Lebanese Shish Tawook: Mama’s Lebanese Kitchen Recipe

Close-up of marinated chicken skewers grilling on an outdoor barbecue in Coesfeld, Germany.

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This recipe is taken directly from Mama’s Lebanese Kitchen — Lebanese Shish Tawook Recipe – Chicken Shish Kabob, published by Edgard, whose family recipes come from his mother Esperance’s kitchen in the mountains of North Lebanon. The marinade itself was worked out with help from two family friends: Mohammed, a chef who worked in a Lebanese restaurant in Michigan, and Laba Nehmeh, who ran a restaurant in Hasroun, Lebanon.

What Is Shish Tawook?

Shish Tawook is grilled chicken skewers found in fast-food shops and restaurants across Lebanon, usually rolled into a pita with garlic sauce and pickles, or served plated with rice and grilled vegetables. According to Mama’s Lebanese Kitchen, the name points to Turkish origins — from “Tavuk şiş” — and versions of the same dish turn up across the Middle East, including a Persian counterpart called “Jujeh Kabob.” In its most basic form it’s just grilled chicken breast, but the marinade is where cooks make it their own.

Mama’s Lebanese Kitchen notes that the flavors and spicing of Shish Tawook can vary a lot from cook to cook, even within Lebanon — everyone leans on the same core of garlic, lemon, and yogurt, but the exact spice mix is where families differ. This version came together after testing a few different marinades and settling on the balance that guests responded to best, which is as good a way as any to think about tweaking it further at home.

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade

  • 2 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup lemon juice (plus a few lemon slices, optional)
  • 15 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 6 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme, or ground oregano
  • 1/3 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste

For Serving

  • 4 teaspoons Lebanese-style garlic paste (toum)
  • 4 pita loaves
  • 4 grilled tomatoes
  • 2 cups French fries
  • 8 salted Lebanese-style cucumber pickles

Method

  1. Cut the chicken breasts into roughly 2-inch cubes — not too small, or they’ll dry out quickly on the grill.
  2. Place the chicken in a bowl, add all the marinade ingredients, and rub together by hand until everything is well combined.
  3. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  4. Thread the chicken onto skewers right before grilling.
  5. Grill on a barbecue over medium heat for 12–15 minutes maximum, turning frequently. Overcooking dries the chicken out fast. (An oven works too: lay the skewers across the edges of a deep dish and bake at 400°F/204°C for about 15 minutes.)
  6. Once cooked, tuck the skewers into an empty warm pot, cover tightly, and let them rest for 5 minutes off the heat.
  7. Spread a teaspoon of garlic paste down the center of a pita, add 4–5 pieces of chicken, and top with pickles, fries, and grilled tomato before rolling.

The Steam-Rest Trick

Mama’s Lebanese Kitchen credits a specific source for the softest chicken: Gharakia Nehmeh Restaurant in Hasroun, Lebanon, run by family friend Laba Nehmeh. Trapping the just-grilled chicken inside a closed pot for a few minutes lets the residual heat and moisture steam the meat gently, which keeps it from drying out while you finish assembling the wrap.

Grilling Notes and Food Safety

Flat stainless steel skewers conduct heat into the center of the meat faster than round wooden ones, so the source recommends them if you have them — less time over the fire, juicier result. Whatever skewer you use, chicken needs to reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (73.9°C) to be safe, per USDA guidance; check with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest piece rather than relying on the clock, since grill hot spots vary.

Serving It Beyond the Wrap

The pita wrap is the fast-food version you’ll find all over Lebanon, but Mama’s Lebanese Kitchen also serves the same skewers plated, alongside rice and grilled vegetables, which is worth doing if you’d rather skip the bread altogether. Either way, the toum is doing a lot of the work — it’s the standard dipping sauce for Shish Tawook in Lebanon, and it’s worth making a batch rather than substituting a generic garlic mayo.

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