Chicken Shish Tawook with Fattoush Salad

This dish is inspired by shish tawook — chicken marinated in yoghurt, lemon and tomato, skewered and cooked on the barbecue. If you’d like to, cut the chicken into pieces, marinate for at least 3 hours, skewer and cook on a barbecue for about 8 minutes, turning regularly, until golden brown and slightly charred.

🇱🇧 Lebanon · ⏱ 15 mins + prep · Difficulty: easy

Ingredients

• 2 chicken maryland fillets
• 1 ATLAS Lebanese marinade tub
• 2 pitta breads
• 1 baby cos lettuce
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red radish bunch
• 1 parsley bunch
• 1 mint bunch

Method

1. Prepare the ingredients

Read the recipe in full before you begin. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Wash the vegetables. Thinly slice a few of the radishes and cut the rest in half. Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and slice diagonally. Pick 1 teaspoon per 2 people of mint leaves, roughly chop 1 teaspoon per 2 people of parsley leaves, and roughly chop the lettuce.

2. Slice the chicken

Lay the chicken maryland fillets flat and cut in half. Slice each piece in half again without cutting all the way to the end — you should end up with 2 long snakey pieces per fillet. Alternatively, cut the chicken into a large dice, 8–10 pieces per fillet.

3. Prepare the skewers

Thread the skewer through the end of a piece of chicken, follow with a radish half, then fold the chicken back over the radish and pierce again. Alternate chicken and radish until used up. Rub with the Lebanese marinade and set aside.

4. Crisp the pitta bread

Tear or roughly chop the pitta bread, coat generously in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and bake on a lined tray for 5–8 minutes until golden and crunchy.

5. Cook the skewers

Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Cook the skewers for 8–10 minutes, turning regularly, until cooked through and caramelised. Rest before serving.

6. Make the fattoush salad

In a bowl, combine the lettuce, sliced radish, cucumber, herbs and crispy pitta, tossing to coat.

To serve

Divide the chicken shish tawook between serving plates and enjoy with the fattoush salad, drizzled with any pan juices.

Chef’s tips

• Skewer and marinate the chicken the night before for deeper flavour.
• If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes so they don’t burn.
• Sprinkle your pitta with za’atar, or air-fry the pitta crisps for extra crunch.
• A little yoghurt whey drizzled on the salad adds a lovely tang.

Good to know

Pantry staples: cooking oil, salt, pepper
Utensils: lined baking tray, frying pan or griddle, skewers (optional)
Allergens: wheat, gluten, dairy