Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe!!! Carve it up, just like it’s done at the neon-lit kebab shops, then use it to roll up your very own Doner Kebabs or make kebab plates. Marinated in a heady spice mix before roasting the oven or grilled on the BBQ, this is great food for gatherings.
Also, don’t miss Lamb and Beef Doner Kebab Meat – looks and tastes just like the real deal! (Albeit on a much smaller scale…)
Doner Kebab recipe
It’s practically an Aussie right of passage to do the post-pub midnight kebab run at some point in your life.
Usually at the tender age of 18 when we hit the legal drinking limit (*cough, cough, no mum, I never drank a drop before then*). Late night outs with uni friends, being booted out of pubs at closing, drawn like moths to the brightly lit kebab stores.
You can’t miss the giant rotisserie of meat that greets you when you walk into a Kebab store. Sometimes, it’s concerning to think about how long it’s been there, lazily rotating around, waiting for the next customer to wander in before being carved.
In kebab shops, they are giant – like the size of a punching bag.
For this homemade Doner Kebab recipe, we are going a little smaller.
Like – 2% of the size. 😂
What is Doner Kebab meat made of?
While the chicken kebab meat does actually look like meat, the lamb and beef kebab meats have a uniform texture that’s a dead giveaway that there’s plenty of non-real-food fillers in them!
As for seasonings / preservatives / additives…. who knows?? (She says, with an exaggerated shrug of her shoulders)
And therein lies the greatest upside of homemade doner kebabs:
You know exactly what’s in this.
So. This teeny homemade doner kebab scores big points in this field – you know this is made with all real ingredients!
Marinate, thread onto skewers, prop on edges of baking pan and bake.
Then carve up that meat, just like at the kebab shop!
Well, a teeny version of it.(Remember, for today, the rule is that size doesn’t matter!)
What’s the difference between Doner Kebab and Shawarma?
Shawarma and Doner Kebabs are prepared and used in similar ways (ie cooked on a vertical spit, shaved and served wrapped in flatbread) but they have different spice flavourings. Shawarma originates from the Middle East whereas Doner Kebabs originate from Turkey.
What to use Doner Kebab meat for
The two main uses are Doner Kebab Rolls and Doner Kebab plates. However, the meat is also used in Pide, Gozleme and even on pizza – I love them all! 😂
To make Doner Kebab Rolls, lebanese flat bread is smeared with Hummus then topped with Tabbouleh (recipe in notes), shredded lettuce, tomato slices, optional onion then a big pile of the done kebab meat drizzled with sauce of choice (I always go chilli).
Rolled up tightly, wrapped in foil then sometimes toasted to make the bread crisp before slotting it into a paper sleeve (like pictured below).
Kebab Plates are a great alternative for something a bit different. I love the variety you get on the plates. It comes with Hummus, Tabbouleh (recipe in notes), tomato, lettuce, Mejadra (Middle Eastern Spiced Lentil Rice that’s so tasty, you can eat it plain) OR Curried Basmati Rice, and Lebanese Bread (aka pita bread). This is pretty much the standard selection that comes on Kebab plates.
Kebab plates are also a good option for a low carb meal – skip the rice and bread, go heavy on the fresh veg.
Whether you make Doner Kebab rolls or plates, both are equally delicious because of the meat! it’s loaded with flavour, juicy with caramelised edges. Just like from the kebab shop! – Nagi x
Doner Kebab recipe
Watch how to make it
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Doner Kebab recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2 lb chicken thighs , skinless and boneless (Note 1)
- Olive oil , for drizzling
Marinade:
- 1 cup plain yoghurt , unsweetened (I use Greek)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper , optional
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For Serving (choose):
Instructions
- Mix Marinade in a large bowl. Add chicken and mix to coat well.
- Cover and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours, 24 hours is ideal. If only 3 hours, add an extra 1/2 tsp salt.
- Preheat oven to 220C / 430F (standard) or 200C / 390F (fan / convection).
- Choose a pan of a size such that the skewers will stay propped up on the pan walls (see photos in post or video) and the chicken will be elevated off the base. Line with foil.
- Remove chicken from fridge. Divide the chicken into 2 piles.
- Take one piece of chicken, fold in half then thread onto two skewers (see video). Repeat and push the chicken snugly up against each other. Repeat with other skewer.
- Prop the 2 skewers on the edges of the baking pan. Drizzle surface with oil.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the surface is golden with some charred bits (char is good!).
- Spoon the pan juices over the chicken. Then turn, drizzle with oil and bake for 20 minutes (or 25 – 30 minutes if you had large thighs). If you need / want more colour, switch to grill/broil for a few minutes on high – I don’t do this.
- Baste again with pan juices and stand for 5 minutes.
- Carving: Stand the skewers upright or on an angle, and slice meat fairly thinly. Use to make Doner Kebabs or Kebab Plates.
Doner Kebabs:
- Place a lebanese bread (or pita bread or other flatbread) on a piece of foil. Spread with a generous dollop of Hummus (or yoghurt – Note 2). Top with shredded lettuce, slices of tomato, Tabbouleh (for a truly authentic experience! Note 3), cheese (I usually go this) and Chicken. Drizzle with chilli sauce if desired (I use Sriracha, it’s perfect).
- Roll up tightly and wrap in foil. Consume and be happy!
Kebab Plates:
- Serve chicken with Mejadra (Middle Eastern Spiced Rice with Lentils), shredded lettuce, tomatoes, slices of red onion, tabbouleh, dollop of hummus. Optional to serve flatbread / lebanese bread on the side.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
At the local markets – no dogs allow inside so Dozer gets ditched in the Dog Parking Area!!
Another wonderfully made recipe! Looks so tender and juicy. Thanks for sharing Nagi 🙂
Thank you Muna! N x
Looks great – can you do a lamb/meat recipe one please! or any hints on how you would do it with meat/lamb would be great
Hi Alex! Haven’t tried with lamb yet, I will tinker with that over the summer. I think shoulder will work, cut into thick slabs, then threaded like the chicken and cooked for a bit longer on a slower temp to make it super tender!
Thank you – I might have a play myself too. Congratulations on your blog – you have many fantastic recipes which I love trying. Look forward to your lamb version – it will be so much better than my efforts!
Who doesn’t love a good kebab?! Keen to try this one out, thanks Nagi!
I HEAR YOU!!! 👂🏼👂🏼
Ok, this will be Saturday nights dinner. Thank you Nagi for another fabulous recipe.
I hope you love it Vicky!! N x
That hazy-shady photo of you and the ‘doner’ will always be in my memory books and file lists! You ARE wicked about ‘size’ Madam, are you not 🙂 ?? Actually, Nagy, I was awfully ‘lucky’ re my ‘drinking allowances’ . . . . had an awfully poor appetite when a tot and our paediatrician suggested a small glass of wine with lunch at 4 !! Wonder now what his own diurnal habits were!! Anyways, that explains a few things . . . . *huge laughter* . . . So I was well-practiced ere I hit uni . . . and, in moderation, there was absolutely no criticism from home . . .
BA HA HA!!! That’s just TOO FUNNY!!!
Hi Nagi, can these be done on the BBQ? Thanks, Jen
Hi Jen! I think they will be hard to cook on direct heat on the BBQ because they are quite thick. You can just cook them without skewering them, in which case they will be great on the BBQ (about 10 minutes on medium high, turning halfway). I skewer them for the full Doner Kebab experience! The other way is to use a rotisserie that elevates the skewered chicken above the heat, do you have one of these? 🙂 N x
Thanks Nagi. I don’t have a rotisserie so I did them in the oven as stated and OMG they were fantastic. Absolutely spot on with flavour and so very juicy and yummy. My lot pretty much devoured them all and have asked for them to be made again soon. Many thanks for yet another wonderful recipe. Jen and family.
Yippee! SO HAPPY to hear that Jen! N xx
This looks soooo good, and my husband loves sauces on meats so he will love this! This may be something that would be good for after Thanksgiving when we want something other than turkey and dressing.
Nagi, can this be made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or will it dry out too much?
Poor Dozer looks like he feels left out.
Ha! He was hanging with new friends, he was totally FINE! 😂 The way this is cooked, it’s best to make this with thigh so it doesn’t dry out. If you really truly need to use breast, I would cut in half horizontally to make into 2 thin steaks, then marinade, the cook them on the stove without skewering (about 3 – 4 minutes each side), then finely slice and use per recipe. 🙂
Since we don’t have Doner Kababs were I live, I’m wondering if they are supposed to be as charred as your video showed? I do want to make this recipe as I love Middle Eastern food. We’ll soon have a local Mediterranean Deli, of the well known Chapel Hill, North Carolina restaurant/catering business. I can’t wait!
Hi Teresa! Yes it is, the outer layer on the rotisserie is always nicely browned and when they start carving, if it’s not browned where they carve )i.e. if they’ve had lots of customers and they keep carving in without the meat having time to brown), they usually fry on the grill until golden 🙂 Hope you do try this Teresa!! N xx
Love,love love this recipe… I cannot wait to try this for dinner.
Thank you Shobee! Hope you do try this! N x
This looks incredibly delicious. You have the most amazing & delicious recipes.
Thank you Angela! N x
Hi Nagi! Wow, these look good!! There is a Brazilian restaurant in Knoxville that roasts very large chunks of meat, of all varieties. They have “roaming’ waiters who wheel carts of meat around and carve it tableside. You get a coaster like chip and when you want more you turn it green side up. I haven’t been (I checked it out on the internet), but would love to go some day. Talk about the “meat sweats”!! Thanks for a homemade (manageaby sized) recipe!
Yes that’s what it’s like!! I am SO looking forward to doing a Brazilian BBQ feast next year! N xx
Genius! Doner at home! Bookmarking this idea for summer entertaining 🙂
Yes yes YESSSSS!!!
You got me with this one, Nagi! We used to have a Doner Kebab shop here in El Paso, Texas, and my husband took me there once. It was reallllly good. Definitely want to make this. Thanks for bringing back a good memory.
hope this meets your expectations Susan!! N xx
Since it’s being cooked in the oven, what purpose does it serve putting the meat on skewers? Is it really necessary? Thank you.
Hi Kelly! It’s to mimic the giant upright rotisseries at kebab stores and makes it easier to carve thin slices, just like in the kebab shops! It’s not really necessary, you can just bake it on a tray at the same temp, probably just for 25 minutes until browned. Then finely slice each piece 🙂
Thanks Nagi. I’m new to your site but I look forward to trying this soon! 🙂
So glad you found me Kelly! 🙂 Hope you do give this a go soon! N xx
As the skewers are resting on the side of the tray and the meat is elevated from the tray bottom, my assumption is this would allow the rendered fat to drip off the meat. Similar to how it would be done on a rotisserie traditionally.
Thanks Josh. I totally missed the fact that they were resting on the edge of the tray. I can see how that would make a difference. Appreciate your reply. 🙂
That’s exactly it Josh 🙂 It’s a homemade rotisserie!
Can’t wait to try this one. Looks mouthwatering. (oops spilled a drop on the keyboard)
😂
I’m Middle Eastern and I can tell you this recipe is authentic and I’m sure is DELICIOUS! Well done Nagi!
HIGH FIVE!!! Thanks so much Layla! 🙌🏻
I’m Middle Eastern and I can tell you this recipe is authentic and I’m sure is DELICIOUS! Well done Nagi!
Looks amazing, dinner tomorrow is decided I guess!
😂