Musakhan pairs roasted chicken with sumac-seasoned onions and toasted pine nuts over taboon bread. The bread catches the olive oil and savory juices, making the whole dish fragrant and satisfying.
Cook the onions slowly until sweet, season them generously with sumac, and roast the chicken until golden. Assemble just before serving so the bread stays tender but not soggy.
Use a generous layer of olive oil on the bread and onions. It is part of the dish’s signature flavor, not just a cooking fat.
Serving Suggestions
Serve family-style with cucumber-yogurt salad, pickles, olives, and extra lemon. Eat with your hands by tearing off pieces of bread.
Recipe Notes
Prepare the onions and chicken a day ahead, then rewarm and assemble. Store components separately for up to 3 days.
Palestinian Musakhan with Sumac Chicken
Roasted chicken and sweet sumac onions served over olive-oil-soaked taboon bread with pine nuts.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Roasting pan
- Chef’s knife
- Small baking sheet
Ingredients
Chicken and Onions
- 2 lb bone-in chicken thighs skin on
- 4 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup olive oil divided
- 3 tbsp ground sumac divided
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 large lemon juiced
- 1/2 cup pine nuts toasted
- 4 piece taboon or pita breads warmed
Instructions
Cook the onions:
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt.
- Cook for 25 to 30 minutes until deeply softened and golden. Stir in 2 tablespoons sumac and the allspice.
Roast the chicken:
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Rub the chicken with the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, remaining sumac, salt, and pepper.
- Arrange the chicken on a roasting pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Assemble:
- Brush the breads with a little of the chicken pan juices. Spread the sumac onions over them and top with the chicken and pine nuts.
- Serve hot with extra lemon and sumac.
Notes
- Cook the onions slowly for the deepest sweetness.
- Toast the pine nuts carefully; they brown quickly.
- Keep bread, onions, and chicken separate if making ahead.
Nutrition
Calories: 660kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 42gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 780mgFiber: 6gSugar: 12g