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Shish Tawook is a very popular skewered chicken dish in the Middle East. Think of perfectly tender and juicy chicken that’s been marinating in earthy spices, yogurt, lemon juice and garlic. That’s exactly what you get with my shish tawook recipe. And while the recipe is Middle Eastern, you’d be surprised how approachable the ingredients are.
Although my recipe is Lebanese based on how my parents taught me to make it, the origin of the name is from Turkey. Shish means skewers and tawook means chicken. The Ottoman (Turkish) Empire ruled Lebanon for a while, which explains the Turkish influence on Lebanese food!
RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL
How to make shish tawook
This recipe is all about the the marinade! I’ve played around with different options and this combination is by far my favorite!
Essentially the three most important ingredients in the marinade are yogurt, lemon juice and garlic (6 whole garlic cloves!). But I also add tomato paste to give it that rich red color, and some other spices including paprika, cinnamon, oregano and ginger. Mix it all together and you’ll get this orangey creamy color ready for you to coat the chicken with.
Add the large cubes of chicken breast to the marinade and make sure that everything is well coated. While the yogurt and lemon are crucial parts of the flavor of this dish, they also act as a tenderizer for the chicken. That’s what makes the chicken come out so juicy and tender. Let it marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Skewer the chicken right before you’re ready to cook it. I like adding chunks of white onions on each skewer to eat with the sandwich. I love how onions get sweeter when they’re grilled…the perfect vegetable with this shish tawook.
Traditionally, these chicken skewers are meant to be grilled outdoors. You can also use an indoor grill pan or regular pan if you don’t have a grill pan. Either way, you’d be surprised how quickly the shish tawook cooks, all thanks to the yogurt and lemon juice in the base that helped tenderize the chicken!
When it’s cooked, I love making sandwiches with lettuce, pickles and lots of homemade Lebanese garlic sauce. You’ll want to pile on that sauce – it’s dairy-free, rich in flavor and totally takes takes any shish tawook sandwich to another level! In my book, it’s mandatory to eat it with tawook.
Tips for making shish tawook
- Marinade the chicken for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight in the fridge to allow the chicken to tenderize. Trust me, it’ll make the chicken more juicy and flavorful!
- Cover the chicken immediately with pita bread after grilling. The pita bread helps trap the vapors and moisture to make the chicken even more juicy! It’s often served this way as well.
- Use plain full fat yogurt, and not Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is fine, but it’s best to use regular yogurt because the water content from the regular yogurt helps to keep the chicken moist.
- Soak the bamboo sticks for 30-45 minutes if you’re using. This will prevent them from burning and possibly getting burnt woodchips inside the shish tawook.
Frequently asked questions
Shish tawook are best served as soon as they are cooked so that they are wonderfully succulent. If you do have leftovers keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat the skewers once, if you reheat it’s best to cover them with foil so that they don’t dry out. I like having the leftovers cold on top of a salad.
Marinating the chicken will not only add flavor, but it also helps to tenderize the chicken and help lock in the moisture when you grill them. Marinate them for at least 4 hours and all you have to is grill them when you are ready to serve.
I love to serve these as hand held food in a pita with lettuce and garlic sauce and even some freshly made pickled turnips, but you can easily turn these into a larger sit down meal as well. Try serving them with Lebanese Rice, Fattoush Salad or even with Cauliflower Rice.
It’s really hard to mess up this Lebanese Shish Tawook recipe. It comes out moist and flavorful, and makes a great addition to salads, rice, grain bowls or just plain pita bread with garlic sauce.
For more Lebanese recipes:
- Beef Shawarma
- Beef Kafta
- Falafel
- Stuffed Grape Leaves
- Batata Harra
- Mujadara
- Lebanese Freekeh with Chicken
- Shish Barak
For more chicken recipes:
- Grilled Lemon Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Butter Chicken
- Harissa Chicken
- Chicken Piccata
- Cilantro Chicken
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Shish Tawook recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
This Shish Tawook recipe was originally published on July 10, 2018. I’ve updating the recipe with more tips, more step-by-step photos and a video tutorial. Here’s the original photo!
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Shish Tawook
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into large chunks
- ½ cup plain whole milk yogurt
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the ingredients for the marinade (yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, tomato paste, all the seasoning and salt/pepper) and whisk to combine.
- Place the chicken cubes in the same bowl and coat the chicken in the marinade. Cover, and let rest/marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
- Thread the chicken on skewers right before grilling. Add one wedge of onions to each skewer, if desired.
- Grill on medium heat for 5-8 minutes per side.
- Serve with pita bread, lettuce and garlic sauce, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I made this last night and it was fabulous. The recipe says cut chicken in large chunks…1 inch or do you mean larger than that or does it matter? I did about 1 inch and it turned out great
Between 1 and 2 inches is perfect, as long as they are all the same size so they cook evenly.
I noticed you mentioned marinating up to 24hrs. Can you marinate it for longer or does the flavor become too intense?
Hi there! I don’t like to go past 24 hours as the acidity in the yogurt can start to impact the texture of the chicken.
Delicious! The whole family loved it.
Thanks so much!
Wanted to ask if I use yogurt, will it have a creamy sauce on top or will it melt off? Never cooked with yogurt before and I’m squeamish about creamy sauces…first time here
Hi there! No, not really a sauce at all. it just helps to tenderize the chicken and lock moisture and flavor in.
I made this for my family last night, and it was even better than the best Mediterranean restaurant in town! The chicken is flavourful and very juicy.
I paired it with your fattoush salad and homemade pita, and the whole family is asking when I’ll make it again. Thank you for the amazing recipes and the family memories they helped us create together.
Aww thanks so much!
I would love to make this but don’t have a grill. Is there a way to cook this in the oven?!
Hi Janet! You can make them indoors on a grill pan, or even in just a regular skillet.
such amazing recipe it’s so good that i used it for my restaurant menu.
Thanks to you for the delicious taste.
Love this!
Can I marinate and freeze ??
Yes, that would be a great idea!
Is there anyway to make this in an Air Fryer, as I don’t have a grill/BBQ to use.
If so, any tips on what temperate to set the air fryer?
I haven’t tried this myself, but you could try cooking the chicken (not on skewers) in a 400˚F air fryer for 10 to 12 minutes.
I have made this twice in the last 2 weeks. This has become a regular staple of my family’s diet. The flavors are incredible and the chicken is exceptionally juicy. Thanks for sharing this.
Of course, I’m so happy your family enjoys it!
Hi!
If you’re cooking chicken on a grilling pan in oven, how long should you cook them and at what temperature?
I would try cooking these at 450˚F for about 8-10 minutes, flipping the skewers halfway through cooking time.
This chicken is incredibly satisfying and tasty, thank-you very much to give this recipe to us! As there may be others out there a little pressed for time, I let the chicken cook in the oven in its marinade (pyrex), without putting on sticks, and it turned out delicious. We ate it on regular pita , with hummus, tomatoes, lettuce and coriander. Small note, I used more spices (generous amounts) the second time I made it and that’s what made it even better. This recipe is a keeper! Thank-you Yumna
After a recent trip to Dubai, my kids asked for Sheesh Tawook and I stumbled across your website. I am glad I did! I followed the recipe to the dot and they turned out great (Kids said better than Dubai). I cooked it with lemon rice, another hit! Since then I have tried more of your recipes. Thank you for these precise and easy-to-follow recipes. I am trying the beef kababs today.
Love this, thank you!
Absolutely delicious!
My go -to recipe that the whole family loves!
Thank you Yumna x
Delicious!!!
Thank you so much!!
Can you cook them in the oven? Or is it better to cook them in a pan?
Thanks
It’s best to cook them on an outside grill or in a grill pan to really develop the flavor.
I’ve made 3 recipes from the collection here and they have all been so yummy I got no complaints from 13 & 10 year old ….in fact the only sound during dinners was the smacking of lips and contented sighs. Thank you
So happy to hear this! Thanks for sharing.
YUMMY
Glad you liked it!
When I clicked the paprika in the recipe it says smoked paprika on the amazon website. It is regular paprika or smoked?
This recipe should use regular paprika, not smoked. Thanks for letting me know about the amazon link, it has been updated!
Is there a dairy free alternative? Will dairy free yogurt work as well or does it not tenderize?
You can use coconut yogurt in place of the diary! I hope you enjoy!
Hello again, I forgot to ask, I know it says no Greek yoghurt but I usually only have this on hand, is it really bad if I use Greek yoghurt instead? Thank you.
No, you can use Greek yogurt!
Fabulous and s easy! Restaurant worthy dish!
Thank you so much!
Can I use sour cream instead of yogurt?
Yes! Sour cream will work as a replacement. Hope you enjoy!
Hello, can I freeze thus already marinated? If so, how long for? Wanting to do as part of meal preparation. Thank you!
You can freeze for up to three months! Hope you enjoy!
This is the best recipe I ate long time ago. Woow!
Every one in the family was very happy tasting this. Thank you so much.
You’re so welcome!
I made this for my Syrian born father-in-law and my husband for Father’s Day with several other of your recipes incuding toum, hummus, grilled haloumi cheese, beef kafta, and fattoush salad and mamoul! Everything was a hit! Your recipes made our day! Thank you for your no-nonsense recipe blog that is just perfect!
So glad everyone liked it!!
This is by far the BEST kebab recipe I have tried (and I’ve been on a quest to find the tastiest one). I substituted garam masala for cinnamon and some za’atar along with the oregano for a little zip. So good – thanks Yumna for posting such an excellent recipe!!
So glad you liked it!
Made your shish tawook tonight (saw you on Kelly and Mark last week). It was sooooo DELICIOUS! Can’t wait to make it again!
Thank you so much, Helen! So glad you liked it!
Dear Yumma,
After making your recipe for humous and literarily devouring the whole lot I must confess YOU ARE GREAT!! thank you. The secret ingredient definitely must be your father’s ice cube 🙂 🙂
Sahtain!!!
Thank you so much, Henry!
First time I tried this dish my husband FLIPPED. It reminded him of his grandma/childhood! I’ll be making it for his family this weekend and they are all VERY excited! All the recipes I’ve tried from your site have been AMAZING. This weekend, we will be adding a few more items to the list and I cannot wait!!! Thank you for sharing your recipes!! It has brought us a lot of joy making your dishes and brought up some fun memories for my husband’s family :-).
Yay! So happy to hear that Kayla, that means a lot to me!
I keep this recipe in my rotation! It’s so flavorful and we love to make your rice almond salad with it accompanied by a tabouleh and garlic dip…( still need to get brave enough to try making your garlic dip).
You can do it! It really isn’t hard, just a slow process.
This looks ridiculously delicious. I can’t eat dairy, do you know what I can replace the yogurt with? Or can I just leave it out?
Thanks
You can use a plain, unsweetened plant based yogurt instead, like coconut. Hope you enjoy!
I never comment but best chicken recipe ever!!!
Thank you so much, Asil!
Can I marinate chicken breasts and bake them or pan fry it? (Trying to thing if something simple without the sticks )
I don’t see why not, I have not made them that way, but it should work just fine without the skewers. Hope you enjoy!
This is seriously the BEST Shish Taouk I have ever had! I feel like a gourmet chef making it- my whole family loved it – including three kids ages 7, 4 and 15 months! This is going on the weekly rotation! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much, Gloria! I am flattered to have made it to your weekly rotation. It means a lot!
Can i air fry this? What temp and how long? 🙂
I have not made this recipe in the Air Fryer, but if I were to make it, I would try it at 370-375, add the kabobs, and cook for 9/10 minutes. Flip and then cook for another 5/6 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Let me know what you think when you make it!
Can I roast this in the oven ? And if so at what temp ?
Hi Heba, great question! You can bake them at 375F for 20 to 25 minutes. You’ll want to flip halfway through and make sure the chicken gets to 165F. Enjoy!
It sounds great! It’s still winter here so no outdoor grilling and I don’t have an indoor grill pan. Would it be possible to cook these in the oven? If so, at what temperature and for how long would you do it?
Thank you.
Hi Ellen, great question! You can bake them at 375F for 20 to 25 minutes. You’ll want to flip halfway through and make sure the chicken gets to 165F. Enjoy!
This is a great recipe. My family really loved it. Esp my kids in ramzan. Do you also have the recipe for the garlic sauce on the side. Could you pls share that?
Thank you!
Hi Nadia! So glad you like it! The garlic sauce it toum. You can find the recipe for it here: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/lebanese-garlic-sauce/ enjoy!
would be nice if you could print them receipt as my desk top computer is too heavy to move…lol did i miss a print icon.
Hi Lora, I laughed at reading this! You can find the print icon in the upper right-hand corner of the recipe card floating on top of the image. Hope you enjoy! You’ll have to let me know what you think when you make it!
I’m thinking to make these Kabobs for a wedding for 40. I’ve made gazillions of kabobs as they are always a big hit. But I’m leary of the yogurt in the marinade, only because it stick to the grill grates causing an unsightly mess, can you help me, give me some tips how to avoid this ? Sounds like you’ve made these many times. Thx alot
Sure! I would leave out the yogurt all together then. You can also use this Chicken Kabob recipe that’s very similar but made without yogurt.
oops i answered my own question… lol i found the print recipe icon
I tried this recipe for some guys from work and my family, and EVERYONE LOVED it! And most of us have decades living in the Middle East and love Lebanese food. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thank you so much, Steve! I am so happy to hear that it was a hit!
Excellent recipe . Finally nailed it !
Yay! Glad you liked it, Tarek!
Made this for a party – it was a big hit! Thank you, will definitely make again!
That’s amazing! Yay!! I’m so happy to hear it!
My family loves this recipe! It’s so easy and delicious! I buy the garlic sauce and tzatziki from Trader Joe’s, and we put it in pita bread with an Israeli salad! Healthy too!
Yay! That’s perfect. Such a delicious way to enjoy it!
Hi Yumna! Can you freeze the sheesh tawouk? How well do they hold up when frozen?
Thanks a ton!
If you freeze it, I’d probably do that after cooking!
Omg! This is absolutely delicious ! Thank you! So easy to cook! Please share more Lebanese cuisine recipes.
Thank you so much! Stay tuned!!
Hi, your receipe looks amazing.
I was wondering if you could please let me know, if I can marinade the chicken and freeze a few days ahead of cooking?
Thank you
Thank you so much! You can make the marinade about 3 days in advance and you can marinate the chicken in the marinade for up to 24 hours in advance.
This is fantastic!!! My husband and I plan to incorporate this into our regular menu. We put a 2nd batch of fresh marinade into a mason jar. Ready for next week. Thank you for sharing!!!
Thank you! That is such a compliment. Happy to have shared!
Hi,
Thank you for the recipe, I am excited to try it but have some questions:
1)Is the recipe referring to greek yogurt or the lebanese yogurt which is more sour?
2) can you cook them in a pan or in the air fryer rather than on a grill as I currently don’t have one?
You’re so welcome! Use plain full fat yogurt, and not Greek yogurt. You can use a regular pan if you don’t have a grill pan. Hope that helps!
Excellent recipe. I needed something quick a easy to make and this fit the bill perfectly. I marinated the chicken overnight and skewered them the next day. Fired up the grill outside and cooked them just right and served them wrapped in your yoghurt Flatbread and mixed up some Greek yoghurt with 7 spice, garlic and some salt. Thanks again for another great recipe!
Thank you so much! I’ am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Such a delicious way to enjoy it! You’re so welcome!
Absolutely delicious. The meat was so tender and juicy and the flavours were amazing. I love middle eastern food and this recipe was spot on. So easy to prepare, will definitely be making this chicken again.
Thank you for your recipe.
Thank you! That is so perfect. You’re so welcome!
Quick marinade, but too tart and lemony. All I taste was the lemon.
Thank you for your feedback! We prefer it to be lemony, but you can reduce the amount of lemon you use moving forward, too.
We have tried different grill chicken recipes over the past decade. This has to be the most delicious/tender marinade ever. Yet, the prep is significantly painless comparing to wet/dry brining. The small scale 2lb chicken breast version turned out really well. We are going to scale up to 10lb version for a party this weekend. Thank you so much for the recipe!
That makes me so happy to hear! I’m glad you found this so easy to make. Hope everyone at the party enjoys this recipe as well! Happy to have shared the recipe!
The chicken was a HUGE hit, few of them came back for second and third. Both batches of 91b batch was gone in minutes.
Guess overindulgence is the new form of flattery. After making this second time, we notice the chicken breast soaked up the marinade. Not sure if it was due to us forking the breast before soaking. Nevertheless, flavorful and tender!
That’s amazing! Glad that worked out, so you can keep doing that moving forward!
Amazing!! My Lebanese boyfriend could not get enough of this! He is an extremely picky eater so that says a lot. Thank you so much for sharing these authentic recipes. I am American and while I love to cook and try new recipes- before coming on this blog I had never once attempted to make any type of Middle Eastern food. Thank you for making it easy to understand and best of all delicious!!
Thank you! Aww, that makes me so happy to hear. You’re so welcome! I hope you continue to try and enjoy the recipes I’ve shared on my website!
After having some incredible food at my friends wedding (Armenian and other Middle Eastern foods) I have been craving toum and chicken skewers. This flavor profile was above and beyond what I was hoping for!! Thank you!!!
I’m so glad it hit the spot! Yay!!
Thanks for sharing this with us
Happy to have shared!
This recipe was excellent!! I was having a bunch of people over for a casual hang out kids and adults. I prepped and marinated the chicken, 2 days in advance and everyone went nuts. I was so incredibly delicious everyone was raving! I also made tzatziki with it. The best part was I used spices that I already had in my cabinet,nothing crazy exotic, just simple goodness. I doubled the lemon and halved the cinnamon and used fresh ginger so I reduced that as well. I asked the family, “So add this to the rotation?” And everyone said YES!
Simple, delicious and not time consuming – I’ll make this again and again!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad to hear everyone enjoyed it so much. Yay!!
I made this last night. I halved the recipe because it was only for two adults. I did marinate the chicken for four hours. The result was exceptionally tender chicken. I will leave out the cinnamon next time as I did not like it. I didn’t taste any lemon. I wonder if it makes sense to drizzle some lemon juice on the chicken while it’s grilling.
That’s perfect! You can definitely do that to adjust to your taste preferences.
I am going to try this and once I do it I will let you know but I tend to forget the site or about it oops…I want to know how do you make baba ganoush I hope I got it right if I want sort of spice it up can I do it.
Can’t wait for you to give it a try! Here is my Lebanese Baba Ghanoush recipe: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/baba-ghanoush/
😍😍😍😍😍
With green chutney definitely would taste out of the world
Sounds perfect!
Delicious!!!! Made it last night; my husband and kids said it was better than the place where we normally pickup our Shish Taouk…. The depth of flavour was incredible and my in-laws who were over for dinner said it was the most tender chicken. Thank you for sharing this recipe; definitely being printed and added to our collection!
Thank you! That is such a compliment! That makes me so happy to hear.
My family is Lebanese and we LOVE any excuse to gather for a feast! I initially tried this recipe for a random dinner with my uncle/aunt. It was a hit! Now the whole family has the recipe and we have it at least once every 2 weeks:)
Thank you!
My family can totally relate to that! That’s amazing! I’m so happy to hear that. You’re so welcome!
Can I try this with bone in chicken…will be grilling it…what will be the spices ratio if so…
I think it could work, but I have yet to try that, so I’m not sure how the cooking time might change.
This was so good. SO GOOD! The spices were lovely and the prep was easy with things I already had on hand. Thank you!
Thank you! It makes me so happy to hear how much you enjoyed it!
I would like to try this recipe next weekend for our friend’s surprise birthday party. I have one doubt. Can I can keep the chicken in marination for 2.5 days? It’s gonna be a very hectic weekend and I could only manage time if I can prepare ahead. So what do you think will the chicken get spoiled in marination if it stays in the fridge for 2.5 days?
Also, 6 servings means it’s enough for 6 adults?
You can make the marinade about 3 days in advance and you can marinate the chicken in the marinade for up to 24 hours in advance! Yes, 6 serving is for 6 adults.
Thank you!
I made it! It’s an awesome recipe!!!!! We were hosting a grill party for 25 people. I made this shish tawook, with the garlic sauce and fattoush salad (both are your recipes). It was a BIG hit! Everyone was praising everything.
I had to marinate the chicken more than 12 hrs, so I haven’t put salt in the marination, otherwise followed everything.
This is going to be our new regular barbecue menu 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!!!!!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it. Hope you continue to love it!
I am a little sensitive to a lot of flavors in my food, so I didn’t put in the tomato paste, oregano, cinnamon, and ginger, and it still turned out SO good that people said it was better than a restaurant!
Glad you still enjoyed it and so did everyone else! Yay!!
I don’t like many spices in my food, so I made it without ginger, oregano, tomato paste, and cinnamon. It turned out so good that people said it was better than a restaurant!
Glad you were able to adjust it to your liking and enjoyed! Yay!!
I would love to try this recipe but am dairy/lactose intolerant, any substitutions for the dairy yogurt that would work as well?
You can try a dairy-free yogurt instead of the whole milk yogurt, but I have not tested that in this recipe yet.
Any idea how long I would put this in the over for and what temperature? I don’t have a grill. Can’t wait to make this!!
Unfortunately I haven’t tried this in the oven yet! Maybe 12-14 minutes at 425F? You might need to keep an eye on it.
You could use your ‘broiler’ function, but you’ll have to turn them every 3-4 mins. Another alternative would be to simply ‘sautee’ them loose rather than skewered 🙂
Like the page and recipes thus far very nice, though I work in a Lebanese kitchen the information is very enlightening and refreshing love the update recipe quite nice cheers
Thank you! So happy to hear that!
better than Lebanese restaurants!
Wow! Thank you!!
Wow! This recipe was amazing! Perfect for the Lebanese feast I made for Passover dinner. U added just a TINY bit more garlic because you can never have enough lol. Reminded me so much of my mother’s cooking, but I have to say, I think I beat her on this chicken😉Thank you!
Thank you so much! There really is never enough garlic. That makes me so happy to hear!
Hello. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I was looking for a similar recipe, but couldn’t find any that didn’t have cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and/or allspice included. Most people are not aware that these spices can have a bad side effect when mixed certain medications.
So I was so excited when I read a review stating that Shish Tawook was very similar, just without as many spices. (They even put to look up The Feel Good Foodie)
I didn’t have skewers, but this came out just terrific using sliced up chicken breast! This is going to be in my weekly rotation from now on. So juicy, so flavorful, and oh so surprisingly easy!
You’re so welcome! So glad you were able to try this recipe and ended up enjoyed it. Thank you!
I’ll give it a go as soon as the weather warms up.
My husband and I were very happy with hummus I made following your recipe.
I like your Lebanese recipes and sometimes find familiar ones. Our ancestors used to live in the same empire.
Kind regards from Serbia 🙂
Can’t wait for you to try this recipe! That makes me so happy to hear – thank you!
Hello! Is it alright if I cooked the chicken skewers using a regular pan instead of grilling them?
Yes, it is!
Our family is left licking our fingers! This recipe was so easy and bursting with flavor, it’s going to be on repeat at least once a week.
I paired it up with homemade hummus and so vermicelli rice! Happy tummies all around , plus super healthy . 😋🤤
Once again, one of your recipes has not disappointed!!! served with home made Toum(your recipe) absolutely amazing!! 100million STARS!! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you so much! That makes me so happy to hear!
This has become my absolute go to for cooking. I worked in a Lebanese restaurant for 8 years and fell in love with the food. I learned how to make many different things and now that I found this page I can make even more different recipes! Thank you! Can you put a Mouhallabie recipe? That would be great.
I love that! That makes me so happy to hear. Thank you for the suggestion!
Thank you for the recipe!! I want to make it on new year’s eve but I am not able to grill them. Can they be baked?
You’re so welcome! You can cook it on the stovetop too.
if I have shish tawook spice, how do I substitute the spices you have listed? thank you!!
It depends on what spices are in the shish tawook spice you have. I would probably just use the shish tawook spice with salt and pepper, or you can play around with it!
YUMNA I love the food and recipes you do , being as an amateur chef I am always inspired by the taste of your recipes
Thank you so much! I love that!
I must try it Thanks
Yes, for sure! You’re so welcome!
This recipe is super delicious! Our grilling days are about done here in Ohio, so I just seared the pieces of chicken on the stove. Shared this with a bunch of my Middle Eastern friends and everyone loved it! Will definitely make this again.
Thank you! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! Yay!!
Made this last week and even my chicken detesting son gave this 7 stars.The most delicious chicken kebabs I have ever made…! I am getting some friends over tomorrow to try round 2. I will make the garlic sauce as well.Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
That’s amazing to hear!! Hope your friends enjoy it just as much!
Hi Stella! I absolutely love garlic sauce and I don’t know if you have a Trader Joe’s by you but they sell it there and it is fabulous! I’m making this chicken tonight and I have the garlic sauce in my fridge. You should definitely give it a try!
I made this for dinner yesterday and WOW was it delicious! Tasted very authentic and just like the tawook I’d get in a restaurant in Beirut. The chicken was so tender and flavorful. Our grill broke right when we were starting to cook it, so I made them in the oven. Turned out perfect paired with your Fattoush salad recipe! Yummmm! Thanks for these authentic amazing recipes that always take me back to my childhood!
Yay! That’s amazing to hear. Glad it still worked out! You’re welcome!!
This recipe was absolutely delicious. I bought shish tawook seasoning at the Arabic store and used instead of the separate spices. My guests and family loved it. It’s easy and great for company or family dinner.
Thank you! So glad you all enjoyed it!
I’m making this for a party so I’m looking at your 2x and 3x recipe amount. When it says 12 servings / 18 servings, does that mean 12 skewers/18 skewers? Is one serving one skewer? Thank you!!
It will depend on how tightly you stack the skewers!
Absolutely delicious!
Thank you!
I have made this specific recipe a little less than 10 times and it never disappoints. This is a very authentic recipe. My 8 year old loves it and he is a very picky eater.
Wow, that’s amazing! I’m so happy to hear it!
Leave the cinnamon out unless you like cinnamon flavored chicken. Use tomato sauce instead of paste (and more of it) for better flavor and more moisture.
Thank you for the feedback!
Is there anything I can substitute for the yogurt in the Shish Kawook marinade?
I haven’t tried this with a yogurt substitute yet, but it works with either plain full fat yogurt or Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is not as good because it doesn’t have the water content from the regular yogurt, which helps to keep the chicken moist.
Tender and flavourful! I will definitely be making it again. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you so much! That’s so great to hear!! You’re so welcome!
My wife is a school teacher. After many pandemic months she returned to the classroom yesterday. I wanted to prepare something different and special for her and decided on your recipe. I grilled over charcoal, including pita bread. The meal was a great success!
That’s so sweet of you! Glad it was a success, and hope you she has a safe and fun time back in the classroom!
This was a great dish to make ahead and marinate 24 hours and bring to the cottage and grill on BBQ.
I love that! Hope you had a wonderful BBQ!
Delicious! I come from a large Lebanese family that love to eat! Made this one night for a massive family gathering and it’s been in hot demand since. Thank you for the wonderful recipe of simple ingredients that really come together and bring a feeling of flavorful nostalgia for my family.
I love that! You’re so welcome!
This was really delicious and I easy to make. I will definitely make it again. Thank you for the comment on not marinating too long when using lemon. I learned something new 😉
That’s great to hear! Yay!!
I’m appreciate
Yay!
Could other meats be substituted? Looks wonderful!
Thank you so much! It could be, but it won’t be the traditional Shish Tawook (tawook means chicken) recipe in that case.
Should this have Sumac in it too?
I didn’t include it in this recipe, but you can if it fits your tastebuds!
This chicken had excellent flavor and will definitely make it again. The garlic sauce is so very good
Thank you so much! I love it with the garlic sauce so much!!
Made your fattoush and shish tawook recipes last night and they were amazing! Can’t send photos because it was devoured by my family before I could get any! I grew up eating Lebanese food in Africa and the Middle East and this tastes so authentic. Thank you for sharing these recipes!
Thank you so much! I can’t wait to see those photos!!
Living as an expat in the Middle East we loved the different halaal cuisines on offer. One of our favourites was shish tawook. On our return to our home country recreating favourites wasn’t always easy but this recipe is authentic and brings back so many happy memories. Love your page Yumna and love you recipes. 😍 Mashkoora
Such a nostalgic and delicious dish for sure! Thank you so much!!
I can’t help but think this marinade would also be good on pan roasted chicken legs.
Worth a try!
Can this be made with lemon Oregano sauce?
Sure thing!
Amazing recipe. I’m making it for the 3rd time in less than 2 weeks!
Thank you! I love that!!
Just finished eating. Absolutely delicious. Much tastier than ordering from the local Lebanese places. Thank you so much
That’s amazing! You’re so welcome!!
Love the recipe thank you for sharing! Any recommendations on how to make this spicy?
Thank you! You’re so welcome. You could try adding cayenne pepper.
Amazinggggg love these and a go to with your toum recipe, can’t get enough 🤤🤤
Thank you! The two really go hand in hand!
Came out delicious! Thank you Yumna for marinade recipe , I will definitely use it again.
You’re welcome, Julie!
This looks so good. I would like to try it, but I don’t have a grill pan or a bbq. Can input it in the air fryer? Do you know how long and for what temperature? Thank you!
Thank you! It will probably work in the air fryer, but I haven’t tried that yet. It should also work on a regular pan!
One of my absolute favorites from your site! So authentic and so delicious! We love just heating it up in a skillet or cooking it on the BBQ. Definitely a staple in our home!
Planning these for Easter! Can I bake these on a sheet pan?
What a great idea! Yes, it still should work that way!
My sister made this with chicken as it looked great! Can I do this with tofu? Any recommendations for doing so?
Yay! I haven’t tried it with tofu yet, but it should work! You may just have to reduce the cooking time.
Hello,
What’s the maximum number of days I keep the chicken marinating? Can I keep it for 3 days?
Thanks!
I would only marinate the chicken in the marinade for up to 24 hours in advance.
Ice made this twice now with chicken breast and chicken thighs and it is absolutely delicious! I think I even like the things better – much juicier. Thank you for this amazing marinade!
I’ve tried many shish tawook recipes and this is our favourite! Super simple and absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing!
That is incredible! You’re so welcome!
This is an amazing recipe. Do you have recommendations if I were to do this in an air fryer?
Thank you so much! I have yet to try it in the air fryer!
could you post recipe for garlic sauce
The garlic sauce can be found under Lebanese Garlic Sauce (Toum) on my website: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/lebanese-garlic-sauce/
Can the chicken be marinated and then frozen for a later date?
Yes, you can absolutely do that!
I love this!!
Sometimes I marinate the chicken, and later I find that I don’t have time to grill it. What settings would you suggest if I would like to make it in the oven?
Thanks!
Oh that’s a great idea! I recommend 400 for 15 minutes.
This meal was very easy and was truly so delicious!! This was my first time ever having (or cooking) Lebanese food! As a newlywed (one month married 😊), I’m always looking for new things to cook up in the kitchen, and my husband very much approved and could not get enough of it! We will definitely be making it again!!
Aww that makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks so much for sharing and congratulations on your wedding!
Best taouk recipe I’ve tried! Now I make it all the time. Truly authentic! Tastes even better than the one in Lebanon🤩
So happy to hear that! I tweaked the measurements and spices so much until it tasted just right!! Happy you noticed!!
I just want to say this recipe was so simple yet amazing!!! I marinated overnight and ended up baking the chicken and it turned out so yummy tender juicy and full of flavour! My husband had seconds and even thirds I think. He normally adds sirracha to all his meals but he ate this chicken just the way it was. Thank you and I can’t wait to try more of your recipes 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing feedback!
I forgot to take a picture, but this dish is outstanding. I used chicken thighs and purchase a garlic sauce. It is the best shish tawook recipe I’ve tried, and I lived near some of the best Lebanese food in the U.S. (Dearborn, MI). Five stars for the talented chef, Yumma!
Wow so glad to hear that! I’m from Dearborn so you’re right…that’s some good shish tawook town right there. Means so much to me that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you!!
I’ve made this twice in a week! I miss going to Dearborn to eat, I’m an hour north now. I would love some fluffy hot from this oven pita.
You have to come visit once it’s safe to do so! But I’m glad this is hitting the spot until then.
Al-Ameer is the best I’ve ever had. Can’t wait to try this if it’s better than them 😊
Hi, I just wanted to say a big thank you…we made your Shish Tawook on Saturday and it was so delicious!! We will be trying the Chicken Shawarma, Manakeesh and Baked Kibbeh very soon. We love Lebanese food but due to Covid-19 are afraid to eat out as we’re an older couple. Thank you for helping me recreate our favourite food in the comfort of our own kitchen.
Be blessed and safe, thank you once again!
Nahidah
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much!
We were missing sish tawouk from back home and well- we made it!! This is AWESOME! Truly authentic. And i am thrilled!!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Yay! That’s the best feeling! Thank you!!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times and about to make a large batch for this week. It’s one of my new favorite chicken dishes of any kind – thank you for sharing this. I love making it with toum and rice or pita!
That’s wonderful! So glad to hear it. Thank you!
Delicious! This is the best chicken marinade ever, in my opinion. So flavorful but not overpowering. It tenderizes the chicken beautifully and chicken is very moist despite grilling. Have made this dish several times as written. Great for keto diets- serve with riced cauliflower and spinach flavored with minced garlic and a touch of olive oil.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing!!
It was a hit!! The chicken was juicy and very tasty. I had the left overs the next day and it still tasted amazing. Thank you!!!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you so much 🙂
I’m wondering if there is a way to make this dairy free? Do you have a suggestions for something to replace the yogurt?
You can try a vegan yogurt alternative like almond milk or you can leave it out actually.
Well Done! Authentic Lebanese recipe explained in a very professional way; Both in writing and in the video.
There are as many recipes for the marinade in Lebanon as there are people and restaurants who make the tawook. Yours is a basic and unpretentious one. The addition of tomato paste is not only for color but contributes to deepen the flavor of the end product. It is also very common for places to add sumac, and/or a couple of crumbled bay leaves, and/or some powdered cardamom.
I recommend this recipe to all who want to make this dish.
Thank you so much Gabriel! I really appreciate it!
STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING and make this chicken!! I also made a huge batch of her Toum (garlic sauce) I’m telling you guys, this gal doesn’t miss. My husband was craving Zankou Chicken (a super popular Lebanese spot in CA) but after relocating to Austin, TX there wasn’t much in the way of options so I searched high and low and found this recipe. The only change I made was I used chicken thighs instead of breast, as that is what Zankou uses and I also added just a dash of cinnamon and turmeric because I saw it called for in other recipes and we love complex spices in our foods. Honestly, probably would have turned out just as good without it. I let it marinate for 6 hrs. (5 in the fridge, 1 out coming to room temp) I served this chicken with hummus, Toum, tzaziki, tabbouleh, pita and rice. He ate 7 out of the 8 skewers and was kind enough to leave me one.. MAKE THIS RECIPE! You will not be let down. Thank you thank you thank you!!
Awww thank you for the AMAZING REVIEW!! Totally made my day!!
So delicious
I love this marinade and recipe, it makes for delicious and juicy chicken. Due to preference I sub out the tomato paste and oregano, and add turmeric and garlic powder instead.
Marinating the chicken for hours makes a huge difference. Since I don’t always want to go out and grill, I like to also cook it in a tall pan with butter or oil, turns out great.
Thank you for this recipe Yumna!!
I’m so glad to hear that you loved the recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!
Has anyone ever tried freezing the chicken in the marinade? I wanted to prep it, freeze it to take on a trip. I’ll have a refrigerator to thaw it in upon arrival, then grill once it’s thawed? I’d love to hear any feedback! Thanks!
I have and it works out well with the yogurt. The chicken will absorb so much flavor when you thaw it to cook!
I’ve been using your recipes this week and everyone loves them. This one In particular has been a big hit with my family. Thank you for all the amazing recipes, can’t wait to try them all.
So glad to hear it! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
I made this the other day for our camping trip, all my friends were amazed!
Can I make this in the oven (Grill mode)? and what would a good timing and temperature be?
Thank you Kindly.
That’s awesome! So glad to hear it! In the oven, I would try 425F for 15-20 minutes flipping once halfway through.
Ou put it in the oven at 425 is in grill mode or regular?
Regular if using the oven.
Allow me to put in my 2-cents worth. Cook in a 425 oven covered with foil, then uncover and grill for a few minutes to add color and texture. Keep a close eye though during the grilling period.
I made this today. I had it marinate for 4 hours and used a grill pan and to be honest it was phenomenal! definitely restored my faith in chicken after so many failed attempts.
Thank you!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear it!
Made these tonight after years of being at the park and smelling the Lebanese people’s amazing food being grilled over charcoal. The wife and I decided to search for whatever it was they were eating, ando I found your recipe. Absolutely amazing. Will be making this again for sure!
So glad to hear it! Omg that smell is tantalizing LOL! Happy you found my recipe and tried it!
Wow this chicken was amazing! My daughter-in-law is Lebanese and I have grown to love the food so much I was so excited to come across this recipe I made it and it was a hit‼️
Yay! I’m so glad you tried the recipe and loved it! Thank you!
Marinade is on point
This shish tawook tastes perfect and authentic!! Tried other recipes and Feelgoodfoodie was our favorite one🎉
I made your chicken skewers with yoghurt today and everyone loved it!!! Soooooo good! ❤️❤️❤️
Yay, so glad to hear that! Thank you!!
I love Lebanese food and this did not disappoint!! So so good. Will make again and again!
Yay, so glad to hear you enjoyed it! THANK YOU!
I took this recipe and decided to use an air fryer instead! I followed the ingredient recipe exactly as stated, except I forgot the paprika! So, I added crush red peppers for a lil flare. After I let the chicken marinate for 12 hours, I poured all 2 pounds of the chicken into the air fryer basket and added a tablespoon of water to ensure juiciness. I then set the timer for 15 minutes at 375°F. After 15 minutes, I flipped the chicken and set the timer for an additional 10 minutes. The chicken was perfectly cooked, seasoned, and juicy!
Love that you made it in the air fryer. Thank you for sharing your technique for others to try it too!
Delicious thank you!
So glad you like it. Thank you!
Tried this recipe tonight & it was such a hit with my family & daughter’s friends who came over for a backyard bbq dinner! Thank you!
So glad to hear it! Thanks so much for sharing!
This chicken was amazing! So juicy tender and flavorful but so easy to make! Will be making this over and over again.
Yay, so glad to hear! Thank you!
I live in the heart of what is known as the “little middle east” in Northern NJ. I have had every possible version of shish tawook you can imagine and this knocks most out of the water! The chicken came out so tender and juicy. I added over tabbouleh for a healthier option. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
That’s the best feedback ever!! Thank you so much!!
I love all your recipes it’s soooo delicious 😋
Thank you so much!! I appreciate that!!
My family and I love middle eastern food. This recipe was easy to follow and tasted authentic! I’ve tried a tawook recipe before, but it called for greek yogurt and no oil. Your recipe tasted so much better with the plain regular yogurt and olive oil! Thank you for sharing with us, Yumna!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback!!
This was a delicious marinade .. I was out of yoghurt and used buttermilk instead (milk with lemon juice) and used fresh ginger instead of powder. I used it on whole chicken legs and had it in the marinade for 24 hours. It was probably the best bbq’d chicken I have ever had. So juicy and flavorful. Thank you for this recipe!!
Yay, I’m so glad to hear it!! Thanks for taking the time to share!!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS RECEPIE. WITH THE CORONA VIRUS FORCING US TO STAY HOME, I START VENTURING IN COOKING AND WITH MY LEBANEASE BACKROUND ALL THESE RECEPIES ARE SO CLOSE TO MY HEART AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PREPARE THEM.
I STILL DID NOT TRY IT AS OF NOW BUT I AM SURE IT IS GOING TO BE WONDERFULL. KEEP THE GOOD WORK AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
I JUST REALISED MY WRITING IS IN CAPITAL LETTERS BUT I AM NOT GOING TO RETYPE. SORRY
Haha, your caps shows your excitement for the shish tawook recipe! So glad you are enjoying all the lebanese recipes you’ve tried so far!!
We finished this in seconds. It was so good!! My mom printed recipe out to save for future dinners.
Aww that makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing!!
Made this today! It was delicious and such a nice departure from our boring quarantine food. Thank you!
Yay! So glad you liked it!
I made these and kids declared it as their favourite dinner. Thank you so much. This ones a keeper. Now going to try other recipes from ur collection.
Awww I’m so glad to hear that! It’s always the best when the kids approve too!!
Hi Yumna! I tried those those Shish kabobs and My family absolutely loved them! I actually tried a few other recipes of yours (Zaatar manakeesh and lebanese rice with minced beef). Now feelgoodfoodie.net is on my home bookmark tab to help me when I’m stuck with preparing food. I wish you had an app just for ease of accesss. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes ❤️ Thank you!
Awww thank you so much! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and so many others! I really appreciate it and will keep in mind about the app someday!!
This recipe was wonderful!! I didn’t put them on skewers, but they were still so delicious and juicy with the spices and cooking them on my grill pan! I actually put these in naan and made a wrap! However, the chicken was amazing both ways! It tasted good in the wrap and just by itself. I also recommend having toum with this as well! Yumna has a wonderful toum recipe on this site too! Always keep that in your fridge, haha. I’m obviously a fan! Anyway, this chicken recipe is definitely a keeper!! So flavorful and satisfying!
Hi Yumna, I made this recipe tonight and it was fantastic! I served it to my mom, step-dad, and 17 year old niece and the entire family absolutely loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe, I served it with a fattoush salad and it was a perfect compliment to the shish tawook 🙂
Aww I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks so much for the Shish Tawook recipe…we were craving our local Lebanese near London. Due to lockdown, we created our own all thanks to you! A yummy Iftar for all! ???
I’m so glad to hear that you were able to create the dish at home. Thanks so much for sharing!
I have been looking for a flavourful easy recipe for shish tawook, but It always came out dry for me, sometimes bland and sometimes over-seasoned!! By far, hands down, this is the best one ever, I sent some to my neighbours and they loved it, the chicken is super moist, and tender, the spices are just right, and even when I reheated the leftover the next day it was as tender and delicious.. Yumna, thank you, I love your recipes, they are healthy and simple to make, and best of all they are really good.
note: I didn’t have yogurt so I used butter milk same amount!
Awww thank you so much!! So happy to hear that you enjoyed it! It took me a few tries to get the perfect marinade and this one my favorite now! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
I absolutely loved this recipe! I’m a medical student who doesn’t have much time to cook but this was a great and quick recipe! Would definitely make it again!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it and made it even with your busy schedule!
Hey Yumna, I tried your sheesh tawook recipe and it came out so amazing … Can’t wait to try your other recipes ??
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! Thank you!!
Hi there, made your Shish Tawook and Toum yesterday and grilled in my oven today.
It’s tasty although I don’t necessarily fancy the addition of cinnamon. When you add Toum it taste great, as the Toum overpowers the cinnamon. Thank you very much for both recipies !
I’m glad you still enjoyed it! Cinnamon is just a traditional part of the recipe
I had a go at my last portion today and must say I had to get used to it and let the flavour grow on me. It was something new. Delicious food! I give it 5 stars 🙂
Hello again,
I figured out what I did wrong. I didn’t cook the chicken enough the first time and the marinade didn’t evaporate. That’s why the seconds batch that I cooked longer and I tried the next day tasted better.
I made a fresh one again and cooked it properly the first time and it tasted great.
One question, are the cup measurements US cups ?
Great! I’m glad it worked out for you!! Thanks for sharing and yes, the measurements are in US cups 🙂
Made your Shish Tawwok earlier this week and was amazing.
I made your chicken tawook today ! My family loved it !
So glad to hear it. Thank you!!
Can you make them in an oven instead?
Delicious!?
Thank you!!
Hi! Do you recommend any dairy free options to replace the yogurt?
You can just leave it out and increase the olive oil a bit.
Thanks!
Hello – I am very interested in trying your recipe and was wondering what would be the ingredient measurements for double the amount of chicken, I know it’s not double everything :). please let me/us know when you have a moment
Actually you can double everything but you only need 3/4 cup yogurt. Hope you like it!
Thank you, I’m sure I’ll do but will let you know 😉
Such an easy and healthy meal and a great idea for aftaar :o)
I made my own naan bread which was equally nice.
Definitely will be making more of this. Was surprised how quickly the marinade took to make.
Yay! So happy you loved it. Thank you!!
Adore this recipe! Such a wonderful flavor combination!
In the event that I cannot find skewers in my house, do you have an alternate recommendation for preparing these? Like a stove or oven option?
Thank you!
Thank you so much! And sorry for the late reply, but yes, you can definitely just skip the skewers and cook them on a pan or grill pan if you have!
Brilliant recipe
Great flavours ….. cant stop making this
Yay…so glad to hear it!! Thank you!!
Tried these tonight and it was delicious! Love how easy and tasty these were! Would definitely keep this recipe!
Awesome! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much!!
Just saw ur recipes 2 days ago when I was looking up how to make toum. They look amazing.
Yay! I hope you try it soon!
Besides yogurt, garlic, lemon, tomato paste, salt, do you feel the other spices can be omitted. There is already so much flavor here
Yes, you can leave out the ginger and oregano. I really like to include paprika and cinnamon if possible or at least one of them.
While simple is often better, in this case the complexity contributed by the various spices is what makes the dish so special. With fewer spices it becomes more Greek than Middle Eastern.
I totally agree with you!!
Tried this yesterday with Toum and it’s a definite keeper! Thanks for sharing!
Yay! Im so happy to hear that! Thank you! 🙂
First time to try something really tasty like that ♥️ Thank you
So glad you liked it! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi there, today i have tried your Shish Tawook Recipe and it is awesome! I love the spices you use and the flavor is awesome!
Thanks for sharing these lebanese recipes which help us who are living abroad to feel more home?
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you so much!