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Char-grilled chicken shish tawook skewers on warm pita with white garlic yogurt, cucumber pickles, green olives, grilled eggplant, onion, tomato, and green pepper

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Lebanese-Style Chicken Shish Tawook with Pita & Garlic Yogurt

Lemon-garlic yogurt marinade keeps paprika-spiced chicken skewers juicy, while warm pita, cool garlic yogurt, pickles, olives, and charred vegetables turn them into a complete mezze-style dinner.

Developed for DishGal · Updated 2026-08-29

Family FavoritesEasy Chicken Recipes
Prep25 min
Cook20 min
Total105 min
Cost$4.45

Directions

  1. Build the tawook marinade

    Whisk 1/2 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, olive oil, tomato paste, 3 grated garlic cloves, paprika, coriander, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a nonreactive bowl until smooth.

  2. Marinate safely

    Add the chicken and turn until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. Do not marinate at room temperature, and discard marinade that has touched raw chicken rather than using it as a sauce.

  3. Make the garlic yogurt

    Stir the remaining 1/4 cup yogurt with the remaining 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate until serving. If it is too thick to spoon, loosen with 1 teaspoon cold water.

  4. Heat the grill and thread evenly

    Heat a gas or charcoal grill for direct medium-high cooking, about 450°F at the grate. Thread the chicken snugly but without compressing it onto four skewers. Thread eggplant, onion, and bell pepper onto the remaining skewers. Brush the vegetables lightly with oil and season with a pinch of salt.

  5. Grill the vegetables

    Clean and oil the grill grates. Grill the vegetable skewers for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until tender with dark grill marks. Move them to the cooler side if the exterior browns before the eggplant softens.

  6. Grill chicken to 165°F

    Place the chicken skewers over direct heat and grill for 10 to 14 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until browned on several sides and the largest pieces register 165°F in the center without the thermometer touching the skewer. Transfer to a clean platter and rest for 5 minutes.

  7. Warm and build the platters

    Warm the pitas on the grill for 30 seconds per side. Divide pita, chicken skewers, charred vegetables, pickles, olives, and tomato wedges among four plates. Spoon the cold garlic yogurt alongside rather than over the charred chicken so its crust stays distinct.

Why this works

Why it worksYogurt and lemon season the surface while chicken thighs stay forgiving over direct grill heat.
Why it worksCutting the chicken uniformly and threading it without compression lets heat reach the sides so the cubes brown and reach 165°F together.
Why it worksCool garlic yogurt and acidic pickles balance the smoky chicken, warm bread, olives, and sweet charred vegetables.

Useful kitchen gear

Tools that make this easier.

Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.

Paid links: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You pay no additional cost.
Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerVerify the largest chicken pieces reach 165°F without cutting every skewer open.See current options → Compare on AmazonLong kitchen tongsTurn hot skewers and oil the grill grate while keeping hands clear of direct heat.See current options → Compare on AmazonNesting mixing bowlsUse separate bowls for raw-chicken marinade and the finished garlic yogurt to avoid cross-contamination.See current options →

Swaps & notes

Easy swaps

  • Use chicken breast cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces; begin checking at 8 minutes and remove each skewer as soon as its largest piece reaches 165°F.
  • For indoor cooking, broil the chicken and vegetables on separate foil-lined sheet pans 5 to 6 inches from the heat, turning once and verifying the same safe temperature.
  • Replace eggplant and bell pepper with zucchini and cherry tomatoes, keeping delicate tomatoes on their own skewer so they can be removed early.

Cook notes

  • The total time is about 1 hour 45 minutes: 25 minutes prep, 1 hour refrigerated marinating, and 20 minutes cooking. Up to 8 hours of marinating is convenient but not required.
  • Metal skewers transfer heat into the chicken and do not burn. If using bamboo, soak them fully and keep exposed ends away from the hottest flame.
  • The calorie and cost estimates include pita, sauce, vegetables, pickles, and olives.

Storage

Remove chicken and vegetables from the skewers and refrigerate separately from pita and garlic yogurt for up to 4 days. Reheat the chicken and vegetables on a covered sheet pan at 350°F until the chicken reaches 165°F, about 10 minutes. Refrigerate the sauce for up to 4 days; do not freeze the yogurt sauce.

Questions

Why is the chicken sticking to the grill?

The grate was likely dirty, insufficiently hot, or not oiled. Preheat fully, scrape the grate clean, oil it with a folded towel held in tongs, and let the chicken develop a crust before trying to turn it.

Can I prepare the skewers ahead?

Marinate the chicken up to 8 hours and thread the skewers up to 4 hours ahead. Keep them covered and refrigerated, then let them stand only 15 minutes while the grill heats.

Is shish tawook supposed to be spicy?

It is aromatic and tangy rather than hot. Sweet paprika supplies color and gentle warmth; add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne to the marinade if you want noticeable heat.

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Lebanese-Style Chicken Shish Tawook with Pita & Garlic Yogurt
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1. Build the tawook marinadeWhisk 1/2 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, olive oil, tomato paste, 3 grated garlic cloves, paprika, coriander, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a nonreactive bowl until smooth.
2. Marinate safelyAdd the chicken and turn until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. Do not marinate at room temperature, and discard marinade that has touched raw chicken rather than using it as a sauce.
3. Make the garlic yogurtStir the remaining 1/4 cup yogurt with the remaining 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate until serving. If it is too thick to spoon, loosen with 1 teaspoon cold water.
4. Heat the grill and thread evenlyHeat a gas or charcoal grill for direct medium-high cooking, about 450°F at the grate. Thread the chicken snugly but without compressing it onto four skewers. Thread eggplant, onion, and bell pepper onto the remaining skewers. Brush the vegetables lightly with oil and season with a pinch of salt.
5. Grill the vegetablesClean and oil the grill grates. Grill the vegetable skewers for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until tender with dark grill marks. Move them to the cooler side if the exterior browns before the eggplant softens.
6. Grill chicken to 165°FPlace the chicken skewers over direct heat and grill for 10 to 14 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until browned on several sides and the largest pieces register 165°F in the center without the thermometer touching the skewer. Transfer to a clean platter and rest for 5 minutes.
7. Warm and build the plattersWarm the pitas on the grill for 30 seconds per side. Divide pita, chicken skewers, charred vegetables, pickles, olives, and tomato wedges among four plates. Spoon the cold garlic yogurt alongside rather than over the charred chicken so its crust stays distinct.