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!!
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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
Can I use Greek yogurt? Or is it regular yogurt?
plain greek yogurt is great
I have made this chicken twice already!! It's perfect!
We made this for dinner tonight and it was quite tasty! I didn’t have most of the stuff to serve with it, so just put the chicken skewers over some spring greens with sliced cucumber and homemade tzatziki. I’ll definitely come back to this recipe and make sure to have all the fixings next time!
This looks outstanding and I will make it this week. I will get back to you.
I just love this combo!
This is just what we need this week. Is the yogurt regular or Greek yogurt??
doesn't matter - as long as it's plain yogurt!
Please don't wait too long to post the garlic sauce recipe. Seriously.
I put it in my next cookbook which comes out in 2 weeks! (11 days to be exact!)
SOOOOOOO GOOD!!! My entire family....13 year old son to 78 year old mother in law, LOVED IT! Thank you so much for sharing.
I love that this recipe relies and store-bought hummus and garlic sauce. That means this recipe comes together crazy quick and is perfect for meal prepping. Cook quinoa, chop veggies, and chicken, store separately and quickly throw together in tupperware before work. In the winter when I don't have access to a grill I marinate the chicken breasts or thigh whole then sear in my cast iron, dice and serve!
Wait!! Just saw I sprinkle on chicken after grilling. Never mind... sorry for not reading through all the way
Quick Q: is the parsley in the marinade or for garnish?
Where does one buy garlic sauce? I have looked at Publix, sprouts, and Kroger and cannot find it.
Trader Joes and Whole Foods! I'll do a recipe for it as soon as I perfect it!
This is right up my alley!
Is the red wine vinegar in the marinade, or an either vinegar OR lemon juice?
both in the marinade!
I can positively taste those flavors through my eyes!!! Yum!!
My mouth just watered!!!
Thank you for posting this, totally going to try out.