Ingredients
Chicken
- 800 gboneless chicken thigh, in 4 cm pieces
Marinade
- 200 gthick yoghurt
- juice of 2 lemons
- 6 clovesgarlic, crushed to a paste
- 4 tbspolive oil
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 1 tspground cinnamon
- 1 tspallspice
- 1 tspsweet paprika
- ½ tspground cardamom
- 1 tspdried oregano or thyme
- 2 tspsalt
- black pepper
Toum, garlic sauce
- 6 clovesgarlic, peeled and green shoots removed
- 1 tspsalt
- 300 mlneutral oil
- 2 tbsplemon juice
- 1 tbspice water
To serve
- flatbread
- pickled turnips
- grilled tomato and onion
- chips, in the Lebanese sandwich
Equipment
- metal skewers
Directions
- Use boneless thigh rather than breast. Thigh has enough fat to survive fierce charcoal heat and stay juicy, where breast dries into something stringy within a minute of overcooking. Cut it into pieces of about four centimetres, evenly sized. It also clings to the surface and forms a crust as it chars, where a thin marinade runs off.
- Use thick yoghurt, and drain it in a sieve for an hour if it is at all watery. A thin marinade releases water in the heat, so the chicken steams instead of charring. Crush the garlic to a paste with salt rather than chopping it. Now marinate for at least four hours, covered and refrigerated.
- Turn it once or twice so everything stays coated. Take it out of the fridge thirty minutes before cooking. Remove the green germ from the centre of each clove, which is bitter and is the main cause of a harsh sauce.
- Pound or blend the garlic with salt into a completely smooth paste first. Now add the oil drop by drop at first, then in a very thin stream, blending constantly.
- Add the oil far more slowly than feels reasonable at the start, since adding it fast is why toum splits. The mixture will gradually turn thick, white and fluffy, like a stiff mayonnaise.
- Thread the chicken onto skewers with a small gap between pieces. Grill over charcoal that has burned down to glowing embers with no flames. Cook for ten to twelve minutes, turning every couple of minutes. Take it off while it is still juicy, since small boneless pieces overcook in moments.
- Cut into one piece to check rather than guessing. The chicken should be charred in patches and white right through with no pink at the centre. Serve with flatbread, toum, pickled turnips and grilled vegetables. For the classic sandwich, roll the chicken in flatbread with toum, pickles and chips, and press it on a hot griddle.
Technique
- Thigh survives fierce heat far better than breast.
- Cinnamon and allspice are the signature Levantine spicing.
- Toum is an egg-free garlic emulsion and the oil must go in very slowly.
Substitutions
- Chicken breast, accepting a drier result.
- Greek yoghurt drained further, in place of thick yoghurt.
Variations
- Made with a tomato-paste-heavy marinade, for deeper colour.
- Rolled as a sandwich with chips and pickles.
- Made with more garlic, which is common.
Frequently asked questions
What is Shish taouk?
Shish taouk is a main from Lebanon: garlicky yogurt-marinated chicken skewers served with toum.
How long does Shish taouk take to make?
Shish taouk takes 25 min plus 4 hr marinating of preparation and 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Shish taouk?
Yes, within limits. Chicken breast, accepting a drier result. Greek yoghurt drained further, in place of thick yoghurt.
What is the most important thing to get right in Shish taouk?
Use boneless thigh rather than breast. Thigh has enough fat to survive fierce charcoal heat and stay juicy, where breast dries into something stringy within a minute of overcooking. Cut it into pieces of about four centimetres, evenly sized. It also clings to the surface and forms a crust as it chars, where a thin marinade runs off.
