Sheet Pan Chicken Pitas
These sheet pan chicken pitas are going to be your new favorite easy weeknight dinner! Tender, juicy shawarma-spiced chicken roasted on a sheet pan until golden and caramelized, piled into warm soft pitas with a bright cucumber tomato salad and the most addictive garlic yogurt sauce.
- 3 lb chicken thighs (thinly sliced)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 large red onion (thinly sliced)
- olive oil (for drizzling)
- fresh parsley (finely chopped, for topping)
- 4 baby cucumbers (thinly sliced, into circles)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- olive oil (for drizzling)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 5 cloves garlic (grated)
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- water (to adjust consistency)
- 6 pitas
- Marinate the chicken: Preheat oven to 425°F. Add thinly sliced chicken to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and add tomato paste, yogurt, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, and sugar. Mix well to coat evenly.
- Roast the chicken: Oil a sheet pan and spread chicken in an even single layer. Top with sliced red onion and drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes until deeply golden and cooked through. Top with chopped parsley.
- Make the salad: Combine cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and parsley in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and squeeze in lemon juice. Toss to combine.
- Make the garlic yogurt sauce: Mix together yogurt, mayo, grated garlic, lemon juice, and parsley. Add water to reach a drizzleable consistency.
- Warm the pitas: Reduce oven to 350°F. Spray pitas lightly with water, wrap in foil, and bake for 5-10 minutes until warm and soft.
- Assemble: Spread garlic yogurt sauce on each pita. Add cucumber tomato salad and roasted chicken. Top with more sauce and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Sheet Pan Chicken Pitas: Your New Weeknight Go-To
If you love the flavors of shawarma but don’t want to fuss with a rotisserie, this sheet pan version is your answer. The chicken gets coated in a yogurt and tomato paste marinade loaded with warm spices, roasted at high heat until caramelized and juicy, then piled into warm pitas with fresh salad and a garlicky sauce that ties everything together. If you love this you’ll also love my Chicken Shawarma Wrap — it uses a similar marinade and is just as good!
Chicken
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Garlic Yogurt Sauce
To Serve
Pitas
The Chicken Marinade
The yogurt and tomato paste base is what makes this chicken so special — yogurt tenderizes the meat while tomato paste adds a deep savory richness that caramelizes beautifully in the oven. The spice blend is warm and fragrant without being overwhelming. This is the same flavor profile as my Chicken Shawarma Wrap — if you love that one you’ll love this too!
The Cucumber Tomato Salad
This simple fresh salad is the perfect contrast to the rich spiced chicken — bright, crunchy, herby, and dressed with just olive oil and lemon. Don’t skip it — it’s what makes the whole pita come together and feel balanced. It takes about 5 minutes to throw together while the chicken is in the oven.
The Garlic Yogurt Sauce
This sauce is dangerously good. Five cloves of grated garlic might seem like a lot but it mellows out beautifully when mixed with the yogurt and mayo base. The lemon keeps it bright and the parsley adds freshness. Add water a little at a time until you reach a drizzleable consistency — you want it pourable enough to generously coat the chicken in the pita.
How To Make Sheet Pan Chicken Pitas
Marinate the chicken: Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl add thinly sliced chicken thighs. Drizzle with olive oil and add tomato paste, yogurt, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, and sugar. Mix well until every piece is evenly coated.
Roast the chicken: Oil a sheet pan and spread the chicken out evenly in a single layer. Top with sliced red onion and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes or until the chicken has a nice deep color and is fully cooked through. Top with chopped parsley.
Make the cucumber tomato salad: While the chicken bakes, add sliced cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, and parsley to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, and toss to combine.
Make the garlic yogurt sauce: In a bowl combine yogurt, mayo, grated garlic, lemon juice, and parsley. Mix well and add water a little at a time to reach your desired drizzleable consistency.
Warm the pitas: Reduce oven to 350°F. Lay out a sheet of foil, spray your pitas lightly with water, wrap them up in the foil, and bake for 5-10 minutes until warm and soft.
Assemble: Spread garlic yogurt sauce on each pita. Add cucumber tomato salad, then pile on the roasted chicken. Top with more garlic yogurt sauce and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Customization Ideas
Add heat — a drizzle of harissa or chili sauce on top takes this to the next level.
Add more toppings — pickled red onions, sliced avocado, or a handful of romaine lettuce are all amazing additions.
Swap the protein — this marinade works beautifully on chicken breast or even lamb if you want to mix it up.
Make it a bowl — skip the pita and serve everything over rice or farro for a hearty grain bowl.
Storage & Reheating
Storage Store each component separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the chicken, salad, and sauce separate so nothing gets soggy.
Chicken — pan (best method): Reheat over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until warmed through and slightly crisped back up.
Chicken — microwave: Heat for 60-90 seconds covered.
Pitas: Wrap in foil and warm in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes or toast directly on a pan.
Chicken — marinate up to 24 hours ahead in the fridge for even deeper flavor.
Cucumber tomato salad — best made fresh but can be made up to a few hours ahead — add the lemon juice just before serving.
Garlic yogurt sauce — make up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate.
