Tawouk = Chicken
Literally. The word travelled from Turkish (“tavuk”) into Arabic kitchens centuries ago, and the full name, shish tawouk, means chicken on a skewer. In Lebanon it needs no explanation: it’s on every street corner, at every family barbecue, and it’s always been made the same way – marinated chicken breast, grilled over open coals.
At El Jannah, tawouk is exactly that: real chicken breast – whole pieces, marinated and cooked over the same charcoal as our legendary chooks. No batter, no fillers, nothing processed. Here’s why it deserves more credit, and all the ways to eat it.
Real Chicken. Actual Chicken.
Let’s be honest about most quick chicken: shaped, crumbed, frozen, fried. If it needs the word “nugget” to describe it, it’s been through a lot.
Tawouk is the opposite. Whole pieces of chicken breast – cut, marinated, grilled. You can see the grain of the meat. No batter to hide behind, no fillers, nothing reformed or reshaped. Just chicken that still looks like chicken.
And because it’s breast meat cooked over charcoal instead of dropped in a fryer, it’s naturally high in protein and grilled, not fried. If you’re trying to eat better without eating boring, this is the order.
A Secret Marinade From Your Own Pantry
The marinade recipe? That stays in the family – some things you don’t publish.
But here’s what we can tell you: every ingredient in it is something you’d find in your own pantry. Nothing artificial, nothing you’d need a chemistry degree to pronounce. It’s the same philosophy as our five-ingredient Lebanese bread – real ingredients, treated properly, no shortcuts.
\And it’s not a quick dip either – the tawouk is marinated for 24 hours before it touches the charcoal. That’s how the flavour gets all the way through, and how breast meat stays juicy over fierce heat. Secret recipe. Honest ingredients. No shortcuts on time.
Cooked Over the Same Charcoal
Tawouk doesn’t get a shortcut. It’s cooked over the same charcoal pit as our whole chickens – real coals, real smoke, charred edges, juicy middle.
That’s what separates tawouk from every pan-cooked, oven-baked “grilled chicken” out there. The charcoal isn’t a flavour note. It’s the whole point.
All the Ways to Tawouk
The Tawouk Roll
The Tawouk Roll: charcoal chicken breast, chips, famous garlic sauce, coleslaw, tomato sauce and pickles in fresh Lebanese bread.
The Legendary Lebanese Lunch.
Tawouk stars in two of our three lunch rolls, exclusive to the lunch menu and built to order in fresh Lebanese bread. Both come as a $14 meal with small chips and a can of drink, available open ’til 4pm, 7 days, in-restaurant and on the app.
The Tawouk Tabouli
24hr marinated tawouk off the charcoal, wrapped with our garlic sauce, tabouli made fresh in-restaurant daily, chips & green pickles.
The Tawouk Fattoush
This one’s got the same delicious charcoal tawouk with crisp fattoush salad and our famous garlic sauce to finish it off.
The protein add-on.
Add tawouk to any meal when you want extra protein - on top of a salad, next to your chicken, alongside the dips. It plays well with everything.
The kids’ order.
Parents, this one’s for you. Tawouk is grilled, not fried - no batter, no fillers, just tender pieces of real chicken breast that kids actually eat. It’s the order that ends the “what’s actually in a nugget?” conversation, because with tawouk you can see the answer: chicken.
The snack.
Grabbing something on the go? Tawouk is the rare snack that’s fast, filling and actually just chicken.
DIY Tawouk: Build Your Own Roll
Want the full experience? Order the tawouk with fresh Lebanese bread, toum and tabouli on the side, and build it yourself. Four steps:
- Lay it flat. Open the Lebanese bread out flat – that’s your canvas.
- Spread the toum. A generous line down the middle. This is not the moment to be shy.
- Load the tawouk. Charcoal chicken breast pieces straight down the line, then pile on the tabouli.
- Roll it tight. Fold, tuck, roll. The first bite explains everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does tawouk mean?
Tawouk means “chicken” – from the Turkish word tavuk. The full name, shish tawouk, means chicken on a skewer: marinated chicken breast grilled over coals, a staple across Lebanon.
What is tawouk?
Tawouk is a Lebanese classic: pieces of chicken breast, marinated and grilled over charcoal. At El Jannah it’s cooked in the same pit as our charcoal chicken.
Is tawouk healthy?
Tawouk is whole chicken breast – grilled over charcoal, not fried, with no batter or fillers – so it’s naturally high in protein.
What is tawouk marinated in?
Our exact marinade is a family secret, but every ingredient in it is something you’d find in your own pantry – nothing artificial. The tawouk marinates for 24 hours before it’s cooked over charcoal.
Is El Jannah’s tawouk halal?
All ingredients used at El Jannah, including our famous garlic sauce, marinades and seasonings, are Halal suitable, and we only partner with certified Halal suppliers for our chicken and all meat products. Certification is available to view in our restaurants.
What’s in the El Jannah Tawouk Roll?
Charcoal chicken breast, chips, famous garlic sauce, coleslaw, tomato sauce and pickles, wrapped in fresh Lebanese bread. Want it lighter? Order it without chips.