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Home » Recipes » Crockpot/IP

Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma

Published: Oct 7, 2024 by Megan

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This Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma is hearty, wholesome and delicious! Enjoy tender, juicy chicken packed with Mediterranean flavors in a dish that’s rich in protein, low in calories and incredibly versatile. All you’ll need is a few simple ingredients and your trusty slow cooker to put it together. It's gluten-free + low-calorie!

Crock pot chicken shawarma in a bowl with rice and sliced zucchini.
Jump to:
  • Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Variations & Dietary Modifications
  • How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma
  • Storage Directions 
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Delicious Chicken Recipes
  • Crock Pot Chicken Shawarma

The simple, effortless flavors of Mediterranean food are what I almost always turn to when I want to enjoy a healthy, delicious meal. In this dish, creamy, warm spices bounce off the tangy flavor of tahini. It's really a wonderful way to make boring chicken fabulous.

Even better, it's made EASY in the crockpot for a no brainer meal. Perfect for meal prepping or feeding a crowd! Looking for more easy dishes with similar flavors? Try my healthy Greek chicken casserole and my low carb Greek chicken bowls, served with the zucchini noodles. Both are favorites at the top of the list for me!  

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma Recipe

  • Whole Food Ingredients: The dish focuses on the use of fresh and healthy ingredients. It is the perfect choice for anyone trying to make healthier meals.
  • Customizable: You can tweak and customize the spices and seasonings to your liking, and there’s lots of ways to serve the chicken too!
  • Easy Family Meal: Making this slow cooker shawarma is hands-off cooking. You’ll need just a few minutes to dump everything in your slow cooker, and that’s it! 

Ingredients

Ingredients to make chicken shawarma in the crock pot in bowls on the table before cooking.
  • Chicken thighs: Chicken thighs are the perfect choice for this recipe. They’re soft, tender and juicy, and add a lot of flavor too. I would recommend using skinless chicken thighs to keep it healthier and boneless for easier prep. You can also use chicken breasts as well but adjust the cooking time as needed.
  • Tahini: A paste made from sesame seeds for a rich, creamy and nutty flavor. You can buy tahini at the grocery store -- even Walmart carries it. It's usually in the peanut butter aisle. You can use the leftovers to make marinades and dips.
  • Greek yogurt: I used nonfat Greek yogurt here. You could use the regular version too, if that’s what you prefer. 
  • Chicken broth: To add an extra depth of flavor to the dish. 
  • Lemon juice: Nothing beats a nice drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon juice to add a nice bit of tanginess to the chicken. 
  • Garlic: For the little zip of flavor. You can use garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic.
  • Spices and seasonings: I used a simple mix of spices including cumin powder, garlic powder, paprika, cinnamon powder, coriander powder, some dried parsley and curry powder. And of course, some salt and pepper too! 
  • Olive oil: Perfect for this Mediterranean inspired recipe.  

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations & Dietary Modifications

  •  Spice it up: Add an extra sprinkle of paprika or some cayenne into the Crock Pot along with the other spices to lend this chicken shawarma a bit of heat. 
  • Top it up: Add an extra bit of flavor and texture to the shawarma by topping it with some fresh tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage, and pickled onions, or better yet, just make a small bowl of my coleslaw with Greek yogurt.
  • Paleo-friendly: To make the chicken shawarma paleo friendly, swap the Greek yogurt in the recipe for coconut yogurt. 

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Shawarma

This chicken shawarma slow cooker recipe barely needs any effort or prep time to make! 

Ingredients to make chicken shawarma in a crock pot.

Step 1: Add in everything. Place the chicken thighs in your slow cooker. Add the seasonings and spices, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, chicken broth and tahini and mix well.

Cooked chicken shawarma in a crockpot.

Step 2: Time to cook. Cook it for 3 hours on high or for 6 hours on low. 

Chicken shredded in a crock pot with two forks to the side.

Step 3: Shred It. Check if the chicken is cooked. Allow it to cool down just a little bit and shred it. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot. Then serve it hot with some brown rice, roasted veggies, and a nice drizzle of some sundried tomato red pepper hummus.

Storage Directions 

  • Storing: Store your leftover chicken shawarma in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 5 days. 
  • Reheating: You can reheat the chicken in a pan over medium heat, with a splash of water to adjust its consistency. Another great idea is to microwave it until it is nice and warm.  
  • Make Ahead: You can prep the chicken ahead of time too, if you want to use it for a meal later in the week. Simply marinate the chicken with all the ingredients in a freezer safe container and freeze it for up to 2 months. Then, allow it to defrost overnight in the refrigerator, slow cook it when you want to, and serve. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve this Crock Pot chicken shawarma with some brown rice or a healthier wrap like my homemade 3 ingredient tortillas.

You’ll also want to have a nice hummus and some pickled or freshly sliced veggies to go with it. I personally love my no bean pumpkin hummus and edamame hummus with this creamy, juicy chicken. If you love a bit of heat, you might want to try making my easy spicy black bean hummus or cilantro jalapeno hummus recipes. 

And if you want to go the extra mile, serve it with a fresh salad like a simple healthy Greek pasta salad or quinoa tabbouleh salad recipe. 

A bowl of chicken shawarma over rice with a side of zucchini rounds.

Expert Tips

  • Use forks: Use two forks to shred the chicken once it is done cooking. It’s the simplest, easiest way to shred chicken, in my opinion, and I do it all the time when making my Instant Pot shredded chicken.
  • Season as you go: If you’re sensitive to spice, start by adding just a bit of the seasonings and spices. Give it a quick taste when you shred the chicken, and add more if needed.

Recipe FAQs

How will I know the chicken is done cooking?

The best way to know if the chicken is fully cooked is to use a meat thermometer to check its internal temperature. If the thermometer reads 165 degrees or more, the chicken is done.  

Is chicken shawarma gluten-free?

Yes, this chicken shawarma recipe is naturally gluten-free.

This Crockpot Chicken Shawarma is a hearty meal packed with Mediterranean flavors. A quick slow cooker recipe, just dump and go. High protein and feeds plenty. Gluten Free + Low Calorie

More Delicious Chicken Recipes

  • slow cooker with shredded chicken and sliced bell peppers
    Crockpot Italian Chicken and Peppers
  • A BBQ chicken bowl on the table with a fork in the bowl and it's topped with chicken, black beans, bell pepper, and zucchini.
    BBQ Chicken Bowl
  • Shredded BBQ chicken crockpot served on a bun with a jar of bbq sauce in the background.
    Shredded BBQ Chicken Crock Pot
  • A bowl of healthy chicken tortilla soup on the table with limes, onion, cilantro, and avocado.
    Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup

If you tried this chicken shawarma recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.

Slow cooker chicken shawarma in a bowl with rice and zucchini.

Crock Pot Chicken Shawarma

Megan Olson
This easy slow cooker chicken shawarma is perfect for meal prepping over the weekend! It is hearty, wholesome, delicious and a great protein rich meal for the whole family.
5 from 16 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 hours hrs
Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Course Crockpot, Dinner
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 5 servings
Calories 320 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 ¼ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ¼ cup chicken broth low sodium
  • ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon curry powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon coriander
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken thighs in a crockpot with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper, chicken broth, tahini, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, cumin, curry powder, garlic powder, paprika, cinnamon and coriander.
  • Cook on high 3 hours (or low 6 hours). Check to see if chicken is ready. It is ready when it easily falls apart when you break it up with a spatula or spoon.
  • Serve with brown rice, roasted zucchini slices and Greek yogurt as desired. Top with dried parsley.

Notes

  • Nutritional data does not include brown rice or zucchini.
  • For a Paleo option, serve with cauliflower rice and swap the Greek yogurt for coconut yogurt.
  • Serving size is approximately 1 large cup.
  • My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my weight loss clients.
  • If you love this recipe, check out my low calorie cookbook for more delicious recipes and weight loss tips!

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 3.1gProtein: 37.3gFat: 17.1gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 181.6mgSodium: 202.5mgFiber: 0.6gSugar: 1g
Tried this Recipe? Let me know!Let us know how it was!

About Megan

Megan is a certified nutrition practitioner, author, freelance food photographer and fitness instructor living in Phoenix, Arizona. On her blog, Skinny Fitalicious she shares EASY, gluten free recipes for weight loss. Follow Megan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.

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    5 from 16 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Melinda says

    May 18, 2025 at 1:05 pm

    Amazing recipe! The spices and flavor were perfect. One of the commenters said they ate this with tortilla wraps which inspired me to use pita bread. It was so great! Will be making this recipe more.

    Reply
  2. Mary says

    January 01, 2025 at 3:58 pm

    Another great tasting recipe I can cook once and have leftovers for quick lunches. Delicious!

    Reply
  3. Vinette DiGregorio says

    October 17, 2024 at 3:03 am

    I made this yesterday. Fantastic! So easy. We ate the chicken in tortillas. Thank you!

    Reply
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Megan is a nutritionist, author of the Low Calorie Cookbook and podcast host of the Dish On Ditching Diets. Megan helps women over 35 stop dieting, heal their relationship with food and lose weight sustainably. Megan lost 80 pounds herself. Here you get healthy, lower calorie recipes!

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