Love Lebanese charcoal chicken in Adelaide? Never tried it, but curious?
You’re in the right place. This guide is for you, and in it, we’ll cover exactly what this traditional dish is all about, how it’s different to other similar dishes, explain how we cook it to make it that tasty, and more.
By the end, you’ll not only have a good understanding of the dish, but probably a hankering for some, too.
And good news Adelaideans: El Jannah is coming soon to make all your charcoal chicken Glenelg dreams come true. Find us on Jetty Road.
What is Lebanese charcoal chicken?
Lebanese charcoal chicken is chicken marinated in traditional spices and flavours, then slowly cooked over real charcoal until the meat is juicy, the skin is crispy, and every bite includes a subtle smoky twang.
Rooted in Lebanese food culture, charcoal chicken has long been a popular street food and family favourite in Lebanon. It is traditionally served with toum (Lebanese garlic sauce), pickles, and fresh bread, making for a simple, yet hearty and comforting meal.
At El Jannah, we’ve been sharing this Lebanese chicken tradition since 1998, when founders Andre and Carole Estephan opened our first restaurant in Granville, Western Sydney. Inspired by Andre’s childhood in Lebanon, we set out to bring those authentic flavours to our local community, and continue to honour those roots with every dish we serve today.
How El Jannah cooks it
Making great charcoal chicken is easy… when you know what you’re doing!
How we make our charcoal chicken all starts with the marinade. We use a blend of traditional Lebanese seasonings to give our chicken its signature flavour (but no, we won’t be sharing that family secret recipe!). We also prepare our chicken fresh in-store every day, before cooking it over real wood and charcoal coals.
We also train our cooks to become Charcoal Masters. Through 12 weeks of dedicated, hands-on training, our team learns how to manage the direct heat of our traditional grills, without relying on gas, electricity, or automated timers.
Once it’s ready, we serve it up with our famous toum, pickles, and fresh Lebanese bread, just the way we grew up enjoying it (just the way a Lebanese restaurant in Adelaide should).
Charcoal chicken vs rotisserie, peri peri and yiros
| Charcoal chicken | Rotisserie chicken | Peri peri chicken | Yiros chicken | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Grilled over hot coals | Slow roasted on a spit | Hot coals or a wood fire | Slow roasted on a vertical rotisserie skewer |
| Heat | 230 – 260 degrees Celsius | 180 – 230 degrees Celsius | 230 – 260 degrees Celsius | 180 – 250 degrees Celsius |
| Marinade | A mixture of traditional Lebanese flavours | Typically brined to retain their moisture | African bird’s eye chillies with garlic, citrus, and herbs | Yoghurt, lemon juice, and spice mixture |
| Sauce | Toum (garlic sauce) | Gravy | Peri peri sauce | Tzatziki |
| Sides | Pickles and fresh Lebanese bread | Coleslaw and dinner rolls | Fries or rice | Warm pita bread and Greek salad |
What do you eat with charcoal chicken?
Our chicken is delicious on its own, but the right sides and sauces offer the full experience.
Here are some of our favourite things to eat with charcoal chicken:
- Toum: Habibi, we couldn’t let you leave without trying our Lebanese garlic sauce! This creamy, fluffy sauce is a whipped Lebanese garlic sauce of garlic, oil, lemon and salt for the perfect tangy kick. Explore our guide to toum for more mouth-watering info.
- Pickles: Crunchy, tangy pickles cut through the richness of the chicken.
- Lebanese bread: Our fresh Lebanese bread is perfect for wrapping up chicken and scooping up sauces.
- Chips: Crispy, golden chips make a classic side, especially when dipped in toum.
- Tabouli: This fresh Lebanese salad combines parsley, tomato, mint, bulgur, and lemon for a zesty contrast to the smoky chicken.
- Fattoush Salad: A crunchy salad made with fresh vegetables, herbs, and toasted Lebanese bread bits.
- Hommous: Creamy chickpea dip with tahini, lemon, and garlic. It goes with everything.
Whether you prefer a simple serving of chicken and toum or a table full of favourites, we’ve got you covered.
How to order your first charcoal chicken in Glenelg
We keep it easy, whether you’re in for a quick bite just for yourself, or a relaxing meal with the fam.
If you’re dining solo, a quarter chicken is your go-to. The standard comes with chips, toum, and a drink. But if you want to level up, opt for the deluxe to add pickles Lebanese bread. Either way, it’s everything you need for one, in one.
A half chicken meal is ideal for a bigger appetite, and again you have the option of a standard (toum, chips, and a drink included), or the deluxe (also with pickles and bread).
The whole charcoal chicken meal is perfect for sharing with one or two others. It comes with all the basics, as well as your choice of tabouli or EJ coleslaw.
Brought in the crew? The Family Feast might be your way to go. It’s got the lot; two chickens, chips, hommous, fattoush, pickles, and drinks for four people. Unsure if your hungry group need a little more? Try the Family XXL version.
We also offer Orders for 2 and Orders for 4, so you can keep the ordering easy and the eating even better.
Not sure what to choose? Our team can help you find the right meal for your group.
Is El Jannah halal?
Yes! El Jannah Glenelg is committed to serving halal chicken. We understand how important it is for our customers to know where their food comes from, which is why we maintain halal certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lebanese charcoal chicken?
Charcoal chicken is chicken marinated for one to two days in garlic, lemon and spices, then cooked over very hot charcoal. You eat it with toum, pickles and Lebanese bread. Find it at El Jannah at 70-72 Jetty Road, Glenelg.
What is toum?
Toum is a whipped Lebanese garlic sauce made from garlic, oil, lemon juice and salt. It is thick, white and strong. Every El Jannah chicken meal comes with toum, and once you’ve tried it with us, you’ll probably want to have it all the time, so we’ve made it available to purchase in tubs to take home.
Is El Jannah Glenelg halal?
Absolutely. El Jannah Glenelg is halal. We maintain halal certification so that our customers can enjoy our famous Lebanese dishes with confidence.
How is charcoal chicken different from rotisserie chicken?
Rotisserie chicken turns slowly on a spit over gas or electric heat. Charcoal chicken cooks over real burning charcoal, which crisps the skin and adds a smoky flavour. Our version soaks the chicken in a marinade for one to two days first. That means our guests get juicy, tender chicken with plenty of flavour in every bite, every time.
When does El Jannah open in Adelaide?
El Jannah opens its first South Australian store at 70-72 Jetty Road, Glenelg, in late November 2026. Keep an eye on our website or social media for more updates!
That’s it, Habibi. Try Lebanese charcoal chicken Adelaide at El Jannah, 70-72 Jetty Road, Glenelg, opening in late November 2026. Get ready for smoky charcoal chicken, our famous toum, and all your Lebanese favourites you don’t even know you love yet!