Irresistible Chicken Shawarma Marinade

I’ve been making this chicken shawarma marinade for years, and it never fails to transport my kitchen straight to the Middle East with its incredible aroma. The secret is in the generous amount of garlic and the perfect blend of warm spices like cumin and coriander that create those authentic flavors we all crave. Trust me, once you try this marinade, you’ll be making shawarma on repeat!

SAVE NOW

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-2200
• Protein: 80-180 g
• Fat: 110-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 20-35 g

Ingredients

• 2 lb meat (cut into 1-inch strips)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp sugar
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Step 1: Build the Aromatic Marinade Base

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp sugar
• 8 garlic cloves, minced

In a medium bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Add the minced garlic and sugar, stirring well to combine.

This wet base will help distribute the spices evenly and ensure the garlic and citrus flavors penetrate the meat thoroughly.

Step 2: Blend Spices Into Marinade

• wet ingredient mixture from Step 1
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Add all the dry spices to the wet mixture from Step 1: smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano, ground ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper.

Whisk everything together until you have a smooth, evenly distributed marinade with no clumps.

I like to taste a tiny bit on my finger to make sure the balance feels right—you want that warm, smoky flavor with a gentle heat underneath.

Step 3: Coat Meat and Begin Marinating

• 2 lb meat
• marinade mixture from Step 2

Place the 2 lb of chicken (or meat of your choice) cut into 1-inch strips into a large bowl or resealable plastic bag.

Pour the marinade from Step 2 over the meat, making sure every piece is thoroughly coated.

Use your hands or a spoon to massage the marinade into the meat, ensuring the spices make good contact.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or seal the bag, then refrigerate.

For chicken, marinate for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight (up to 48 hours) for maximum flavor development—I find that longer marinating times really let those warm spices sink in and tenderize the meat.