Homemade Turkish Chicken Skewers / Şiş Tavuk, is one of the most popular street foods in Turkey. Juicy, marinated chicken paired with fresh flatbreads and flavorful sides makes for a satisfying meal. Follow this step-by-step recipe, complete with photo suggestions, to bring this Turkish favorite to life in your kitchen!

Homemade Turkish Chicken Skewers / Şiş Tavuk

Ingredients for Homemade Turkish Chicken Skewers / Şiş Tavuk

For the Chicken:

4 chicken legs (deboned, skin optional, cut into large chunks)
1 medium onion (grated, juice extracted)
2 tbsp thick yogurt
1 tbsp tomato paste (or ½ tbsp tomato + ½ tbsp pepper paste)
Juice of 1 lemon
2–3 garlic cloves (crushed)
1 tsp each of paprika, pul biber, chili flakes, black pepper, cumin, and thyme
Salt to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil

homemade flatbread to wrap chicken skewers

For the Flatbreads:

½ cup warm water
½ cup warm milk
10g fresh yeast (or 1 tsp dry yeast)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
~3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil

Garnishes:

Lettuce (chopped)
2 red sweet peppers (grilled)
2 tomatoes (grilled, cut into wedges)
Pickled red cabbage
Bulgur pilaf (optional)

Which Chicken Cut is Best for Skewer Kebab?

In my other chicken shish kebab video, I used chicken breast. But you have to be careful not to overcook, otherwise it can be dry. That’s why in this recipe I decided to use chicken legs. It’s also stays more juicy even if you overcook them. On the market they cut the leg a bit of bone intact, so you can also fry or grill it like a stake. So in this recipe I cut the take out the bone part.

Instructions for Homemade Turkish Chicken Skewers / Şiş Tavuk

Preparing the Marinade

In a large bowl, mix onion juice, yogurt, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, spices, and salt.
Drizzle vegetable oil and stir to combine.
Add chicken chunks to the marinade, ensuring they are well coated. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes (overnight for best results).

Making the Flatbreads

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water-milk mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and olive oil. Gradually add the liquid mixture, stirring to form a dough.
Knead until soft and elastic, then divide into 10 balls. Let them rest for 10 minutes.
Roll each ball into a thin circle using a rolling pin.
Heat a nonstick pan and cook each flatbread for about 1 minute on each side. Cover with a kitchen towel to keep them soft.

Which Skewers is Best?

In this recipe, I used the skewers I got as a gift from my mom. These skewers are from Germany. It has a different style, a little bit of round part and then flat parts that can help to stick the chicken and prevent it from turning while cooking. Also, the wooden handles help to walk easily. There are also wooden skewers, if you use these, make sure to soak them for at least half an hour, so they don’t burn. It might be a bit harder to thread the chicken pieces, but it can still work. These are usually better when you cook kebab either minced meat or minced chicken. And also we are using traditional skewers when we make Adana Kebab or Urfa Kebabs.

Assembling the Chicken Pieces To Skewers

Thread chicken pieces onto skewers, leaving small gaps for even cooking.
Optionally, prepare separate skewers for vegetables.

Best Way to Cook The Chicken Shish Kebab

To cook the chicken skewers I’m using my good old cast iron griddle. It’s a perfect choice when you cook inside. It gives harshly a chart flavor. But of course, if you can, the best way is to make a BBQ, grill outside, and get that chard flavor to the chicken shish.

Cooking the Skewers

Use a barbecue grill or pre heated cast iron griddle for the best flavor. Cook skewers until golden and fully cooked, turning occasionally.

Serving the Chicken Shish Kebab

Serve the chicken skewers hot with flatbreads, bulgur pilaf, pickled red cabbage, lettuce, and grilled vegetables.

How You Can Make Bulgur Pilaf (Bulgur Pilavı) with Vermicelli?

Turkish Bulgur Pilavı Recipe

Ingredients:

3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups bulgur wheat
1/4 cup vermicelli pasta
4 cups hot water
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Prepare the ingredients: Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter to the pan.
Brown the vermicelli: Add the vermicelli pasta to the pan and sauté until it turns golden brown. This will give the pilaf a nice nutty flavor.
Add the bulgur: Once the vermicelli is browned, add the bulgur wheat to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the bulgur absorbs the flavors.
Add water and season: Pour in the hot water and season with salt. Stir to combine.
Cook the pilaf: Cover the pan and cook on low heat, allowing the bulgur to absorb the water and become tender. This should take about 15-20 minutes.
Serve: Once the water is absorbed and the bulgur is soft, remove the pilaf from heat and fluff with a fork before serving.

Enjoy your delicious and fragrant Bulgur Pilaf, perfect as a side dish for many Turkish meals!

Homemade Chicken Skewers / Şiş Tavuk

Homemade Turkish Chicken Skewers / Şiş Tavuk, is one of the most popular street foods in Turkey. Juicy, marinated chicken paired with fresh flatbreads and flavorful sides makes for a satisfying meal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Middle east, Turkish

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

4 chicken legs deboned, skin optional, cut into large chunks
1 medium onion grated, juice extracted
2 tbsp thick yogurt
1 tbsp tomato paste or ½ tbsp tomato + ½ tbsp pepper paste
1 tbsp Juice of lemon
2-3 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pul biber (chili flakes)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp thyme
Salt to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the Flatbreads:

½ cup warm water
½ cup warm milk
10 g fresh yeast or 1 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 cups or more all-purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil

Garnishes:

Lettuce chopped
2 red sweet peppers grilled
2 tomatoes grilled, cut into wedges
Pickled red cabbage
Bulgur pilaf optional