Chicken Tawook Quinoa Bowls

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!!

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

Similar Recipes

Chicken Tawook Quinoa Bowls

Author: Gaby Dalkin

5 from 15 votes

It's as simple as adding some grilled chicken breast skewers on top of a quinoa bowl, hummus, garlic sauce, avocados, cucumbers and a bit of shredded lettuce and lunch or dinner is DONE!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe

Prep Time 4 hours hrs

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 people

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

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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

This is a great recipe for using up leftovers. Have the ingredients in the fridge and you can toss this one together on a whim.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 684kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 1320mg | Potassium: 1167mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 464IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 4mg

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Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking