Shish Tawook is Lebanese grilled chicken skewers or kabobs. Served all year round, the distinctive color and flavor of this dish come from the yogurt and spice marinade that also tenderizes the chicken so it literally melts in your mouth! Serve this tender juicy chicken with homemade Toum garlic sauce, pita bread, pickles, and sumac onions for the ultimate Lebanese experience.
What is Shish Tawook
Shish Tawook or Shish Tawooq takes us back to the origins of the dish, the name comes from Turkey, Shish means skewers and Tawook means chicken. This dish is all about the marinade, and there are 3 important elements to the marinade: yogurt, lemon, and garlic.
What the yogurt and lemon do is not just flavor the chicken, but also help break down the muscle fibers and therefore tenderize the chicken.
In Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, Shish Tawook is mainly done on an outdoor grill even during the winter months. However, home cooks found an easier way for a quick meal to saute the chicken skewers in saute pan or a grill pan with a little olive oil.
I like to use my grill pan to char the chicken give it some beautiful marks. But you can also do this in the oven (instructions included in the recipe card below) and then place the chicken under the broiler to char the chicken.
The Ingredients
This is authentic recipe, and here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Chicken – I usually use chicken breasts but you can use chicken thighs if you prefer. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Yogurt – plain natural yogurt or Greek yogurt.
- Fresh lemons for the juice, olive oil, and minced garlic.
- Tomato paste.
- Spices – ground cumin, paprika, oregano, ground black pepper, and salt.
How to Make Shish Tawook
Make the marinade – In a large bowl, combine yogurt with tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Give it a good whisk so it’s well combined.
Marinate the chicken – Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, give it a mix so that the chicken is well covered, cover with plastic wrap and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours in the fridge. The marinade will work as a meat tenderizer and flavor the chicken at the same time.
Thread the chicken – if you’re using bamboo skewers, remember to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, about 4-5 pieces per skewer. And they’re ready to be grilled!
Grill the chicken skewers – because the chicken was marinated and tenderized, it doesn’t take long to cook. On the grill or a grill pan, it takes about 4-6 minutes per side. If cooking in the oven, preheat the oven to 360°F/180°C and place on a half sheet pan allowing the skewers to stay on the rim so that the chicken isn’t touching the pan. Add half a cup of water to the bottom of the pan, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
Top Tips
- Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
- When threading the chicken, do not squeeze it tight but don’t leave space between every 2 pieces.
- Feel free to add slices of yellow onions or bell peppers to the skewers as I did in my grilled chicken kabob recipe.
- A couple of halved tomatoes can be put on the grill as the chicken is being grilled, and enjoyed with the chicken.
- The chicken is ready when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Use an Instant reach thermometer to check.
- When you pull the chicken skewers off the grill, tent with foil and let the chicken steam in there for 10 minutes to lock in the juices and stay moist.
- To make the sumac onions, thinly slice red or yellow onions, then in a bowl combine the chopped parsley, onions, with a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, sumac, and salt. Give it a give massage, and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes Shish Tawook and Shawarma are confused, and while both are chicken Middle Eastern dishes, they use different spices and are cut differently. Shawarma seasoning includes warmer spices such as cardamom, ginger, and cloves. While Shish Tawook has a milder flavor profile.
Normally, Shish Tawook is a part of the mixed grill so you’d find lamb and beef skewers and sometimes lamb ribs on the platter as well. But Shish Tawook can also be served on its own as a sandwich or a wrap, or with a side salad and garlic sauce.
Store leftovers in an airtight container without any sauces in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven until just warmed through.
Yes! It’s lean chicken marinated in a simple yogurt based marinade, then grilled. You can sub the yogurt for fat-free yogurt if you prefer. One portion of the grilled chicken contains around 300 calories (roughly).
And to make the most amazing Shish Tawook wrap, just get warm pita or flatbreads, spread some Toum garlic sauce over it (or garlic tahini sauce), add the chicken cubes, some pickles, and sumac onions. Enjoy while still warm!
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Shish Tawook
Ingredients
- ¾ cup plain natural or Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 pounds (900g) chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine yogurt with tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Give it a good mix so it's well combined.
- Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, give it a mix so that the chicken is well covered, cover with plastic wrap and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- If you're using bamboo skewers, remember to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, about 4-5 pieces per skewer.
- Grill on an outdoor grill or a grill pan for about 4-6 minutes per side.
Notes
- If cooking in the oven, preheat the oven to 360°F/180°C and place on a half sheet pan allowing the skewers to stay on the rim so that the chicken isn’t touching the pan. Add half a cup of water to the bottom of the pan, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
- When threading the chicken, do not squeeze it tight but don’t leave space between every 2 pieces.
- Feel free to add slices of yellow onions to the skewers.
- A couple of halved tomatoes can be put on the grill as the chicken is being grilled, and enjoyed with the chicken.
- The chicken is ready when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Use an Instant reach thermometer to check.
- When you pull the chicken skewers off the grill, tent with foil and let the chicken steam in there for 10 minutes to lock in the juices and stay moist.
- Serve over pita bread with Toum garlic sauce, pickles, and sumac onions.
- To make the sumac onions, thinly slice red or yellow onions, then in a bowl combine with chopped parsley, onions, a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, sumac, and salt. Give it a give massage, and serve.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container without any sauces in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven until just warmed through.
Wendy Childs
Is the tablespoon of tomato paste part of the marinade? There’s no mention of it in the instructions.
Diana
Yes! Good catch, Wendy. Will change it now. Thanks!