What is Shish Tawook? The name of the dish ‘Shish Kebob’ comes from two Persian words, ‘Shish’ meaning skewered and ‘Kebob’ meaning grilled. Although traditionally made with lamb, a Shish Kebob can be made with beef, chicken or fish, my Shish Tawook recipe is a type of Kebob, ‘Tawook‘ simply identifies it as a Chicken Kabob. A tender and juicy Lebanese grilled skewered chicken recipe, my Shish Tawook marinade has the chicken tenderized in a lemony, garlic yogurt marinade for several hours before being grilled over an open flame until juicy and tender. Served with my Grilled Veggie Skewers recipe, this is a great summertime meal!
You’ll see that this recipe is much like the Buttermilk Roast Chicken or buttermilk fried chicken you find in the USA. By marinating the chicken in dairy, you create the most flavorful, and mouthwatering chicken imaginable, with a crisp outer crust, surrounding tender, juicy meat.
Actually, looking at the list of ingredients, if you substituted buttermilk for the yogurt, this could easily be the same marinade your Great Grandmother used to make fried chicken back in the good old days.
My Grilled Veggie Skewers recipe & Shish Tawook recipes go great together with the recipes I made last week; Hummus, Tabbouleh and Baba Ganoush.
Keep the Grilled Veggie Skewers & Shish Tawook separate before cooking to prevent any cross-contamination from the raw chicken. You want to have all of your skewers assembled and ready to go before you start grilling.
Here’s my Shish Tawook recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Pounds Chicken Breast, Boneless, Skinless cut into 2” cubes
- ¼ Cup Lemon, Zest, and Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 6 Cloves Garlic, Crushed and Chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Thyme
- 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
PROCESS:
-In a large mixing bowl combine lemon zest and juice with the tomato paste, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and garlic. Mix well
-Add remaining marinade ingredients and mix well
-Add chicken and stir to coat the chicken well, let marinate for at least 4 hours
FOR GRILLING:
-Skewer the chicken onto metal or bamboo skewers
-The grill should be medium-hot (you can hold your hand one foot over the grill for 4-5 seconds before its uncomfortable)
-Place the skewered chicken on the grill, turning regularly, until nicely browned and the internal temperature is 165F
-Remove from the grill, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes
-While chicken rests, grill the Veggie Skewers
Grilled Veggie Skewers are pretty simple and straightforward, I use a variety of sliced vegetables that are roughly the same thickness, so they cook at the same rate. I make a simple vinaigrette that I marinate the vegetables in for about 10-15 minutes before I skewer and grill them. This marinade gives the veggies great flavor and helps them brown nicely.
Here’s my Grilled Veggie Skewers Recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Zucchini, Sliced into ¼-inch Rounds
- 1 Yellow Squash, Sliced into ¼-inch Rounds
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, Seeded and Cut into 2-inch squares
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, Seeded and Cut into 2-inch squares
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, Seeded and Cut into 2-inch squares
- 1 Red Onion, Halved and Quartered
Lemon Vinaigrette recipe:
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon, Juice, and Zest
- 2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Thyme
- 1 Clove Garlic, Crushed and Chopped
PROCESS:
-Place the cut vegetables into a large mixing bowl
-Mix the vinaigrette well and pour over the vegetables, toss to coat the vegetables thoroughly
-Skewer the vegetables in random order onto either metal or bamboo skewers
-While chicken is resting, grill the Veggie Skewers over direct flame
