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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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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.
White tawook:
Red tawook:
Tawook Spice Mix
Calories: 278 kcal per serving | Serving size: 1 chicken breast | Number of servings: 3
Total Fat 14 g | Saturated Fat 3 g | Cholesterol 87 mg | Sodium 2474 mg | Potassium 576 mg | Total Carbohydrate 3 g | Dietary Fiber 0 g | Sugars 1 g | Protein 34 g | Vitamin A: 5% | Vitamin C: 14% | Calcium: 1% | Iron: 2%
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet