Shish taouk is a Lebanese chicken skewer made from cubes of chicken breast or thigh. The name itself points to its heritage: “shish” means skewer, and “taouk” means chicken, a linguistic trace of the Ottoman influence that runs through much of the Levant’s grilled food tradition.
On a Lebanese grill menu, shish taouk sits alongside kofta and lamb cutlets as one of the essential orders. Where lamb dishes bring richness, this grilled chicken Lebanese classic offers something brighter and more delicate.
A few things set proper shish taouk apart from an ordinary chicken skewer:
- The marinade is built on yogurt
- Cubes are cut generously
- It’s served with warm bread
The marinade tradition
The shish taouk marinade does two things at once. Yogurt’s acidity breaks down the meat gently, so the chicken stays tender rather than turning tough over high heat. Lemon juice brightens the whole dish and keeps it tasting fresh rather than heavy.
Chicken given proper time in a yogurt-lemon-garlic bath tastes like something that was made with intention.
A touch of paprika or a light hand with chilli sometimes finds its way in too.
Charcoal grilling
Where a lamb cutlet can sit over the coals a little longer without suffering, shish taouk needs quick and high heat.
That’s precisely where charcoal earns its place. It gives the surface of the chicken a light char in minutes rather than dragging the cook out, sealing in the marinade’s moisture while the smoke adds something a gas flame simply cannot replicate.
Timing on charcoal is a skill built over years, not something a recipe card can fully capture. The skewers need turning at exactly the right moment. It’s a small window, and it’s one our grill chefs have spent decades learning to read.
If you’re curious about the wider charcoal tradition behind Lebanese cooking, and how shish taouk sits alongside kofta and lamb on one plate, our guide to Lebanese mixed grill goes further into that history.
Shish taouk vs chicken shawarma
Here is the difference, since both are chicken and both are grilled.
Shish taouk:
- Cubed chicken, marinated and skewered
- Grilled directly over charcoal
- A lighter, tangier flavour from the yogurt-lemon marinade
Chicken shawarma:
- Thin-sliced or stacked chicken
- Cooked slowly on a vertical rotisserie
- A deeper spiced flavour that builds
Neither is better than the other. They simply do different things on the table, and a proper Lebanese spread usually finds room for both.
What to serve alongside
Shish taouk rarely arrives on its own, and it shouldn’t. A beautiful way to build the plate:
- Warm flatbread for wrapping
- Toum, Lebanon’s whipped garlic sauce
- Grilled tomato and a scattering of sumac onion
- Hummus or a scoop of tabbouleh on the side
- Pickled turnips, for a little acidity against the richness
Together, this is what turns a skewer into a proper Lebanese meal rather than just something quick off the grill.
Try it at Maroush
We’ve been grilling shish taouk since the very first Maroush opened its doors.
You’ll find it across our restaurants throughout London, each one carrying the same marinade tradition forward. Browse our menus ahead of your visit. Beirut is closer than you think.