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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Musakhan, Palestinian sumac chicken and onions

Musakhan is a Palestinian dish of roasted sumac chicken served on flatbread covered with melted onions. For 4 people, it takes 1 hour 20 minutes, is easy to make, and costs about €3 per serving. The key is cooking the onions very slowly with sumac until they turn sweet and slightly tangy before soaking into the bread.

Tonight it's musakhan, Palestinian roasted chicken with sumac sitting on flatbread that soaks up an ocean of melted onions, topped with pine nuts and yogurt.

Musakhan, Palestinian sumac chicken and onions
Total time
1 h 20
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
780 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Musakhan plays on a simple contrast. The chicken skin turns crisp and takes on a soft red color from the sumac, while the onions cook down until they're almost jammy, sweet with a tangy edge. The bread underneath soaks up all that juice during the final broil, and it ends up tasting just as good as the chicken itself. Toasted pine nuts and cold yogurt add the crunch and freshness the dish needed.

This is a dish that takes time in the oven but very little hands-on attention, perfect for a Sunday when you let the oven and pan do the work while you take care of other things. Kids usually love the roasted chicken and soft bread, you can just serve the yogurt on the side for anyone who prefers it without. It's also a great dish to bring out for guests who haven't tried Palestinian cooking before.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 8

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 6

Pantry

  • Sumac 3 tbsp
  • Pine nuts 40 g
  • Cinnamonoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Pita bread or flatbreads 4

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt 250 g

Allergens Gluten, Tree nuts, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Rub the chicken thighs with two tablespoons of sumac, the cinnamon, salt, pepper and two tablespoons of olive oil, then let rest. 10 min

    The sumac gives the chicken a soft red color.

  2. Roast the chicken thighs in the oven at 200°C until the skin is golden. 40 min

    Baste them with the pan juices halfway through.

  3. Thinly slice the onions and cook them slowly in the remaining oil with the rest of the sumac and salt. 25 min

    Cover at first so they release their water, then uncover so they turn golden.

  4. Lay the bread in a dish, cover it with the onions, place the chicken on top, then broil for a few minutes. 8 min

    Spoon the chicken's cooking juices over the bread, it soaks up all the flavor.

  5. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan, scatter them over the dish and serve with the yogurt. 3 min

    Watch the pine nuts closely, they burn in seconds.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick sweet yellow onions, they hold up better during the long slow cooking without burning.
  • If you don't have pita, a flat wheat flatbread or naan works just as well to soak up the juices.
  • Feel free to remove the chicken skin after the first roast if you want the bread to soak up even more juice during the broil.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for boneless thighs, they cook faster and are easier to carve at the table.
  • For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken for chickpeas roasted with sumac and olive oil, the onion and bread base stays the same.
  • To save time, cook the chicken in pieces in a skillet instead of roasting it whole, you'll easily save twenty minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A fresh cucumber and tomato salad
  • A bowl of light parsley tabbouleh
  • Hot mint tea

Storage

Musakhan keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, with the chicken and onions together. It freezes well without the bread, which you add fresh when reheating. Reheat in the oven rather than the microwave so the bread gets a bit crisp again.

Questions about this dish

Can you make musakhan ahead of time?

You can cook the chicken and onions the day before and store them separately in the fridge. Assemble the dish with fresh bread and broil just before serving to keep the crispness.

Is sumac essential to this recipe?

Sumac gives musakhan its signature tangy flavor, which is hard to truly replace. In a pinch, a mix of lemon zest and a little sweet paprika comes somewhat close.

Can you freeze musakhan?

Yes, freeze the chicken and cooked onions together, without the bread, which would get too soggy after thawing. Add fresh bread when reheating and reassemble the dish.

How do you adapt this dish for kids?

Serve the yogurt on the side rather than on top, since some kids prefer it plain. You can also cut back on the sumac in the chicken marinade for a milder flavor.

How long does it take to make a musakhan with roasted sumac chicken and onions?

Count 1 h 20 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a musakhan with roasted sumac chicken and onions?

About 780 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 musakhan with roasted sumac chicken and onions cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, tree nuts, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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