What Is Chicken Tawook? Lebanon's Grilled Chicken

What is chicken tawook?

Tawook (say it “ta-WOOK”) is chunks of chicken that spend time in a yogurt and lemon marinade, then hit a hot grill. You will see it called shish tawook, which just means chicken on a skewer. In Lebanon it is grill-house food, family barbecue food and sandwich-shop food all at once.

The yogurt is the secret. It tenderizes the chicken and helps it brown, so you get juicy meat with charred edges.

Tawook is usually mild, so it is a good first stop if you are new to Lebanese food. No mystery cuts, no big heat, just well-seasoned chicken. Then you dress it up however you like with dips, pickles and sauces.

Where does tawook come from?

The name comes from the Turkish word for chicken, tavuk, a leftover from Ottoman times. The dish itself is a Levantine favorite, especially in Lebanon and Syria, and it is now on Lebanese menus all over the world.

In Lebanon it is the chicken everybody can agree on. Kids order it, grandparents order it, picky eaters order it. Simple marinade, hot grill, garlic sauce and bread on the side.

At AMBA, our head chef Dany cooks from generations-old family recipes from our parents’ Lebanese kitchen. Their motto was “sharing food is sharing love,” and a big plate of grilled chicken is about as shareable as food gets.

What is in a tawook marinade?

Every family has its own version, but most tawook marinades share the same backbone:

• Plain yogurt, to tenderize
• Lemon juice, for tang
• Lots of garlic
• Olive oil
• Paprika, and often tomato paste, for color and warmth
• Salt, pepper and sometimes oregano or other warm spices

Tawook vs chicken shawarma: what's the difference?

Both are Lebanese chicken favorites, and both love toum. The difference is the cooking. Shawarma is thin-sliced marinated chicken stacked on a vertical spit, roasted as it turns, then carved. Tawook is chunks of chicken grilled over direct heat.

So shawarma eats like shaved, crispy-edged slices with lots of warm spice. Tawook eats like juicy grilled pieces with a tangy, garlicky, yogurt-lemon flavor. Can’t decide? Ask for a taste of both. For a deeper look at spit meats, see shawarma vs gyro.

How to eat tawook at AMBA in Joliet

Tawook grilled chicken (GF) is one of the proteins in step 3 of our build-your-own bowl. The classic Lebanese way: saffron turmeric rice, classic hummus, pickled turnips, pickles, then toum garlic sauce on top. It also goes in a wrap, and it is part of our Family Feast Meal and Party Trays for groups.

Want it handheld? Ask for tawook in a wrap with toum, pickles and fries on the side. Want it lighter? Put it on fresh mixed greens with tomato and cucumber salad, diced cucumbers and shredded carrots, then tahini or tzatziki on top. Either way, it is built in front of you, so speak up and we will make it your way.

Feeding the office or a party? Tawook wraps travel well. Check our catering options, or order online for pickup.