Shish Tawook
Juicy yoghurt-and-lemon marinated chicken skewers, grilled until lightly charred and served with garlic sauce, pickles and flatbread.
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Shish tawook stays tender because yoghurt and lemon season the chicken while tomato paste and paprika give the familiar colour. Even cubes and a short rest after grilling matter more than heavy charring.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg Boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 4 cm cubes)
- 180 g Plain full-fat yoghurt
- 60 ml Lemon juice
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 6 Garlic cloves (finely grated)
- 2 tsp Sweet paprika
- 1.5 tsp Dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp Ground allspice
- 0.5 tsp Ground cumin
- 1.75 tsp Fine salt
- 0.5 tsp Black pepper
- 1 large Red onion (cut into 4 cm pieces)
- 1 large Red pepper (cut into 4 cm pieces)
- 150 g Garlic sauce (to serve)
- 6 Arabic flatbreads (to serve)
Step-by-step method
- Whisk yoghurt, lemon, oil, tomato paste, garlic, paprika, oregano, allspice, cumin, salt and pepper in a non-reactive bowl until smooth.
- Add chicken and coat every piece. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and no more than 12 hours; never marinate poultry at room temperature.
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes. Thread chicken with onion and pepper, leaving a few millimetres between pieces so heat reaches the sides.
- Heat a grill or heavy griddle to medium-high and oil it lightly. Let excess marinade drip from the skewers so it does not burn, then place them in one layer.
- Grill for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until several sides are golden with small charred spots. Move skewers away from flare-ups rather than letting soot coat the chicken.
- Check the thickest chicken cube with a clean thermometer; it must reach 75°C. Transfer cooked skewers to a clean plate, never the plate that held raw chicken.
- Rest loosely covered for 5 minutes, then serve with garlic sauce, pickles and warm flatbread. Squeeze over extra lemon only at the table so the surface stays browned.
