most tender chicken, use boneless skinless chicken thighs. If chicken breasts are your preference, marinate the chicken in the oil and spices in a glass sealed container for 1 to 12 hours prior to slow cooking.
Looking for more fun crock pot meals? Also try out these reader favorites!
More Slow Cooker Recipes:
- Crock Pot Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken
- Crock Pot Coconut Lime Chicken and Vegetables
- Slow Cooker Asian Beef Short Ribs
- Crock Pot Garlic Honey Chicken
- Slow Cooker Lamb Curry
Drop a comment below letting me know what you do with this easy chicken shawarma recipe!
Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 to 2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 3 to 4 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 ½ tsp ground paprika
- 1 ½ tsp ground sumac
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp Aleppo pepper *
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Mix together all of the spices in a small bowl.
- Drizzle one tablespoon of avocado oil in the bottom of your crock pot. Sprinkle both sides of each chicken breast with the spice mixture, and be sure to use all of the mixture. Place chicken at the bottom of the crock pot, then drizzle in the remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons of avocado oil. For richer, more flavorful chicken, consider adding an extra 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. It is perfectly fine for the chicken to be in two layers in this application! It may seem strange that we aren’t adding any liquid, but trust me, the process works.
- Secure the lid on the crock pot and cook on Low heat for 8 hours.
- Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken to your desired consistency, or chop it into chunks.
- Transfer the shredded chicken back into the crock pot with the juices and keep warm until you’re ready to serve.
- Use chicken in wraps with sauces and fresh vegetables, or in bowls with rice, or salads. For wraps, you can use pita pockets or naan bread. I recommend whipping up some form of yogurt sauce using Greek yogurt for serving crockpot chicken shawarma as well.
Notes
Nutrition
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