Shish Tawook (Turkish Chicken Kebab)

Shish Tawook (Turkish Chicken Kebab) is a popular Turkish dish made of chicken pieces marinated in olive oil, milk, tomato & pepper paste, and aromatic spices. If you want something unique and delicious for your summer BBQ parties, this recipe is perfect for you! These tender and juicy Chicken Shish Kabobs are ready in just 25 minutes plus the marinating time.

Jump to:

• What Is Turkish Chicken Shish Kebab?
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Shish Tawook (Turkish Chicken Kebab)?
• Top Tip From the Chef
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Shish Tawook (Turkish Chicken Shish Kebab)

What Is Turkish Chicken Shish Kebab?

Turkish Chicken Shish Kebab is a simple yet extremely delicious kebab dish made with marinated chicken breast or thigh pieces, threaded into skewers, and then cooked on fire along with some vegetables. The simple marinade for chicken kabob is typically made with milk or yogurt mixed with olive oil and a few spices.

This authentic Shish Tawook/Turkish Chicken Shish Kebab (or Kabob) dish is almost on every restaurant's menu in Turkey. It is also popular in Western countries as takeaway food and is usually wrapped in a flatbread with some garlicky yogurt sauce.

I promise they taste just as good, if not much better! 

Why This Recipe Works?

• They are absolutely delicious and very easy to make at home with my simple recipe.

• These kabobs are perfect for entertaining your dinner guests, you can prep them a few days ahead and cook them on the day.

• It's a healthy and delicious dish with a minimum of prep time.

• Chicken Kabobs are freezer-friendly, you can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

• They cost less money and taste much better than the takeaway chicken shish kebabs.

• There is only 173 kcal per portion of chicken kabobs.

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Chicken - I prefer using skinless & boneless chicken thighs for kebabs but chicken breast works perfectly too. You can also use frozen chicken if that's what you have in hand. Make sure you defrost them overnight before marinating them.

• Olive oil - I use cooking olive oil instead of extra virgin olive oil for the marinade. It adds flavor to the meat and keeps it moist.

• Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops or buy it online from Amazon .

• Red pepper paste - Turkish red pepper paste is a rich, delicious paste made with juicy, spicy red peppers and I use it quite often in my Turkish recipes. You can buy it from Turkish or Middle Eastern shops or online from Amazon.

• Milk - I use semi-skimmed or full-fat milk. Milk helps the chicken get tender&melt in the mouth. Many recipes include yogurt for the marinade. I prefer milk instead as yogurt tends to burn quickly.

• Vegetables - Onions, peppers, and tomatoes are typically used for kebabs but you can use any other vegetables you fancy, such as chilies, mushrooms, or aubergines.

How to Make Shish Tawook (Turkish Chicken Kebab)?

Making Chicken Shish Kebabs (kabobs) at home is surprisingly easy. However, there are a few simple steps to follow for you to achieve the best results:

Marinate the Chicken

There are many recipes for chicken shish kebab marinade and most of them use yogurt. I prefer using milk instead as it gives a softer texture and better taste to the meat. To prepare the marinade, mix milk, tomato paste, olive oil, salt, and spices in a bowl.

Add the chicken pieces into the marinade and nicely combine until all chicken pieces are covered, and then cover the bowl.

Let the chicken marinate overnight or for a minimum of 2 hours. Don't let them marinate for more than 24 hours as the acid in the marinade will destroy the texture of the meat.

Thread the Chicken Pieces and Veggies Onto Skewers 

When the chicken is marinated and you are ready to cook, start preparing the vegetables. Firstly, peel the onion and then cut it into chunky cubes similar size of the chicken.

Secondly, wash the tomatoes and cut them into wedges, or use whole cherry tomatoes.

And then cut the Turkish chili peppers into 4 pieces. If you are using bell peppers, cut them into chunky cubes similar size to chicken.

Thread the chicken and vegetables onto metal kebab skewers. If you want to use bamboo skewers, soak them in the water beforehand for 30 minutes so that they don't burn.

Cook the Chicken Kabobs

The best way to cook shish tawook is by grilling them on the BBQ. Alternatively, you can use your oven grill to cook them. When cooking on the BBQ, make sure the grill is properly hot before you place the chicken shish kebabs on them. Cook for 12-14 minutes or the core temperature reaches 74 °C (165 °F).

If you want to use the oven, preheat the oven grill to 210 °C (410 °F). Place them on a tin foil-lined tray and then cook for 15 minutes or until the core temperature reaches 74 °C (165 °F). The cooking time may vary on the size of the chicken cubes and the heat of your BBQ/oven. Make sure you keep a good eye on them to prevent burning.

Top Tip From the Chef

You can use the same marinade for marinating chicken wings or whole chicken. This marinade is perfect for any part of the chicken!

Serving Suggestions

The best way to enjoy these homemade Chicken Shish Kebabs is to serve them with Greek Pita Bread, our classic Turkish Rice (Seyhriyeli Pilav), and some pickled gherkins.

You can also serve these delicious and juicy kabobs with some Bulgur Pilavi ( Turkish Bulgur Pilaf), Lentil and Bulgur Pilaf (Mercimekli Bulgur Pilavi), Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread), Tomato and Walnut Salad (Gavurdagi Salatasi), Tirokafteri (Spicy Whipped Feta Dip), Lebanese Fattoush Salad or Authentic Hummus on the side.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious chicken recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making these better than takeaway Chicken Shish Kebabs as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂

Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun! 

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