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–+ servings

Turkish Shish Tawook

Meera
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

Marinade

  • 2 lbs skinless boneless chicken breast or thighs cubed
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt or milk whisked
  • 2 tbsp e. v olive oil
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp mild paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ground all spice
  • ½-1 tsp cayenne or chili flakes
  • salt and pepper as needed

Veggies to Grill

  • 2-3 medium bell peppers, any color
  • 1 medium red onion

Simple Tomato Salad

  • 2-3 tomatoes, I like Campari, cut into wedges
  • ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2-3 Persian cucumbers, diced
  • 1 tsp sumac or 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley+ mint
  • salt and pepper as needed

Serving Suggestions

Instructions
 

  • Cut the chicken into chunky cubes size.
  • Place the olive oil, Greek yogurt or milk, tomato paste, garlic and ginger mince, oregano, all the spices, chili flakes, paprika, freshly ground black pepper, and salt in a bowl and whisk until combined. Add the chicken pieces into the bowl and toss until all the chicken pieces are covered with the marinade.
  • Cover the bowl, place in the fridge, and let the chicken marinate for a minimum of one hour or preferably overnight.
  • Cut the bell peppers into chunky cubes similar size to chicken. Thread the chicken and vegetables onto metal or soaked bamboo kebab skewers. If you prefer the peppers can be thread on a separate skewer. I know lot of people like to grill veggies separately.
  • Cook the kebabs on a BBQ for 12-14 minutes or in the 375°F preheated oven grill for 15 minutes**, until the core temperature reaches (165 °F). Serve with the tomato salad and any other fixings recommended. 

Simple Tomato Salad

  • Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Dice the cucumber and thinly slice the onion. Place the veggies in a bowl, sprinkle sumac or lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Garnish with chopped herbs. Serve with kebabs.

Notes

  • To use bamboo skewers, soak them in the water for 30 minutes beforehand so they don't burn.
  • The best way to cook shish tawook is to grill them on the BBQ. Alternatively an indoor oven works just as well.
  • Many traditional  recipes use milk instead of yogurt because the acid in the yogurt may toughen the meat. I prefer yogurt for its richness and ability to stick to the chicken pieces. As long as you have some fat the meat should be okay, don't marinate over 24 hours if you're worried. I tried both methods and both work well.
  • Marinating the chicken pieces prevents the meat from drying. It also helps to tenderize the chicken, injecting all the aromatic flavors and reduces the time of cooking.
  • If you prefer the peppers can be thread on a separate skewer. I know a lot of people are afraid the chicken may not cook through with veggies blocking them if done on the same skewer. I tried both ways and both ways work perfectly fine. 
  • The cooking time may vary on the size of the chicken pieces and the heat of your BBQ/oven.
Keyword Grilled chicken
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