Shish Tawook (Grilled Chicken Skewers) with Roasted Garlic Avocado Mayo
Try this Shish Tawook (Grilled Chicken Skewers) with Roasted Garlic Avocado Mayo recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Shish Tawook (Grilled Chicken Skewers) with Roasted Garlic Avocado Mayo recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced or grated
- shish tawook:
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 large red bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley plus more garnish
- 4-8 pitas warmed
- 2-4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
- french fries for serving
- roasted garlic avocado mayo:
- 1 small head ]garlic
- 1 1/2 avocadoes pitted + peeled
- 2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt or mayo (i used greek yogurt)
- Carbohydrate 16.1285662515056 g
- Cholesterol 131.6183498 mg
- Fat 20.3242495743286 g
- Fiber 7.98704351536944 g
- Protein 55.951463178913 g
- Saturated Fat 3.24599697372958 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (426g)
- Sodium 192.757569726103 mg
- Sugar 8.14152273613619 g
- Trans Fat 1.83505378563414 g
- Calories 470 calories
Step-by-step
- In a bowl combine the lemon juice, olive oil, greek yogurt, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, salt, oregano, paprika, pepper and cinnamon. Add the chicken to a ziplock bag and pour the sauce over the chicken. Seal the bag and place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Thread the chicken, and peppers onto metal skewers (or wood skewers that have been soaked in water). Place the chicken on the grill until the chicken is golden and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes each side. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the skewers. You may also cook the chicken in a skillet if needed.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Chop off the top portion of the garlic head to reveal cloves. Peel any excess paper/skin off from the bulb of garlic. Pour about a teaspoon of olive oil on top the garlic cloves and cover with foil. Roast in a baking dish for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Allow to cool and then squeeze 4-8 (I used 8, but feel free to use more or less if you wish) of the garlic cloves out into a food processor or blender, reserve any remaining garlic for another use. Add the avocados, greek yogurt, olive oil, chili powder, cumin and a pinch of salt and pepper. Process until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
- Remove the chicken from the skewers and place on the warmed pitas. Sprinkle with parsley and goat cheese. Serve the roasted garlic mayo on the side for dipping. Don't forget the fries! :)
Acid tenderization operates differently than enzymatic tenderizing agents by altering protein structures in poultry without turning the outer layer mushy. Yogurt and lemon juice form the backbone of this marinade, creating a low pH environment that breaks down tough muscle fibers during a four-hour resting window. Without sufficient resting time, white meat cooked over direct heat retains a fibrous bite rather than yielding to the teeth. Keeping chicken pieces uniformly cut to two inches ensures even heat penetration on the grill grates.
Achieving Emulsion Balance in Avocado Mayo
Blending roasted garlic with raw avocados requires precise fat ratios to prevent separation. Avocados provide natural plant lipids, but adding olive oil and Greek yogurt stabilizes the puree into a spreadable emulsion. Roasting the garlic head at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for forty-five minutes caramelizes the natural sugars, removing the aggressive sulfur compounds found in raw cloves while softening the texture so it integrates smoothly with the green fruit.
- Skipping the wooden skewer soak time causes burns on the grill.
- Overcrowding metal skewers traps steam instead of creating a charred crust.
- Failing to roast garlic fully leaves hard lumps in the avocado puree.
