How many calories in shish tawook?
Last updated: · Prepared by: QuickCalo Team
Short answer
One skewer of shish tawook (about 100 g) has about 185 kcal and 28 g of protein; 100 g has about 186 kcal. What changes the calories most is the oil in the marinade and the side dishes. One skewer of yogurt-marinated chicken breast was calculated; a plate with rice and garlic sauce is listed too.
Shish tawook is cubes of chicken breast marinated in yogurt, lemon, garlic and tomato paste, then grilled over charcoal. It is one of the most popular grills in Lebanon, Syria and the Gulf, served with rice or bread and garlic sauce.
Chicken breast is among the leanest, most protein-rich meats, which makes shish tawook one of the lighter grills. Buttery rice, garlic sauce and fries are what raise the calories of the meal.
| Serving | Grams | Calories (kcal) | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 skewer | 100 | 185 | 28 | 1 | 7 |
| 100 g | 100 | 186 | 27.6 | 1.4 | 7.1 |
| Plate — 1 plate | 480 | 790 | 63 | 66 | 29 |
What changes the calories in Shish tawook?
- Marinade: plenty of oil adds fat.
- Garlic sauce: oil-based and energy-dense.
- Rice and fries: double the plate.
How to enjoy Shish tawook a little lighter
- Have it with salad and grilled vegetables.
- Swap garlic sauce for garlic yogurt.
How were these values calculated?
No official record matches this dish directly, so the values come from a recipe calculation: the nutrients of each ingredient were taken from USDA FoodData Central, added up and divided by the cooked weight. Raw total 830 g, cooked weight 800 g.
Eight skewers of grilled chicken breast (USDA cooked breast values) with a yogurt, olive oil, lemon and tomato paste marinade.
| Ingredient | Grams | Calories (kcal) | Protein (g) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chicken breast, roasted (cooked) | 700 | 1155 | 217.1 | USDA FDC 171477 |
| whole-milk yogurt | 50 | 31 | 1.7 | USDA FDC 171284 |
| olive oil | 30 | 265 | 0 | USDA FDC 171413 |
| lemon juice | 20 | under 5 | 0.1 | USDA FDC 167747 |
| garlic | 15 | 22 | 1 | USDA FDC 169230 |
| tomato paste | 15 | 12 | 0.6 | USDA FDC 170459 |
Spices (under 5 g in total per recipe) are not counted.
Other rows in the table:
- Plate: Recipe calculation. Two skewers with rice, garlic sauce, salad and a little bread.
Ingredient Grams Calories (kcal) Protein (g) Source Shish tawook 200 372 55.1 calculated on this site cooked white rice 150 195 4 USDA FDC 168878 garlic sauce (toum) 20 131 0.2 calculated on this site tomato 40 7 0.4 USDA FDC 170457 cucumber 40 6 0.3 USDA FDC 168409 pita bread 30 83 2.7 USDA FDC 174915 Total 480 794 62.7
Serving weights:
- 1 skewer: one of 8 equal portions of the recipe
Calories per 100 g are rounded to a whole number and macros to one decimal; serving calories to the nearest 5 and protein to a whole gram.
Can you count the calories in Shish tawook from a photo?
Yes: in QuickCalo, snap a photo of your plate or type what you ate, and get the calories and protein in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
How much does one skewer of shish tawook weigh?
On this page, one skewer of shish tawook is taken as about 100 g (one of 8 equal portions of the recipe). The real weight depends on the recipe, the size and how it is served.
How much protein is in shish tawook?
One skewer of shish tawook has about 28 g of protein; 100 g has 27.6 g.
Is shish tawook good for a diet?
Usually yes: it is high in protein and low in fat; the sides matter most.
Similar foods
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central — SR Legacy (2018) and FNDDS 2021–2023 datasets; accessed 16 October 2026
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