Turkish Tauk Sis Recipe

Tauk Sis, a classic Turkish dish, tender grilled chicken marinated in authentic spices and finally smoked at home to get that smokey BBQ flavour without actually using a BBQ!

Ingredients for Tauk Sis

• 1kg chicken (approximately 4 chicken breasts)1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
• 2 medium onions, finely minced
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 5 tbsp melted butter
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 small piece of coal (for smoking)
• 1 tablespoon of ghee
• 2 tablespoons of melted butter

Instructions for Tauk Sis

1. Prepare the Marinade:
   • In a large bowl, cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. Add all of the marinade ingredients tomato paste, Greek yogurt, ginger and garlic paste, minced onions, all the ground spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, smoked paprika, oregano, and cinnamon), melted butter, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly, ensuring each piece of chicken is evenly coated in the marinade. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 24 hours. The longer it marinates, the more the flavours will infuse into the meat, ensuring a tender, flavourful result.
2. Skewer the Chicken:
   • After the chicken has marinated, thread the marinated chicken cubes onto skewers, packing them tightly together to ensure even cooking.
3. Griddle the Chicken:
   • Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the skewers on the pan, cooking each side for about 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through and has developed a golden-brown crust. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Create the Smoky Flavour:
   • To infuse the chicken with a traditional smoky flavour, heat a small piece of coal over a gas burner until it turns white-hot. Place a steel bowl in the centre of a serving dish and set the grilled chicken around the bowl. Once the coal is ready, carefully place it in the steel bowl. Pour a tablespoon of ghee over the coal and quickly cover the dish with a lid to trap the smoke. Allow the chicken to absorb the smoky aroma for about 5-10 minutes, or until the smoke dissipates.
5. Serve:
   • Once the chicken is done smoking, remove the lid and serve immediately. I also like to brush mine with melted butter for extra flavour! You can enjoy it with a side of hummus, fresh salad, or warm flatbreads.

Tips

• Marinating the chicken for a full 24 hours ensures that the flavors fully penetrate the meat, making it more tender and flavourful.
• If you don’t have a griddle pan, you can also grill the chicken over a barbecue or cook it in a regular skillet.
• The smoking process, while optional, adds an authentic touch to the dish.

Turkish Tauk Sis

Tauk Sis, a classic Turkish dish, tender grilled chicken marinated in authentic spices and finally smoked at home to get that smokey BBQ flavour without actually using a BBQ!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Marination Time:1 day d

Total Time:1 day d 35 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Turkish

Keyword: kebabs

Servings: 5 people

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken approximately 4 chicken breasts1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
• 2 medium onions finely minced
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 5 tbsp melted butter
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 small piece of coal for smoking
• 1 tablespoon of ghee
• 2 tablespoons of melted butter

Instructions

Prepare the Marinade:

• In a large bowl, cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. Add all of the marinade ingredients tomato paste, Greek yogurt, ginger and garlic paste, minced onions, all the ground spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, smoked paprika, oregano, and cinnamon), melted butter, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly, ensuring each piece of chicken is evenly coated in the marinade. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 24 hours. The longer it marinates, the more the flavours will infuse into the meat, ensuring a tender, flavourful result.

Skewer the Chicken:

• After the chicken has marinated, thread the marinated chicken cubes onto skewers, packing them tightly together to ensure even cooking.

Griddle the Chicken:

• Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the skewers on the pan, cooking each side for about 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through and has developed a golden-brown crust. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Create the Smoky Flavour:

• To infuse the chicken with a traditional smoky flavour, heat a small piece of coal over a gas burner until it turns white-hot. Place a steel bowl in the centre of a serving dish and set the grilled chicken around the bowl. Once the coal is ready, carefully place it in the steel bowl. Pour a tablespoon of ghee over the coal and quickly cover the dish with a lid to trap the smoke. Allow the chicken to absorb the smoky aroma for about 5-10 minutes, or until the smoke dissipates.

Serve:

• Once the chicken is done smoking, remove the lid and serve immediately. I also like to brush mine with melted butter for extra flavour! You can enjoy it with a side of hummus, fresh salad, or warm flatbreads.

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For more recipes like my Turkish Tauk Sis, check out the ones below:

• Nando’s Style Peri-Peri Chicken
• Chicken Shish Wraps
• Sweet Chilli Halloumi recipe