Chicken Shawarma Spice

A shawarma blend of paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, ginger, turmeric, coriander, cloves and cinnamon. It smells smoky and sweet-spiced at once, paprika and cinnamon leading, and the cayenne heat arrives late and mild.

Paprika lends depth and colour, cumin a hearty warmth, and cayenne a lively heat balanced by the sweet zing of ginger and the earthy glow of turmeric. Coriander adds gentle citrusy freshness, while cloves and cinnamon give the sweet-spicy complexity that defines the flavour.

How to use it

Rub it into chicken for grilling, roasting or pan-searing, using about a tablespoon per 500g. It is at its best in a wet marinade: mix the spice with yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice and oil and leave the chicken in it for at least four hours. Technique tip: cook shawarma-spiced chicken hot and fast, so the sugars in the paprika and cinnamon caramelise into the dark edges that make the dish, rather than steaming pale in a crowded pan.

Details

Also known as

Shawarma Seasoning, Middle Eastern Chicken Spice, Signature Shawarma Blend, Arabian Chicken Shawarma Spice