If you've never had Chicken Tawook before, brace yourselves for what could be your new favorite way to make chicken! Chicken Tawook (or Shish Tawook) is a popular Middle Eastern dish, particularly in Lebanon that consists of marinated chicken skewers that are grilled to perfection. The marinade typically includes a mixture of yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and a blend of spices like paprika and allspice, giving the chicken a tangy, slightly smoky, and flavorful taste! I love to serve this over a Quinoa Bowl and the rest is history!!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
There’s this Lebanese restaurant a few miles from our house that I’m obsessed with. They have the most tender, succulent, moist Chicken Tawook on the planet. I’ll drive by and even if I’m not hungry, I’ll make a quick pit stop and grab some chicken skewers to go.
But these days I’ve mastered Chicken Tawook in my home kitchen and I couldn’t be more excited. Throw it on top of a quinoa bowl loaded with quinoa (duh), hummus, garlic sauce, avocados, cucumbers and a bit of shredded lettuce and lunch or dinner is DONE! You can serve it up with a little extra pita because WHY NOT and be on your way to happiness.
Before we get to the recipe - let’s just talk about the garlic sauce for a hot second. IT IS SPECTACULAR. I don’t care if I radiate garlic out of my pores for the next 4 days… it’s everything to me. You can find a container of freshly made garlic sauce at most stores (Trader Joe's just started carrying it) - and if you can’t find it, just substitute it out for a little homemade tzatziki and it will still be perf. In fact, just throw on some tzatziki regardless… MORE IS MORE!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Lemon
- Neutral Oil
- Greek or Regular Plain Yogurt
- Garlic
- Tomato Paste
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Salt
- Oregano
- Paprila
- Pepper
- Allspice
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Parsley
- Quinoa
- Avocado
- Hummus + Tzatziki
- Garlic Sauce
- Cucumbers
- Romaine lettuce
How to Make
- Whisk together the lemon juice, vegetable oil, plain yogurt, garlic, tomato paste, salt, oregano, paprika, pepper and allspice in a large bowl; add the chicken and toss to coat. Transfer the chicken mixture into a large plastic bag; refrigerate at least 4 hours.
- Preheat an indoor or outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate. Thread the chicken onto metal or wooden skewers. Cook on preheated grill until the chicken is golden and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes each side. Sprinkle the parsley over the skewers.
- To assemble, divide the quinoa into 4 bowls and top with equal parts of avocado, hummus, garlic sauce, sliced cucumbers and shredded lettuce. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice if needed. Serve immediately.
Tips & Tricks
Let's talk hot tips for making the most succulent chicken:
Marinate for Enough Time
Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow the flavors to deeply penetrate the meat. The yogurt and lemon juice in the marinade not only add flavor but also tenderize the chicken.
Use Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs or Breasts
Chicken thighs provide more juiciness, but if you prefer leaner cuts, chicken breasts work well too. Cut the chicken into uniform-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Thomas is into leaner meats these days so we've been making these with organic chicken breasts
Balance the Marinade
The marinade should have a good balance of acid (lemon juice or vinegar), fat (yogurt or olive oil), and spices. This creates tender, juicy chicken with a lot of flavor. Garlic, paprika, and allspice are common in a traditional marinade, but you can adjust spices based on your taste preferences.
Grill on High Heat
Grill the skewers over medium-high heat to get a nice char on the outside while keeping the chicken juicy. If using a grill pan indoors, make sure it's properly preheated otherwise it will steam more than sear / grill.
Soak Wooden Skewers
If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before grilling to prevent them from burning.
Serve with Garlic Sauce (Toum)
A traditional garlic sauce, known as "toum," is a creamy, garlicky dip that pairs perfectly with Chicken Tawook. You can also serve it with fresh pita, rice, and pickled vegetables to round out the meal.
FAQ's
What is chicken tawook made of?
Chicken tawook is made of marinated chicken, typically chicken thighs or breasts, that are grilled or roasted.
Similar Recipes
Chicken Tawook Quinoa Bowls
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup plain yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 2 inch pieces
- fresh parsley
For the Bowls:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 ripe avocado
- ½ cup homemade Hummus
- store bought garlic sauce
- sliced Persian cucumbers
- 1 head romaine lettuce shredded
- served w/ a side of pita bread
- ½ cup homemade Tzatziki optional
Instructions
- Whisk together the lemon juice, vegetable oil, plain yogurt, garlic, tomato paste, salt, oregano, paprika, pepper and allspice in a large bowl; add the chicken and toss to coat. Transfer the chicken mixture into a large plastic bag; refrigerate at least 4 hours.
- Preheat an indoor or outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate. Thread the chicken onto metal or wooden skewers. Cook on preheated grill until the chicken is golden and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes each side. Sprinkle the parsley over the skewers.
- To assemble, divide the quinoa into 4 bowls and top with equal parts of avocado, hummus, garlic sauce, sliced cucumbers and shredded lettuce. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice if needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
Love these recipes!! Are the calorie counts per serving or for the entire dish?
per serving!
Can’t wait to try this!! Quick question: in your description you mention cumin, but in the recipe you use allspice. Which do you prefer for the recipe or both?
AH!! thank you! allspice
The mark of a good meal from the hubs-
“Please put this on the rotation”. Great weeknight meal made easy and fast (especially with all those sauces purchased from Trader Joe’s) . Gaby, you are my #1 source for recipes!
Oh my Gosh!! Soooo yummy!! It would take less time to make if you used store bought hummus, tahini, and tzadziki, but I made those too. Thanks for sharing all your goodness.
Really delicious, pretty and easy. Chicken was tasty leftover too.
Can you give an example of a brand of garlic sauce? Is it refrigerated? I tried looking today at Whole Foods, but didn't find it
it varies from store to store but would be in the refrigerated section by the hummus
So easy and yummy!
This is my kind of fresh meal, loaded with flavor. Yum!
Do you have any recommendations for the garlic sauce in this recipe? Thanks!
there's a recipe in my most recent cookbook - otherwise I buy it store bought frequently from trader joes
This looks amazing! I cannot wait to try it.
Chicken is amazing! And the rest of the bowl ces together so well- I could eat this every week.
Is there a non dairy substitute for the Greek yogurt or not really? Thx!
not that i've tested!
This marinade is GOLD. I have been coming back to it for months now! I love this chicken wrapped up in fresh pita with tons of hummus- YUM!