Shish tawook
شيش طاووق
Yoghurt-garlic chicken skewers — pale, tangy, grilled, and unfinished without garlic sauce and pita.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: شيش طاووق.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Rest
- 2 hr
- Total
- 2 hr 32 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Shish tawook is chicken in yoghurt, lemon, garlic and a little tomato paste, grilled until just cooked. It should stay juicy. Toum (garlic emulsion) is the correct sauce; a blunt garlic yoghurt is the Tuesday stand-in.
What you'll need
9 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Mix yoghurt, lemon, garlic, tomato, paprika, oil and salt. Coat chicken. Chill 2 hours.
10 min
Step 2
Skewer. Grill or pan-sear 10–12 minutes, turning, until just done. Pita, pickles, extra garlic.
12 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 599 kcal
- Protein
- 63.4 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 14.7 g
- Saturated fat
- 3.6 g
- Fibre
- 2.5 g
- Sugar
- 3.4 g
- Sodium
- 1062 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Milk
- Wheat
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 November.
Substitutions
Yoghurt → A little extra lemon and oil
Less tender. Still a garlic skewer.
Tips
- Thigh forgives a hot grill. Breast dries if you chat.
- Toum is oil, garlic, lemon, ice — an emulsion. Worth learning once.
History & culture
The mixed grill. Also a weeknight if you skewer and use a ripping pan.
Ottoman shish plus Levantine garlic. The yoghurt marinade is the one that travelled.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Shish tawook take?
2 hr 32 min all in — 20 min prep, 12 min cook, 2 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 skewers. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk, Wheat. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Nut-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Mixing bowl, Frying pan.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Yoghurt → A little extra lemon and oil. Less tender. Still a garlic skewer.
Any tips from this recipe?
Thigh forgives a hot grill. Breast dries if you chat. Toum is oil, garlic, lemon, ice — an emulsion. Worth learning once.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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