Shish Tawook Recipe
This Shish Tawook recipe makes tender, juicy Middle Eastern grilled chicken skewers with a flavorful yogurt, lemon, garlic, and spice marinade. The chicken is marinated until deeply seasoned, then grilled until beautifully browned while staying moist inside.
Chicken shish tawook is surprisingly easy to make at home using simple ingredients. The yogurt helps tenderize the chicken, while lemon, garlic, paprika, and other warm spices give the marinade its distinctive flavor.
I’ll show you how to make juicy shish tawook on an outdoor grill or on the stovetop, along with my simple technique for keeping the chicken moist after cooking. Serve it with pita bread, rice, and the easy sumac onion salad included in the recipe.
📺 Watch Me Make This Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Shish Tawook
- Tender and juicy chicken: The yogurt-based marinade helps tenderize the chicken and keeps it moist as it cooks.
- Packed with flavor: Garlic, lemon juice, tomato paste, paprika, coriander, and spices give the chicken a savory, tangy flavor.
- Easy ingredients: You can make the marinade with simple ingredients that are easy to find.
- Grill or stovetop: Cook the skewers outdoors on the grill or indoors on a flat pan, so you can make shish tawook year-round.
- Great for serving a crowd: Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers with bell peppers and serve it with pita bread, rice, and sumac onion salad.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bell peppers: Optional, but they add color and can be threaded onto the skewers with the chicken.
- Chicken: Chicken thighs are my preferred choice because they stay especially juicy, but chicken breast also works well when properly marinated. Cut the chicken into fairly large, even cubes so they cook at the same rate.
- Plain yogurt: This forms the base of the marinade and helps tenderize the chicken. Use regular plain yogurt rather than Greek yogurt, which is thicker and can cause the outside of the chicken to brown too quickly.
- Lemon juice: Adds acidity and a fresh, tangy flavor to the marinade.
- Garlic: Five cloves give the chicken plenty of savory garlic flavor.
- Tomato paste: Adds color, richness, and a subtle sweetness to the marinade.
- Spices: Paprika, coriander, black pepper, and red chili powder season the chicken without overpowering the lemon and garlic.
- Olive oil: Helps the marinade coat the chicken and keeps it moist during cooking.
For the Onion Salad:
- Sumac onion salad: Don’t skip this! Thinly sliced onion is mixed with sumac, parsley or mint, salt, and black pepper. The tangy, fresh onion salad cuts through the rich, juicy grilled chicken and, in my opinion, takes the shish tawook to another level.
How to Make Shish Tawook
1. Make the marinade.
In a large bowl, combine the garlic, plain yogurt, spices, lemon juice, and tomato paste. Add the olive oil and whisk until well combined.
2. Marinate the chicken.
Pat the chicken dry and add it to the marinade. Mix well so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. For the best flavor, marinate it overnight.
3. Prepare the skewers.
If using wooden skewers, soak them in warm water for about 1 hour before cooking. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, adding the optional bell pepper pieces at the ends.
4. Cook the shish tawook.
Grill the skewers outdoors or cook them on a hot flat pan on the stovetop. Turn the skewers every couple of minutes so the chicken cooks and browns evenly. The chicken is done when its internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
5. Let the chicken rest.
Once cooked, cover the shish tawook with aluminum foil and let it rest for 7 minutes before serving.
Don’t Skip the Sumac Onion Salad
The simple onion salad served with this shish tawook makes a huge difference. The fresh onion, tangy sumac, and herbs add brightness that balances the rich, garlicky grilled chicken.
To make it, combine thinly sliced onion, sumac, salt, black pepper, and chopped parsley or mint. Use your hands to gently separate the onion layers while mixing so everything is evenly coated.
Make the salad shortly before serving. I don’t recommend storing it for later because the onion softens and the flavor changes as it sits.
Serve some alongside each skewer—I especially love the contrast between the warm, juicy chicken and the fresh, tangy sumac onions.
Tips for Juicy Shish Tawook
- Chicken thighs are especially juicy. I prefer thighs for shish tawook, but chicken breast works very well too when it has enough time to marinate.
- Give the marinade time to work. Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, for better flavor and tenderness.
- Use regular plain yogurt. Greek yogurt is much thicker and can make the outside of the chicken brown too quickly before the center has finished cooking.
- Cut the chicken into similar-sized pieces. This helps all the pieces cook at approximately the same rate.
- Don’t skip the resting time. Once cooked, cover the skewers with foil and let them rest for 7 minutes before serving.
- Check the internal temperature. The chicken is ready when the thickest pieces reach 165°F (74°C).
What to Serve With Shish Tawook
Serve shish tawook hot with the sumac onion salad, warm pita bread, and rice for a complete meal.
It also pairs well with hummus, garlic sauce, or a simple fresh salad. You can remove the chicken from the skewers and wrap it in pita with the sumac onions for an easy sandwich-style meal.
Storing Shish Tawook
- Refrigerate: Store leftover shish tawook in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat the chicken gently so it doesn’t dry out. You can warm it in a covered skillet over low heat or briefly in the microwave.
- Sumac onion salad: Make this fresh when you’re ready to serve. I don’t recommend storing it because the onions soften and the flavor changes as they sit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is shish tawook?
Shish tawook is a Middle Eastern dish made with pieces of chicken that are marinated, threaded onto skewers, and grilled. This version uses a yogurt-based marinade flavored with lemon, garlic, tomato paste, and spices.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes. Chicken thighs tend to stay especially juicy, but chicken breast works very well when properly marinated. Cut the pieces evenly and avoid overcooking them.
How long should I marinate shish tawook?
Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours. For deeper flavor, you can cover it and refrigerate it overnight.
Can I make shish tawook without an outdoor grill?
Yes. You can cook the skewers on a hot flat pan on the stovetop, as in this recipe. You can also cook them under the oven broiler, turning them every few minutes so they cook evenly.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
⭐PLEASE REVIEW AND RATE
If you have tried my Shish Tawook recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
Shish Tawook Recipe
Ingredients
- 750 g chicken breast or thighs cut into large cubes
- 5 garlic cloves minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- ¾ cup plain yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
Optional
- Red and green bell peppers cut into cubes
For the Sumac Onion Salad
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or mint
Instructions
Making the Shish Tawook
- In a large bowl, combine the garlic, yogurt, black pepper, coriander, paprika, red chili powder, salt, lemon juice, and tomato paste. Mix well.
- Add the olive oil and whisk until combined.
- Pat the chicken dry and add it to the marinade. Mix well until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 1 hour before cooking to help prevent them from burning.
- Thread two bell pepper pieces onto each skewer, followed by the chicken pieces, then finish with another two pieces of bell pepper.
- Heat a flat pan over medium-high to high heat and add the skewers. Cook, turning approximately every 2 minutes, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. You can also cook the shish tawook on an outdoor grill. The chicken is done when the thickest pieces reach 165°F (74°C).
- Transfer the cooked skewers to a plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let them rest for 7 minutes.
- Serve with the sumac onion salad, pita bread, or rice.
Making the Sumac Onion Salad
- Add the sliced onion, sumac, salt, black pepper, and parsley or mint to a bowl. Gently mix with your hands while separating the onion layers until evenly combined.
Notes
- Chicken thighs are my preferred choice for especially juicy shish tawook, but chicken breast also works well when properly marinated.
- For the best flavor and tenderness, marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Use regular plain yogurt rather than Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is thicker and can cause the outside of the chicken to brown too quickly before the center is fully cooked.
- To cook the shish tawook in the oven, place the skewers under the broiler and turn them every few minutes until evenly browned and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Make the sumac onion salad shortly before serving. I don’t recommend storing it because the texture and flavor of the onions change as they sit.
