Shish Tawook Recipe

Shish tawook placed on a bed of tabbouleh and served with yogurt sauce.

5 from 4 votes

This Shish Tawook recipe is the way my mother made it in her Turkish kitchen: marinated in yogurt, lemon, garlic, and cinnamon, with her secret touch of lemon zest, then grilled on skewers until charred and juicy. Serve it Lebanese-style in pita with toum or over vermicelli rice, the way we do back home in Türkiye.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Marinading Time4

Total Time4 30

Course: Chicken Recipes

Cuisine: Lebanese

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Author: Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For The Marinade

¾ cup whole milk Greek yogurt unsweetened (or plain yogurt)
¼ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for the grill
6 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch cayenne pepper optional
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

For The Chicken

2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs - cut into 1-inch cubes

Instructions

To prepare the chicken, remove any excess fat; pat dry, then transfer the pieces to a bowl and set aside.
To prepare the marinade, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, paprika, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, cayenne pepper (if using), tomato paste, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until well combined.
Pour the marinade over the chicken and mix well, ensuring all the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap, removing as much air as possible. Place it in the fridge and marinate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before assembling the marinated chicken. Remove the marinating chicken from the fridge 20 minutes before grilling.
When ready to grill, turn the burners to medium-high and let them preheat for 10 minutes or until they reach 400 degrees F. Using tongs, dip a folded paper towel into the extra olive oil, then generously wipe the grates*.
Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the marinade and thread the chicken pieces through the skewer. Tap off any excess marinade. If you have a thin piece, fold it as you thread it so it will cook evenly. Do not pack the pieces too tightly, as this can lead to uneven cooking.
Place the skewers on the oiled grate in a single layer. Cover and cook for approximately 12-15 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes to achieve even browning and grill marks. If you have a meat thermometer, check doneness by inserting it into one of the chicken skewers. If the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F., the chicken is done.
Remove the skewered chicken from the grill and loosely cover with aluminum foil for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Yields: This recipe yields 8-9 skewers of shish tawook (ideal for serving 4 people), with each skewer having 5 pieces of cubed chicken. The nutritional values below are per serving.
*Do not skip oiling the grill grates: This is an important step to ensure the chicken releases easily (and in one piece) when cooked.
Make ahead: You can marinate your chicken for up to 24 hours before cooking. When ready, assemble and cook them as directed in the recipe.
Storage: Bring the leftovers to room temperature. Then, remove the meat from the skewers and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Freezing: I would not recommend freezing the raw marinated chicken. However, you can freeze the cooked shish tawook. Simply bring it to room temperature, remove it from the skewers, place it in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Nutrition

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