Recipes

Shish Tawook (Taouk) Lebanese Chicken Skewers

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 45 mins

| Cook Time: 10 mins

| Total Time: 55 mins

You may need: Spicy Mint

Discover The Recipe

Shish Tawook (Taouk) Lebanese Chicken Skewers (also spelled tawouk and taouk) are delicious, flavor-packed grilled chicken bites on skewers. Popular around the Middle East and Mediterranean countries, Shish Taouk skewers are so easy to make, you'll add these to your weekly summer rotation. While each country may have their own recipe or marinade for shish tawook, the core concept is the same: cubed chicken marinated in a yogurt spiced, aromatic yogurt and grilled on skewers for a perfect, smoky bite.

In our recipe, we use our Spicy Mint blend to spice up the yogurt marinade. Mint is a popular ingredient across the Middle East and is often added to dishes with spicy and fragrant spices for a lovely "cool-hot" flavor dynamic. We've created this unique blend to infuse an exotic smoky-minty-hot flavor profile of the Middle East in any dish. Yogurt is a natural meat tenderizer and is one of the world's most popular marinade bases. Paired with plenty of garlic, our spiced marinade infuses tons of exotic flavor into the chicken.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cut in 1-2” cubes
6 cloves garlic, diced
½ cup whole milk plain yogurt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp Piquant Post Spicy Mint blend
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh pita (optional)
Fresh parsley and mint (optional)

Notes

Soaking the skewers helps prevent the skewer from burning on the grill. It is best to soak for at least 30 minutes, or you can do this ahead of time.

If you don’t have a BBQ grill, use your oven broiler! Adjust the rack ~6 inches from the top. Broil the skewers in the oven for 4-5 minutes then flip and broil for 4-5 more mins or until the chicken is cooked through to a temp of 165 deg.

When using the oven broiler, be sure to watch the skewers carefully and set a timer. You don’t want to char the chicken.

Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don’t sweat it if you don’t have them.

Instructions

Add garlic, yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, Spicy Mint blend and salt to a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine the marinade

Add chicken breasts and coat with the yogurt marinade. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. While the chicken is marinating, soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes.

Heat the grill to medium high heat (for gas). Skewer the chicken and grill, 4-5 minutes per side.

Serve with fresh yogurt, pita and fresh parsley or mint.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Our Spicy Mint blend has a bit of heat in it. If you or family members are sensitive to heat, start by adding a smaller amount to this dish, like 1/2 – 1 tsp. Add more after stirring and tasting.
Substitute the chicken breasts with chicken thighs, beef or shrimp.
Try using Spicy Mint in our Lebanese Baba Ganoush, Lebanese Moussaka, Farro, Pomegranate, and Carrot Tabbouleh , or Lebanese Eggplant Salad recipes for authentic Lebanese flavor.
For other recipes, try these Lebanese Beef Stew or Batata Harra (spicy middle-eastern potatoes) or our fantastic Lebanese Kafta Kebabs.
There are myriad uses for this unique blend. Simply sprinkle over pizza, flatbread, pita, hummus, stews or tomato soup.
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