Who could resist these beautifully grilled chicken skewers known as Lebanese Shish Tawook?
Marinated in yogurt, lemon juice, tomato puree, loads of garlic, and shish tawook spices, this is one excellent chicken shish tawook recipe.
Believe it or not, this Lebanese Shish Tawook recipe has been the number #1 recipe on on the Cultureatz blog for the last few years. But the post needed a bit of spit and shine so here is my revamped version. I hope it remains your favorite post for a long time to come.
Let’s Explore Lebanon
The Republic of Lebanon is a small Middle Eastern country and its trendy capital is Beirut. The country dips its coast along the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and Lebanon shares a border with Syria and Israel.
Lebanon is a country with a long and rich history. Phoenician, Egyptian, Roman, Umayyad, Crusader, and Ottoman ruins are scattered about the country. Lebanon is a country rich in natural scenery from beautiful beaches to mountains and valleys. Most everyone in North America and Europe is familiar with Lebanese cuisine.
Popular Food in Lebanon
They include an abundance of starches, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, Tabouleh Salad, fresh fish, and seafood. Mezze, an array of small dishes such as pickled vegetables or raw vegetables, hummus, baba ghanouj, are common. The Lebanese flatbread is a staple to every Lebanese meal and can be used to replace the usage of the fork.
Lebanese chicken recipes are enjoyed occasionally, as are Lebanese lamb and goat kebab recipes. Grilled marinated seafood and skewered meats often make up the main meal. Turns out the Lebanese shish kebab recipe is any kind of meat dish, from the skewered meat to a patty, to the one in a stew. Other Lebanese food recipes are baked or sautéed in olive oil.
They also include copious amounts of garlic, lemon juice, herbs, and spices, which make up the majority of the shish taouk seasoning.
Lebanese Sweets
These include baklava, Kaak, Sfouf, Muhallabieh, sumptuous fruit cocktails, oriental-flavored ice creams, and Maamoul. Arak, an anise-flavored liqueur, is the Lebanese national alcoholic drink and is usually served with traditional convivial Lebanese meals. You will also see fruits, cheeses, nuts, and more.
Is Shish Taouk Lebanese?
The shish tawook origin actually comes from the Ottoman Empire, which was based in Turkey. The word “Shish” means a skewer and the word ‘tawook’ means chicken. So you may see several names for the Lebanese tawook recipe. Here are a few spellings I have come across:
- Chich taouk recipe
- Taouck Lebanese marinade
- Tauok chicken kebab
- Shish taouk Lebanese recipe
- طاووق لبناني
- Shish tawok Lebanese chicken skewers
- shish tawouk recipe
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Lebanese Shish Tawook
Shish Tawook is one of the best-known Middle Eastern chicken recipes. And even if the name has actually Turkish roots, you can find it in most Arabic countries, like the Persian’s Jujeh Kabob.
But for most people, Arabic Shish Tawook chicken skewers are synonymous with Lebanese restaurants, often served as a shish tawook wrap with pita bread. And it is no surprise we have incorporated these delicious grilled meat skewers into our diet because they are a type of grilling technique.
The shish taouk sauce includes a base of yogurt, lemon juice, tomato puree, loads of garlic, and exotic spices which includes a healthy dose of sumac. This recipe is adapted from Hungry Foodies recipe.
What Does Shish Tawook Taste Like?
I always get the chicken Lebanese taouk plate when I go to a popular fast-food Lebanese joint in my city. They often cook it traditionally on a long skewer that is rotated by hand. My best Lebanese Shish Tawook recipe is a smaller scaled version that can be made at home and tastes just like the real deal.
The shish taouk marinade recipe is creamy and tangy, has a nice shish tawook spice mix, with earthy aromas, and is full of garlic. It greatly seasons the tender and juicy marinated chicken, giving the perfectly charcoal grilled Lebanese chicken shish tawook recipe a lot of depth of flavor.
I am amazed at how well this chicken shish kabob recipe turned out at home, it may be even one of the best shish taouk recipes I ever tasted.
Lebanese Shish Tawook - Grilled Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large cubes
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 heaping tbsp tomato paste
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon juice
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tablespoons sumaq
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes
- 1 to tomato halved and broiled
- 2 pitas cut into triangles
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine yogurt, tomato paste, olive oil, minced garlic and lemon juice. Stir in all the herbs and spices well.
- Coat the chicken with the marinade and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
- Thread chicken on skewers and grill or broil on high for 10-15 minutes, turning once, until you see visible char marks and the chicken is cooked.
Check out all the wonderful Lebanese dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!
Culinary Cam: Some Lebanese Favorites: Lamb Ummo, Lubyee Bi Lahmi, and Mujadara
Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Ka’ak (Lebanese Purse Bread)
Pandemonium Noshery: Halawet el Jibn – Lebanese Semolina Cheese Dessert
Sneha’s Recipe: Eggless Layali Lubnan
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Instant Pot Beef Shwarma
Magical Ingredients: Malfouf Salad
These sound amazing and who can resist these! The flavors are SO GOOD!
I highly recommend them!
Who could resist these! The flavors sound SO GOOD!
They really are irrisistable
Looks delicious, a perfect starter!
Thank you 🙂
I love shish tawook and cannot wait to try this version.
Let me know what you think when you try it!
Since I adore Lebanese food and this recipe, I had to learn how to make the garlic sauce (toom). It takes this recipe from terrific to sublime!
Thank you!
Made these tonight. It started snowing so I cooked them in the air fryer. Luscious. Lebanese rice and fatouche salad. I love Lebanese food!
Thank you Elaine for the rave review. I hope this dish helped to ignore the wintery scene outside.
How many pounds is 2 chicken breasts?
It really depends on the size of the breast, but approx 3 boneless breasts to 1 pound.
Tonight’s the night! I’m making this tonight for dinner. It’s been marinating for a few hours now and I can’t wait to try it!
Oh seriously, awesome! I expect feedback! Have a great dinner!
I’ve never cooked Lebanese food. Not sure why. Your chicken looks awesome and a looks like a great place to start exploring this cuisine. Thanks!
Oh you are in for a treat then if this will be your first try at Lebanese cooking at home MJ. Perfect for grilling too 🙂
CAN YOU PLEASE COME VISIT ME IN LA so we can hit up ALLLL the Lebanese, because it’s legit the only cuisine I eat out and……. Well, I need someone else who would appreciate the crap out of it to scarf it down with me!
Awwwww YYYEESSS but only if we have salmon at one meal and Lebanese at the next, every day!
These kabobs look delicious! I’m going to save this recipe to try this summer when we break out the grill!
Thank you Tami, they are wonderful especially right on the bb indeed, finally, it is getting warmer!
Such a terrific marinade! Perfect timing as it’s finally feeling like grilling season has arrived!
Thank you Liz AND you don’t need a kitchen to grill 😀
Evelyne, Umayyad is a family surname, if I read this correctly (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Umayyad-dynasty-Islamic-history).
Yes, well a ruling dynasty, so in this case considered one of the ‘tribes’ to have ruled these parts.
Another great blog post! I personally love it when you include some history of the country behind the food. I am now looking up “Umayyad”. ☺️
Thank you Sys and yes I should do more country info like I did before. So what is Umayyad again?
Can definitely see why this is a reader favorite — terrific recipe. Tons of flavor in this dish, and I’ll take all the garlic I can get. 🙂 Good stuff — thanks.
Thank you so much, John, and here is to a long-lived favorite! It really is flavor packed!
Lebanese!!!! I CRAVE THIS CUISINE!! Shawarma and I are BESTIES!!! 😀 😀 😀
Looks scrumptious! I love kebabs!
What delicious kebabs! I’m so glad grilling season will be upon us soon!
I love the sound of this Eve and have only ordered it but not cooked it at home! I wish I was going out for Lebanese tonight now! 😀
I love Lebanese cuisine, it’s one of the best in the Middle East and these chicken skewers look and sound amazing.
I’m hungry now.
I am totally drooling here and this dish is exactly what I would love to have right now!
Who can resist beautifully grilled cubes of chicken…Not me!It is lunch time and I am craving this so much. What a mouthwatering plate of food!
I obviously need to get some sumac asap. I definitely can’t resist this!
Hi Evelyn,
Your shish tawook looks delicious and although i wouldn’t use nutmeg for religious reasons the other spices sure make this dish tantilizing for the taste buds. Look forward to linking up with you again next month.
God… look at that!!! I wish I could grab that across and enjoy them right away!
G’day What a great post Evelyne with a mouthwatering view!
Thank you for participating in this month’s MENA Lebanon challenge and thanks for the acknowledgement as was helping out a fellow blogger which am sure people would help out in turn too! Well done! Delish!
Cheers! Joanne
I love, love, love Lebanese food. This looks delicious!!
We looove chicken skewers at our home.. so delish and your look divine.
Simply damn delicious spicy chicken skewer !!!
I don’t think I’ve ever eaten Lebanese food, but this looks amazing.
Kay of Pure & Complex
http://www.houseofkts.com/
I have to try that marinade soon. This looks scrumptious!
Wow these chicken skewers sound and look delicious…so flavorful! I love it! Thanks for sharing the recipe Evelyne…
Have a wonderful week ahead 🙂
I love the marinade, Evelyne! This dish sounds terrific!