Shawarma Chicken Skillet with Tahini Sauce

Shawarma Chicken Skillet recipe is a bold, flavour-packed one-pan dish made with thinly sliced chicken cooked in aromatic spices and finished with a creamy tahini sauce. Inspired by classic shawarma flavours but adapted for stovetop cooking, this skillet version delivers caramelized, savoury chicken without the need for a rotisserie. It’s satisfying, deeply seasoned, and perfectly suited for an easy yet impressive meal.

Hello everyone! Happy Monday if it’s appropriate to say so. I hope you enjoyed the weekend, and you’re ready to tackle another week. Today, I will keep it short and sweet (No kidding this time.)

Chef Paul Lillakas and Shawarma-Inspired Skillet Chicken

Besides, who needs too many words when you see something utterly scrumptious? That’s exactly the case today. So please take your seat, grab a big spoon, and enjoy this Shawarma-Inspired Skillet Chicken.

This recipe was developed by Chef Paul Lillakas, and if you’re not following him on Instagram yet, you absolutely should. When I first saw his recipe for Shawarma-Inspired Skillet Chicken (I’m keeping the original name), I bookmarked it instantly. It looked that good. And now that I’ve made it, I’m convinced this dish deserves to go viral – judging by how many people are already trying it, it’s well on its way.

What Is Shawarma?

Traditional shawarma is made from meat sliced thin, stacked in a cone-like shape, and slowly roasted on a vertical rotisserie. It never would have occurred to me that you could create a simplified version right in your own kitchen – with just one pan. Wild, right? But it works.

I was confident this dish would be delicious, but I still had one lingering question: would it actually taste like shawarma?

Shawarma Chicken Skillet Recipe with Tahini Sauce

At first, while everything is just starting to cook, the final result isn’t obvious. But after about five minutes, the flavours begin to come together, and that unmistakable shawarma aroma starts filling the kitchen. The real magic happens around the 15–18 minute mark, when most of the liquid has evaporated and the chicken begins to caramelize.

How far you take that caramelization is completely up to you. Two extra minutes will give you juicy chicken with light browning. I went a bit further — about five additional minutes — for a drier, deeply caramelized finish.

The spice blend is spot on. I didn’t change anything in the original recipe, except for adding a touch of smoked paprika and chipotle. A little extra smoky kick never hurts, right?

Does This Shawarma Chicken Skillet Actually Taste Like Shawarma?

The result? Absolutely fabulous. Served with warm pita (or any flatbread you like) and a generous drizzle of tahini sauce, this makes a perfect weekend meal.

And yes – it does taste like shawarma. As good as restaurant-style. Actually, better. Because you can tweak it exactly to your taste.

So once again, thank you to Chef Paul Lillakas for a recipe I’ll be making often. I hope you give this Shawarma-Inspired Skillet Chicken a try very soon.

Daisy approved.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Shawarma Chicken Skillet Recipe

Chicken and Marinade

• Boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced.
• Soy sauce for savoury depth.
• White vinegar for balance.
• Oil to promote browning.
• Brown sugar to encourage caramelization.
• Garlic for punch.
• Ground coriander and cumin as the flavour backbone.
• Chili flakes for gentle heat.
• Smoked paprika and chipotle for smoky depth.
• Salt to bring everything together.

Tahini Sauce

• Tahini for richness and nuttiness.
• Warm water to smooth the sauce.
• Yogurt to lighten the texture.
• Mayonnaise for body.
• Lemon juice for brightness.
• Garlic and salt to finish.

How to Make Shawarma Chicken Skillet

To make this Shawarma Chicken Skillet recipe, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, oil, brown sugar, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili flakes, smoked paprika, chipotle, and salt in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add the sliced chicken and mix well to coat.

Transfer the chicken and all the marinade to a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid has completely evaporated and the chicken begins to caramelize, about 15–18 minutes. Continue cooking for a few more minutes until the chicken reaches your preferred level of browning.

Meanwhile, whisk together the tahini and warm water until smooth. Add the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, and salt, and whisk until fully combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve the chicken hot with warm flatbread, fresh vegetables, and plenty of tahini sauce.

More One-skillet Chicken Ideas

Are you looking for more easy chicken recipes, like this Shawarma Chicken Skillet. Be sure to check more recipes below:

• Apricot Pine Nuts Chicken Skillet
• Creamy Chicken Breasts with Prunes
• Chicken with White Wine, Figs and Rosemary (30-Minute Recipe)

I’d love for you to try this Shawarma Chicken Skillet recipe. If you give this easy chicken recipe a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts.

Cheers!

Print

Shawarma Chicken Skillet with Tahini Sauce

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Mains and Comfort DishesDifficulty: Easy

Shawarma chicken skillet recipe with tahini sauce, made in one pan with spiced, caramelized chicken. A flavourful and easy dinner idea. Recipe by the Chef Paul Lillakas.

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• Shawarma-Inspired Skillet Chicken:

• 12 boneless chicken thigs, thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

• 2 tbsp. olive or canola oil

• 2 tbsp. white vinegar

• 2 tbsp. brown sugar

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp. ground coriander

• 2 tbsp. ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes

• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

• a god pinch of chipotle powder

• Tahini Sauce:

• 1/2 cup warm water

• 1/3 cup tahini

• 1/3 cup yogurt

• 1 tbsp. mayonnaise

• 3 tbsp. lemon juice

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• For Serving:

• Pita or other flatbread, warm

• Iceberg lettuce (shredded), tomatoes, cucumbers (sliced) or other vegetables

Directions

• In a large bowl combine the soy sauce, vinegar, oil, brown sugar, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili flakes, smoked paprika, chipotle, and salt. Mix until the sugar dissolves. Add the sliced chicken and mix.
• Transfer the chicken (with all liquid) into a large non-stick over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until no liquid remains, about 15-18 minutes. That’s when caramelization starts. Keep cooking until well-caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes or slightly longer, as desired.
• Meantime, in a small-medium bowl combine the tahini and water until smooth. Stir in the yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and whisk until well-combined. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
• Serve Shawarma-Inspired Skillet Chicken with warm flatbread, vegetables, and tahini sauce. Enjoy!