Egyptian Shish Tawook Kebab Plate with Citrus Yogurt

About This Recipe

Shish tawook is a grilled chicken kebab found across Egypt and the wider Levant, made by marinating cubed chicken thigh in a mixture of yogurt, garlic, lemon and tomato paste before grilling over high heat. The yogurt tenderizes the meat while the acidity of the citrus keeps the marinade bright rather than heavy, and it's a staple of both home barbecues and grill restaurant menus across Cairo. The marinade needs real time to work — at least a few hours, ideally overnight — so the yogurt's enzymes have a chance to tenderize the chicken and the garlic and spices fully penetrate the meat rather than just coating the surface. Skewering the chicken tightly, without gaps between pieces, helps it stay juicy on the grill instead of drying out in the open flame. Served over rice with a citrus-yogurt sauce drizzled on top — a thinner, brighter cousin of the marinade itself — and a simple salad on the side, this plate is a straightforward, satisfying grill dinner that's easy to scale up for a crowd.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 800 gboneless chicken thighs(cubed)
• 1 cupplain yogurt
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1orange(zested and juiced)
• 1 tbsptomato paste
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.5 tsppaprika
• 0.5 cupplain yogurt(for sauce)
• 1 tbsplemon juice(for sauce)
• 2 cupscooked rice
• 2 cupschopped salad(cucumber, tomato, parsley)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken

   Whisk yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, orange zest and juice, tomato paste, olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Toss with cubed chicken, cover, and marinate at least 3 hours or overnight in the fridge.

2. 2

   Skewer the chicken

   Thread the marinated chicken tightly onto skewers, leaving no gaps between pieces.

3. 3

   Grill

   Grill over medium-high heat, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, for 12 to 15 minutes total until charred outside and cooked through with no pink remaining.

4. 4

   Make the citrus yogurt sauce

   Whisk together the second batch of yogurt with lemon juice and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable.

5. 5

   Assemble the plate

   Serve the grilled chicken over rice with the chopped salad, drizzled generously with citrus yogurt sauce.

Variations

• •

  Use chicken breast if you prefer leaner meat, but reduce grill time slightly to avoid drying it out.

• •

  Add bell pepper and onion chunks between the chicken pieces on the skewer for a more colorful, vegetable-forward plate.

• •

  Serve wrapped in flatbread with the yogurt sauce and salad instead of over rice.

Storage

Refrigerate grilled chicken up to 3 days; reheat gently in a covered pan to avoid drying it further. The yogurt sauce keeps separately up to 4 days.

Frequently Asked Questions