Shish Tawook Chicken with Rice

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal!  My secret blog assignment this month was Sawsan's blog Chef in Disguise.  Sawsan lives in the Middle East, and her blog focuses on easy and authentic middle eastern, Levantine and Arabic recipes, as well as sharing exactly what it's like to be a woman in the Middle East.  This is one blog I am going to have to read thoroughly and visit often!

I love the description of middle eastern cuisine - "middle eastern cuisine is rich in healthy recipes that focus on fruits, vegetables, spices and making the best out of seasonal and fresh ingredients."  Sounds perfect to me!  Sawsan calls herself a 'food explorer' so her blog also contains recipes from around the world, many of them from her participation in SRC as well as a couple other recipe groups, but I really wanted to try one of her authentic middle eastern recipes.

Here are some that caught my eye:

• Middle Eastern garlic sauce “Toum” - a friend of mine shared her garlic sauce recipe a while back, but I really like the looks of this one because it doesn't have so much oil.  It looks simple and delicious.
• Chicken with Eggplant and Chickpeas - A blend of a Moroccan and Turkish dish that sounds absolutely amazing.
• Arabic lentil soup “Shorbat adas” - almost the official Ramadan soup in many homes
• And then I saw these Chocolate Sourdough Brownies - truth be told, I want to check out every single one of Sawsan's sourdough recipes!

In the end, I chose this recipe which Sawsan claims "is better than the shish tawook you get at the best middle eastern restaurant."  Never having it anywhere, I am going to have to take her word for it.  She must be right, because this chicken is amazing!!  Amazing.

We liked it so much I had to make it twice!  My husband says that this recipe needs to go into the regular rotation.  Not that I have an actual rotation, but there are certain recipes that I tend to make on a fairly regular basis.  And this will definitely be one of those.

Shish Tawook Chicken
from Chef in Disguise

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. skin-less boneless chicken cut into cubes or strips (I used thighs)
• 1 T dried oregano
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 T tomato paste
• 2 T ketchup
• 1 T mustard
• 1 T soy sauce
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T plain yogurt
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. Mix the marinade and add chicken, making sure to coat all the pieces. Marinate at least a half hour, preferably longer.  Note: mix this up in the morning, let it marinate all day, and it's ready to cook for dinner.  It can also be marinated overnight.
2. When you're ready to cook, heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through.  (You know it’s done by trying to divide a piece with a spoon..if you do it easily…it’s ready)
3. Alternately, you can skewer the chicken and grill in the oven or on a grill.

Right before you're ready to cook the chicken, start the rice.  I used only half the onion, pepper, and tomato that the original recipe called for - because that's what I had.  You can use more if you like.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion finely diced
•  1/2 green pepper chopped
• 1 large Roma tomato, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon all spice
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups water

Directions:

1. Saute chopped onion in olive oil. When onion starts to soften, add the pepper and saute for an additional 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the tomato and spices; cook and stir for 5 minutes.
3. Add rice and water. Bring to a boil; lower the heat, cover, and cook till the rice soaks up all the liquid, 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let sit while you cook the chicken.  Fluff before serving.

This rice is amazingly good all by itself.  It might even be good enough to eat cold. With your fingers.  Just saying.  Even better is when you pile some of this chicken on top and plop some Middle Eastern garlic sauce “Toum” on top.  Yes, I had to make some of that, too.  So good!

We had a few leftovers the second time I made this, so I heated the rice and chicken together, and then we had it wrapped up in tortillas.  Pita probably would have been more appropriate, but I didn't have any. The tortillas were pretty good, though!

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