Authentic Lebanese Shish Tawook

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This authentic Lebanese shish tawook recipe is a must-try. Fluffy, juicy, and tender, with two types of marinades, these shish tawook skewers are full of flavors and deliciousness.

You can never visit the Levant, mainly Lebanon without having the popular shish tawook. Whether served on a plate, or in sandwiches, you will definitely have it more than twice over a week. When you look for the best healthy recipes for dinner or lunch, look no more if you have the option to indulge in a delicious plate of Lebanese shish tawook.

What is shish tawook?

Shish tawook are popular chicken skewers, perfectly marinated in yogurt and lemon, or tomato paste and lemon, along with a combination of spices. They are made out of chopped chicken breasts which, when well marinated, give you a tender juicy shish tawook platter or sandwich to crave and enjoy.

In turkey, tawook means chicken, while skewers mean shish. Hence the name of shish tawook.

What’s the difference between chicken tawook and chicken shawarma?

The only similarity between tawook and shawarma is that they are both made out of boneless chicken. However, the marinade of the tawook differs from the marinade of the shawarma, especially when it comes to spices. This is in addition to the way each of both is prepared and cooked.

What does the chicken tawook marinade include?

Let me first explain one important fact. I have seen many recipes on the internet that call for adding yogurt, while others tend to add tomato paste along with the yogurt to make the tawook look red.

As a Lebanese, I want to stress an important fact. White teak and red took was different. And in Lebanon, we tend to have a different marinade for each of them. So, consider this tip if you are looking for an authentic Lebanese shish tawook.

Marinade types:

For white tawook, the marinade includes yogurt as a base. Then, you need to add lemon juice, olive oil, and vinegar for a juicy tender shish tawook. To boost the flavor of the tawook, this marinade also includes garlic cloves, paprika, cinnamon, allspice, white pepper, nutmeg, and thyme or oregano.

For the red tawook, you need to replace the yogurt with tomato paste, but watch out for the amount. The remaining ingredients remain the same in quantity or amount.

For both marinades, if you are looking for fluffy chicken tawook like those you find sometimes in restaurants, add half tsp of baking soda, the secret ingredient that will make your shish tawook grow fluffy preserving their taste.

How to prepare these authentic Lebanese shish tawook?

• Cut the chicken: This recipe calls for the use of boneless skinless chicken breasts. You need to cut these chicken breasts into cubes and have them ready to marinade.
• Mix the spices: You will find the list of tawook spices below. Mix them to add them to the tawook marinade.
• Prepare the marinade:`whether you are going for red or white shish tawook, you will find below the list of ingredients. Mix them. Then add the spices and mix well to combine.
• Marinate the chicken: Toss to coat the chicken cubes in the marinade. Let the marinade sit for at least 4 hours overnight. This will help to tenderize the shish tawook and turn the chicken cubes juicy.
• Chop the vegetables: Cut bell pepper and onions into small chunks to add them to the skewers.
• Skewer the chicken: Start skewering the chicken cubes adding bell pepper and onion chunks in between. You can add as well mushrooms or any other vegetable of your choice.
• Grill the chicken: Although this shish tawook is best cooked on a charcoal grill, you can sauté them in a skillet without skewers, or grill them over a grilling pan.

FAQs about shish tawook

How can you store tawook leftovers?

Shish tawook stores well in the fridge in an air-tight container. They last for 3 to 4 days. Just make sure to take them out of the skewers before they cool down.

Can you make ahead tawook?

Definitely. You can marinate the chicken cubes and skewer them and store them in the fridge for the second day. Otherwise, you can store them marinated in the freezer for 1 to 2 months.

What to serve with shish tawook?

In Lebanon, shish tawook is usually served with cucumber pickles, grilled onions, grilled or steamed vegetables, and garlic paste. While, in some places, you can find it served with a few appetizers such as hummus, Fattoush, or Tabouli salad, I’ve seen it in the west being served with white rice, or steamed rice with vermicelli.

Looking for more chicken recipes? Check out these options:

• Baked cordon bleu
• Juicy roast chicken
• Chicken with cashew nuts
• Mouthwatering orange chicken

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