Jawaneh Meshwé – Chicken Wings with Garlic, Coriander, Lemon & Chilli
If you grew up in Lebanon, you’ll know the smell of charcoal-grilled jawaneh. It’s the scent of rooftops in summer, of plastic tables pulled into alleyways, of cousins fighting over who gets the crispiest wing.
In Tyre, it was the beach; in Beirut, it was the roof of our building; in the mountains, it was always under the pine trees. The marinade would already be soaking into the wings by noon, ready for a sunset grill with loud music, pickles, and lemon wedges on the side. This wasn’t a sit-down meal – it was standing, chatting, dipping, licking your fingers, and wiping your mouth with khobez.
Ingredients
MARINATED WINGS
1.2kg chicken wings, cleaned and tips trimmed
6–8 large garlic cloves, finely grated
1½ tbsp fine sea salt, or to taste
1 tbsp Baharat (Lebanese 7 spices)
½ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 2 large lemons
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
Large handful of fresh coriander leaves, very finely chopped (about 40g)
1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (or leave seeds in for extra heat)
4–6 garlic cloves, finely grated
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
Method
1. Pat the cleaned and trimmed wings fully dry. Combine all the remaining ingredients until thick and fragrant to make the marinade.
2. Pour the marinade over the wings, coat them thoroughly, then cover and marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.
3. Bring the marinated wings to room temperature before cooking. Grill over charcoal until golden, crisp, and lightly charred, flipping and basting often. Alternatively, you can oven-roast the wings at 220°C (200°C fan) for 35–40 minutes, then briefly finish them under a hot grill to char the skins.
4. Simply mix all the ingredients for the sauce together in a large bowl. Toss the grilled wings in the garlic-coriander-chilli sauce and serve straight away with lemon wedges, toum, and fries.
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Method
1. Pat the cleaned and trimmed wings fully dry. Combine all the remaining ingredients until thick and fragrant to make the marinade.
2. Pour the marinade over the wings, coat them thoroughly, then cover and marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.
3. Bring the marinated wings to room temperature before cooking. Grill over charcoal until golden, crisp, and lightly charred, flipping and basting often. Alternatively, you can oven-roast the wings at 220°C (200°C fan) for 35–40 minutes, then briefly finish them under a hot grill to char the skins.
4. Simply mix all the ingredients for the sauce together in a large bowl. Toss the grilled wings in the garlic-coriander-chilli sauce and serve straight away with lemon wedges, toum, and fries.
