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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Lebanese garlic grilled chicken with fries

Lebanese garlic grilled chicken is made with chicken thighs and drumsticks marinated in lemon, garlic and paprika, served with fries and a whipped garlic sauce made with egg white. For 4 people, it takes 1 hour and stays easy to make, for about €3.10 per person. The key to success is pouring the oil slowly into the garlic sauce so it doesn't break.

Tonight I'm taking you to a Beirut rotisserie, with lemon garlic grilled chicken, crispy fries and a seriously bold garlic sauce.

Lebanese garlic grilled chicken with fries
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.10
Calories per person
710 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This chicken comes straight from Lebanese rotisseries, where it turns on a spit filling the street with the smell of lemon and garlic. Here, it roasts in the oven but keeps that glossy skin and fragrant juices that make you want to mop up every last fry. The raw garlic in the marinade and in the sauce gives it real character without ever being harsh once cooked.

It's a generous, no fuss dish, perfect for a weeknight dinner when you want something different without spending hours in the kitchen. Kids love dipping their fries in the garlic sauce, and adults appreciate that Mediterranean flavor that stands out from the usual routine. You can also serve it on a Sunday, with a tomato salad or some flatbread on the side.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs and drumsticks 1.4 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Lemon 2
  • Garlic 8 cloves

Pantry

  • Paprikaoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 15 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Frozen foods

  • Frozen fries 800 g

Dairy

  • Egg white 1

Allergens Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the lemon juice, 4 crushed garlic cloves, paprika, olive oil, salt and pepper, and coat the chicken with it. Let it marinate. 30 min

    Make small cuts in the thighs so the marinade reaches the bone.

  2. Roast the chicken at 220°C, basting it with its marinade halfway through cooking. 40 min

    Finish under the broiler for 5 minutes for a glossy, crispy skin.

  3. Blend the remaining 4 garlic cloves with the egg white, a pinch of salt and the juice of half a lemon.

    Remove the green germ from the cloves, the garlic will taste milder.

  4. Add the neutral oil in a very thin stream while blending, until you get a thick white sauce. 5 min

    If it breaks, blend a fresh egg white and start again, pouring the sauce in little by little.

  5. Bake the fries in the oven at the same time as the chicken, then serve everything with the garlic sauce. 20 min

    Flip the fries halfway through cooking so they brown on all sides.

Our tips to get it right

  • Take the chicken out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking so it cooks more evenly.
  • Use very fresh eggs for the garlic sauce, it will whip up more easily and hold together better.
  • If you don't have a powerful blender, a narrow immersion blender cup works better than a wide food processor for whipping the sauce.

The variations

  • Swap the thighs and drumsticks for boneless thighs, cooking will be faster, around 25 minutes in the oven.
  • For a vegetarian version, marinate eggplant and zucchini slices in the same lemon garlic mix, then roast them in the oven for 20 minutes.
  • For kids in a hurry, cut the chicken into small pieces before marinating, cooking time drops to 20 minutes and the meat stays tender.

What to serve it with

  • Tomato and cucumber salad
  • Warm pita bread
  • Lebanese tabbouleh

Storage

The chicken keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and reheats well in the oven to keep the skin crisp. The garlic sauce keeps for 2 days in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap pressed on the surface. Avoid freezing the garlic sauce, it loses its texture when thawed.

Questions about this dish

Can you prepare the marinade ahead of time?

Yes, you can marinate the chicken the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight. The lemon and garlic flavor penetrates the meat even better.

Why does the garlic sauce sometimes break?

This happens when the oil is poured too fast at the start of blending. Always pour a very thin stream at first, just like for mayonnaise.

Can you use pasteurized egg whites?

Yes, it's even safer since the garlic sauce isn't cooked. The result is the same in texture and flavor.

Can frozen fries be replaced with homemade fries?

Yes, cut potatoes into sticks and bake them with a little olive oil. Count about 30 minutes at 200°C, flipping them halfway through.

How long does it take to make a Lebanese garlic grilled chicken with fries?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Lebanese garlic grilled chicken with fries?

About 710 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Lebanese garlic grilled chicken with fries cost?

About €3.10 per serving, or €12.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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