Chicken Shish Tawook
My authentic Shish Tawook recipe is absolutely perfect! These skewers start with an easy yogurt, lemon, and garlic marinade loaded with spices. Lebanese grilled chicken skewers are perfect to serve with rice pilaf or wrapped up in pitas with lots of garlic sauce!
Servings: 8
Calories: 233kcal
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, into 1-inch pieces
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic pressed or grated
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground sumac
- ½ teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Prepared Toum
- Vermicelli Rice
Instructions
- MARINATE: In a large bowl, dish together all the ingredients other than the chicken until combined. Taste and adjust with more seasonings as desired. Place the chicken in the bowl and stir to coat the chicken evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and ideally, 4-8 hours. You’ll also want to soak wooden skewers if you’re using those.
- SMOKE: This step is optional, and should be done at your own risk. See notes for directions
- GRILL:Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Preheat an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill to 450ºF. Make sure to clean the grill grates thoroughly and oil the grates. Grill for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through until the chicken is done to about 165ºF.
- SERVE: You can serve the Shish Tawook skewers with Lebanese flatbread with toum, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, sliced onions, or with prepared vermicelli rice.
Notes
- How to smoke the chicken: To give the chicken a charcoal flavor, heat a charcoal brickette over medium-high heat on a gas stove until the coal lights up on all sides. Make a small basket out of aluminum foil by wrapping it around the bottom of any bottle. Place the foil (without the bottle) in the center of the chicken with the marinade. Place the lit charcoal with tongs in the foil basket. Grab a lid that will fit the bowl. Pour 1 teaspoon of oil over the hot charcoal and immediately cover the dish with the lid. Allow the chicken to ‘smoke’ for 30-45 seconds. The longer you leave it, the stronger the flavor. Carefully remove the foil basket. I usually pour water on it in the sink to extinguish before allowing it to cool and discard. Smoke the chicken at your own risk though, please. Feel free to omit this step.
Nutrition
Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 12g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
