Shish Taouk

Shish Taouk is a classic dish from Levantine cuisine: marinated pieces of chicken grilled on skewers over high heat. The marinade of yoghurt, lemon, garlic, tomato purée and warm spices makes the chicken tender, juicy and full of flavour. Serve the skewers with warm flatbread, toum, a fresh salad and, if desired, grilled vegetables.

Serves: 4
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 12–15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes (+ marinating)

Ingredients

• 750 g boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets
• 200 g full-fat yoghurt
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Wooden skewers, soaked for at least 30 minutes, or metal skewers
• Extra olive oil for greasing the rack or pan

Preparation

1. Cut the chicken
   Cut the chicken thigh fillets into large, even pieces of about 3–4 cm. Try to make the pieces roughly the same size so they cook at the same time. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper if necessary and sprinkle lightly with salt.
2. Prepare the garlic
   Peel the garlic and chop finely. You can also crush the garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar to make a paste.
3. Make the marinade
   Squeeze the lemon. In a large bowl, mix the yoghurt with the lemon juice, olive oil, tomato purée, garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Stir into a smooth, fragrant marinade.
4. Marinate the chicken
   Add the chicken and mix thoroughly so that all the pieces are coated all over with marinade. Cover the bowl and leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. For extra flavour and tenderness, 6–12 hours is ideal.

Method

1. Bring the chicken to room temperature
   Take the chicken out of the fridge about 20 minutes before grilling so it can lose some of its chill. Soak wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Metal skewers can be used straight away.
2. Thread the chicken onto skewers
   Lightly shake off any excess marinade from the chicken; a thin layer may still remain. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers. Place them fairly close together, but do not press them tightly. This allows the heat to reach the chicken all around.
3. Heat the grill
   Heat the barbecue, grill or griddle pan to medium-high to high heat. Lightly grease the rack or pan with oil to prevent sticking.
4. Grill the chicken skewers
   Place the chicken skewers on the hot grill and cook them for about 8–12 minutes in total, depending on the heat and the size of the pieces. Turn the skewers regularly so the chicken colours nicely all over and does not burn. The outside may be golden brown and lightly charred, while the chicken stays juicy inside.
5. Check for doneness
   Check for doneness by cutting open a larger piece of chicken. The chicken should be fully cooked, with no pink centre, and the juices should run clear. Do not leave the skewers on for too long; chicken thigh fillets stay juicier than chicken breast, but can still become dry if grilled for too long.
6. Serve immediately
   Serve the Shish Taouk immediately with warm flatbread and toum, the punchy Lebanese garlic sauce. Serve with a fresh salad, such as fattoush or a simple tomato and cucumber salad.
7. Serve grilled vegetables
   Also delicious: grill pieces of pepper, courgette or onion at the same time and serve them alongside the chicken skewers.