Suhoor Shawarma Chicken Thighs with Yogurt, Cardamom and Paprika
Boneless chicken thighs rest overnight in a garlicky yogurt marinade scented with cardamom, paprika, and warm spices, then roast on a bed of onions until juicy and charred at the edges. Mix it after iftar, and the pre-dawn meal takes about 30 minutes of oven time.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 28 min
- Wait
- 8 hr 25 min
- Total
- 9 hr 23 min
- Makes
- About 2 lb (900 g) cooked chicken, 4 generous servings
Steps
Before you start
- Plan ahead: the chicken needs at least 8 hours in the fridge (up to 24). Marinate it right after iftar or before bed, and it is ready to roast at suhoor.
- Count back from your suhoor time: the morning work is about 20 minutes of tempering and preheating, 28 minutes of cooking, and 5 minutes of resting.
- Use plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek-style or nonfat). Its acidity tenderizes the meat, and it clings to the chicken and browns well.
- Use fresh ground cardamom if you can. Ground cardamom loses its aroma quickly, so a jar that has sat for years will taste flat.
- Use a thermometer. The most reliable sign of doneness is the internal temperature.
Whisk the marinade
- In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, tomato paste, paprika, cardamom, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, and salt.
- Whisk for about 1 minute until the mixture is thick, uniformly orange-red, and no streaks of tomato paste or clumps of spice remain.
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Ready when: The marinade is smooth, thick like sour cream, and evenly colored.
Tip: Taste a tiny bit of the marinade on your fingertip (it has no raw chicken yet). It should taste bold and slightly salty, because it seasons the meat.
Trim and dry chicken
- Trim any large pieces of fat or gristle from the thighs, leaving the thin layer of fat that keeps them juicy.
- Pat both sides dry with paper towels.
- Make 2 or 3 shallow cuts, about ¼ inch (6 mm) deep, across the thickest part of each thigh so the marinade can get into the meat.
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Ready when: The surface of each thigh feels tacky rather than wet, and the thick parts are scored.
Tip: Wash your hands, board, and knife with hot soapy water after handling raw chicken.
Coat and marinate overnight
- Add the chicken to the marinade and turn and massage the pieces for about 1 minute so every surface and cut is coated.
- Cover the bowl tightly (or transfer everything to a large resealable bag and press out the air).
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
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Ready when: The chicken is fully coated in a thick layer of marinade with no dry spots.
Tip: Do not marinate longer than 24 hours. The acid and yogurt can make the meat mushy.
Temper and preheatOven 425°F / 220°C
- At suhoor time, set an oven rack in the upper third and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Take the chicken out of the fridge and leave it, covered, on the counter for 20 minutes while the oven heats.
- Line the baking sheet with foil or parchment if you like.
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Ready when: The oven has reached 425°F (220°C) and the chicken is cool but no longer ice cold.
Tip: If your oven runs slow to preheat, check it with an oven thermometer.
Arrange onions and chicken
- Toss the sliced onion with 1 tbsp olive oil on the baking sheet and spread it in a single layer.
- Lift each thigh from the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and lay the thighs on top of the onions in a single layer with about ½ inch (1 cm) of space between them.
- Spoon any remaining thick marinade over the tops.
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Ready when: The thighs sit in one uncrowded layer over the onions.
Tip: Do not crowd the pan. Overlapping thighs steam instead of roast and will not brown.
Roast the chickenOven 425°F / 220°C
- Roast on the upper rack at 425°F (220°C) for 22 to 25 minutes, without turning, until the edges are deeply browned and the marinade on top is set and spotted with dark patches.
- Check the thickest thigh with an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: The thickest part reads at least 175°F (80°C), the juices run clear, and the edges are charred in spots.
Tip: Thighs are forgiving. 165°F (74°C) is safe, but 175°F (80°C) makes them more tender.
Broil for charOven 500°F / 260°C
- For a more classic shawarma finish, switch the oven to broil on high (about 500°F / 260°C) and broil 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) from the element for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stay at the oven and watch closely.
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Ready when: The tops are blistered with dark, crisp spots, but not blackened all over.
Tip: The sugar in the yogurt and tomato paste burns fast under the broiler, so never walk away.
Rest and slice
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken rest on the pan for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute.
- Slice the thighs against the grain into ½-inch (1 cm) strips and toss them with the soft onions and the pan juices.
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Ready when: Slices hold together and release only a little juice when cut.
Tip: Spoon the pan juices over the sliced chicken. They carry most of the flavor.
Garnish and serve
- Pile the sliced chicken and onions onto a platter, scatter with the chopped parsley if using, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.
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Tip: Serve it with warm flatbread, rice, or hummus and a simple cucumber and tomato salad for a balanced pre-fast meal.
Good to know
Tips
- Do not skip the shallow cuts in the thighs. They help the marinade reach deeper into the meat.
- Place the thighs on a bed of onions rather than directly on the pan. The onions catch the drippings and caramelize in them.
- For extra char without a broiler, finish the sliced chicken for 2 minutes in a very hot cast-iron skillet.
- Cook leftover chicken into wraps with garlic sauce, pickles, and tomato, or pile it on rice bowls for the next day.
Make ahead
"The marinade can be whisked up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Chicken can marinate in it for up to 24 hours. You can also roast the chicken the evening before: cool it quickly, refrigerate, and reheat at suhoor (see storage)."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours after cooking. Fridge: store cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days, and reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water for 5 to 7 minutes, or in a 350°F (175°C) oven covered with foil for 12 to 15 minutes, until hot throughout (165°F / 74°C). Freezer: freeze cooked chicken for up to 3 months, or raw chicken in its marinade in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking or reheating."
Substitutions
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs → bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 40 to 45 minutes until the thickest part reaches 175°F (80°C) and the skin is crisp.
- plain whole-milk yogurt → labneh thinned with a little milk, or a dairy-free unsweetened coconut yogurt. Use the same amount. The coconut version is milder and slightly less tangy; add an extra teaspoon of lemon juice.
- sweet paprika → smoked paprika. Gives a smokier flavor. Use half smoked and half sweet if you prefer a gentler effect.
- ground cardamom → ground allspice. Use ½ tsp allspice in place of 1 tsp cardamom for a similar warm, sweet-spice note, which is common in shawarma blends.