Welcome!
I grew up in a foodie family in Amman, Jordan. My dad was a true flavor master—grinding his own spices and marinating proteins with care. In the summertime, he loved grilling on our rooftop terrace in Jabal Amman, often telling stories about his adventurous rides to the shore of Aqaba for the freshest ingredients from farmers, butchers, and fishers.
His spice blends were his pride, and my mom transformed them into unforgettable meals.
That love of bold, homegrown flavor inspired me to start Apricot Sun—and today, I’m sharing a twist on one of my favorite dishes: Chicken Kabob. In addition to Baba’s Pepper, this version includes our Spicy Zaatar for a fresh, fiery upgrade.
Let’s cook, taste, and celebrate the season!
-Chef Marlen Wensel
What’s in the Name?
Shish Kabob is Turkish for Grilled Skewers (Meat). Shish means Skewer, and Kabob means Grilled.
Chicken Kabob is short for Chicken Shish Kabob and means Grilled Skewered Chicken. Another common name to the dish is the popular Lebanese dish Shish Tawook. And you are right, Tawook is another word for chicken. p.s. There really are no Kabobs – Plural, only Kabob 🙂
Ingredients
The Marinade
- 2 lbs Chicken Breast- cut into ¾ inch cubes (or thighs, legs with bone in)
- 1 Onion- cut into quarters and hand crushed
- 3 Cloves Garlic- crushed
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp White Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 3 tbsp Spicy Zaatar seasoning (or Savory Zaatar) https://apricotsunfoodbar.com/shop/
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Baba’s Pepper https://apricotsunfoodbar.com/shop/
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 2 tbsp Water
Preparation
In a bowl, mix all ingredients together minus the chicken.
Add the cubed Chicken. Massage into the marinade and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. (Optional- leave some marinade for basting).
Vegetables: use Summer veggies like Yellow Onion, Red Peppers & Zucchini / Squash. Wash the veggies then cut into cubes of about ¾ x ¾ inches.
Skewer
If using wooden skewers: soak skewers with water to avoid excessive burning of the wood.
If using metal skewers: spray oil to cover the skewers.
Skewer Chicken, Onion, Red Pepper, Zucchini/ Squash, then back to Chicken. Repeat 3 X.
Grill
Warm the grill. Spray oil on skewers. Place skewers directly on the grates. Cook on medium-high for 4-5 minutes each side.
With a basting brush, bast or brush on the saved marinade (optional).
Let it cook for an additional 5 minutes on medium-low temperature or until done. Make sure chicken is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165F.
The marinade can also be used for whole chicken thighs/ legs, requires double the cooking time about 30 minutes. The marinade can also be used for any protein- Beef, Shrimp, or even Tofu.
If Baking
You may choose to use the oven for baking the chicken instead of the grill.
Warm the oven to 375F. Spray oil on shallow bake sheet/ pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake the chicken for about 30-45 minutes or until the internal temperature is at least 165F.
Make it a Dinner
Add Aromatic Rice Pilaf as a side to turn your Chicken Kabob into a wholesome dinner. Top up the dish with Pineapple Cucumber Salad + Spicy Charcuterie Board Sauce for a well-balanced amplified flavor.
Aromatic Rice Pilaf
- 3 cups Jasmine Rice
- 6 cups tap water
- 1/2 Onion medium diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic- crushed
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1 3/4 tsp Sea Salt
In a medium non-stick pot sauté the Onion for about a minute to two. Add the crushed Garlic and sautee until blond. Add the Water and Sea Salt then cover. Let the water boil. Add the Rice and stir to cover all the rice with water, no clumping. Cover the lid 3/4 cover so it won’t overflow, and let it cook for 8 minutes on Medium/ high. When the 8 minutes are up, reduce the heat to Medium and fully cover the pot. Let it cook for an additional 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour in an open container to stop the cooking. Delicious Aromatic Rice Pilaf is ready to serve!
Pineapple Cucumber Salad
- 1 Fresh pineapple
- 1 Cucumber
- 1/4 cup Champaigne Vinegar
- Dash of Olive Oil
- 1/8 tsp Sea Salt (small dash)
- 1 tsp Honey or 1/2 tsp white Sugar
- 1 tbsp Spicy & Saucy- Charcuterie Board Sauce
Wash the Pineapple. Using a cutting board and knife, cut the ends off then set pineapple upright on the cutting board. Cut 1/4 inch all around then cut horizontally into 1/4-inch circles. Dice into 1/8th inches square while de-coring.
With a knife or mandolin slice the cucumber thin. In a medium bowl mix remaining ingredients to make the dressing. Add in the Pineapple, Cucumber and Parsley. Mix well together.
Plating
In a single serve plate, shape the rice using 1.5x 2 inches round mold. Fill the mold with rice then press down gently using a spoon. Pull out the mold. Add 1-2 skewers to the other side of the dish. Top up with Pineapple Cucumber Salad and extra Spicy & Saucy Charcuterie Board Sauce for plate presentation & amplified flavor.
Sahtein! To your health!