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A platter of shish taouk or Middle Eastern grilled chicken and thighs slathered with a pomegranate-tamarind sauce
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4.25 / 4 votes

Shish Taouk | Middle Eastern Grilled Chicken

This spectacularly exotic grilled middle Eastern chicken, known as shish taouk, is coated in a sumac and garlic paste and served with a tamarind-pomegranate sauce.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Calories: 748

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 6 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons sumac
  • One (3-pound) whole chicken
  • 11 ounces boneless skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pomegranate-tamarind sauce

US - Metric

Instructions

Make the chicken

  • Preheat a grill to high.
  • In a medium bowl combine the crushed garlic cloves with the olive oil and sumac.
  • Butterfly the chicken, flatten it out a bit with a rolling pin and place 2 skewers in a cross shape through the butterflied chicken to keep it flat during grilling. Rub with 2/3 of the garlic mixture and season with salt and pepper.
  • Season the chicken thigh with salt and pepper and thread the chicken onto metal skewers. Slather the rest of the garlic mixture onto the chicken thighs.
  • Grill the butterflied chicken over indirect heat until golden brown and cooked, 40 to 60 minutes. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the chicken skewers and grill until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Make the pomegranate-tamarind sauce

  • In a small saucepan set over low heat, combine the tamarind paste, water, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses. Bring to a simmer then season with pepper, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside the chicken.

Notes

Tame the tang—The vibrant tartness in this sauce comes from the one-two punch of tamarind paste and pomegranate molasses. To find the right sweet-tart balance for you, start with 2 tablespoons of the tamarind paste. As you simmer the sauce, give it a taste.
Want more of that bright, citrusy edge? Gradually whisk in the remaining tamarind paste, a little at a time, until it zings for you.
Want it sweeter? Add a touch of honey or date syrup (brown sugar in a pinch). A few more toasted walnuts, which add richness that beautifully mellows the sharp notes, can help.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 748kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 80mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g