Cubes of chicken thigh or breast marinated in yogurt, tomato or pepper paste, and garlic, then char-grilled on skewers. The yogurt marinade tenderizes the meat and helps it take on color without drying out.
Also known as: tavuk şiş, shish tawook Turkish style, chicken shish kebab, tavuk kebabı, piliç şiş
Visual recipe guide
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Ingredients
- 800 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 150 g plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tbsp Aleppo pepper (pul biber)
- 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp cumin
- 1.5 tsp salt, juice of half a lemon
How to make it
- 1
Whisk yogurt, tomato paste, oil, garlic, spices, salt and lemon into a thick marinade.
- 2
Coat the chicken and refrigerate at least 4 h — overnight is better.
- 3
Thread snugly onto flat skewers, scraping off excess marinade so it chars instead of burning.
- 4
Grill over hot coals 12-15 min, turning every few minutes, until blistered at the edges and cooked through.
- 5
Rest 3 min and serve over rice or lavash with sumac onions and grilled peppers.
Pro tip: Thighs, never breast — the fat keeps the cubes juicy through the char. If you must use breast, shorten the cook and baste with melted butter.
