This Musakhan Recipe is the National dish of Palestine. It's one of those recipes that you really should try at least once. Succulent sumac chicken is served over toasted flatbread with heaps of caramelized sumac and Baharat onions and sprinkled with roasted pine nuts.
A while back I received a message from my friend, Shawna, with a picture of a dish that her husband, Eid, had prepared. I later found out was called Musakhan. One look and I was intrigued, what was I looking at? I knew instantly, I had to not only try Musakhan, but perfect it as well!
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🍗 What is Musakhan?
Musakhan means heated in Arabic and refers to this delicious Sumac Chicken recipe. Sumac is the dominant ingredient in this recipe, so this is one case when Sumac Substitute will not do. This recipe will WOW your guests and only you'll know how effortless this recipe is to prepare!
After Shawna told me the dish was called Musakhan, I decided to google "Musakhan recipe" to see what I could learn. I skimmed through a few recipes and quickly got the gist of the recipe.
I noticed that sometimes the chicken is boiled then broiled, while other times the chicken is grilled. Still, other Musakhan recipes called for baking the chicken in the oven or frying it in a pan. After I got a general idea, I decided to get into the kitchen and do my own experimentation.
For starters, I marinated the chicken similarly to how I marinate my sumac chicken recipe in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and sumac. Instead of using a variety of spices, I decided to use my flavorful Baharat seasoning. Why reinvent the wheel, when the Assyrians already invented it thousands of years ago? 😉
I seared the chicken in a pan, then transferred it to the oven. The onions were fried in the same pan and seasoned with more Baharat and Sumac powder.
All I can say is : "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!" It tastes way better than I ever imagined!
🛒 What you need to Make Musakhan
🔖 Ingredient & Substitutions
- Chicken: Some cut up a whole chicken, while others use whole legs, or separated chicken thighs and drumsticks. Traditionally, the chicken is cooked bone-in, and skin-on, although this does make it a little challenging to eat. Feel free to use chicken thighs or breasts.
- Flatbread: Use your favorite flatbread, naan bread, or Pita Bread.
- Spices: The two main spices you need are Baharat and Sumac. Both can be purchased at most Middle Eastern stores or on Amazon. However, I recommend making your own Baharat using my Baharat Recipe. It's made with a blend of allspice, cumin, cinnamon, and other spices.
- Pine Nuts: Pine nuts not only elevate the recipe but add crunch and a delicious nutty flavor.
- Onions: Lots and lots of onions are needed for this recipe. The onion reduces as the onions cook down and caramelize. So resist the temptation to use less.
- Parsley: The Italian parsley is optional, but can be used to garnish the Musakhan just before serving.
🫓 How to Make Palestinian Musakhan
Step 1: Whisk ¼ cup of oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, Sumac, Baharat, and black pepper in a bowl. Add Chicken to a Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Place the bag in a bowl (to avoid leakage) and allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for 2 or more hours).
Step 2: Toast the pine nuts in a hot pan. Agitate the pan over low heat until the pine nuts are toasted and lightly browned.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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Step 3: Heat the remaining oil in a large pan then sear the chicken on both sides before adding it to a baking dish. Bake the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Pro Tip: If using boneless chicken, it will require less time to cook. If you prefer, you can grill or roast the chicken.
Step 4: Add chopped onion to the same pan and saute over low to medium heat until the onions are golden brown and caramelized. This should take approximately 20 minutes, don't rush it. During the last few minutes, add the remaining Baharat, Sumac Powder, and salt.
Step 5: When there are 5 minutes remaining for the chicken to be done, brush the tops of the flatbread with some of the pan juices, then place the flatbread directly on the racks in the oven to get toasty.
If needed, place the chicken on a baking tray and broil the chicken for a few minutes until the skin is crispy and brown.
Step 6: To assemble the Musakhan, distribute the caramelized onion mixture and pine nuts over the flatbread. Top each with a piece of chicken, and sprinkle with additional toasted pine nuts, remaining onions, and Sumac Powder. Optionally, you can drizzle the Musakhan lightly with olive oil.
Optional: Sprinkle with chopped parsley for a pop of color.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Musakhan is a Palestinian dish made of sumac chicken served over a bed of sauteed sumac onions on flatbread. Musakhan is usually served sprinkled with pine nuts.
Mushakhan is pronounced "im sa khan." The word means heated in Arabic.
Sumac is a tart, crimson-colored powder used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. It can be used to cook the following:
• Kabobs
• Fattoush Salad Dressing
• Sumac Chicken
• Sumac Ice Cream
• Grilled Fish, including Masgouf
For a Middle Eastern feast, serve Musakhan on a large platter with Fattoush, Tabouli Salad, and Hummus.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Although you can use chicken breast to make Musakhan, make sure not to overcook it as it can easily dry out.
- I prefer using boneless thighs because it's much easier to cut with a knife. However, you can also eat the chicken off the bone, separately from the flatbread.
- Try sprinkling some Feta cheese on the flatbread for a tasty variation. It may not be traditional, but it sure is tasty!
- If the ingredients cool off while you're assembling the Musakhan, pop them under a broiler for a couple of minutes, but keep an eye on them so that they don't burn.
- If you have leftovers, don't assemble the ingredients until you're ready to serve, or the bread will be soggy from the onion and chicken juices.
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📖 Recipe
Musakhan | Sumac Chicken and Onions on Flatbread
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs (3 lbs)
Marinade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 medium lemon (juiced)
- 4 cloves garlic (pressed)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Sumac powder
- 1 tablespoon Baharat
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Onion Mix
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 large onions (diced)
- 1½ teaspoon Baharat
- 1½ tablespoon Sumac powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Other Ingredients
- 6 Naan, or other flatbread
- ¼ cup pinenuts
Instructions
- Whisk ¼ cup of oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, Sumac, Baharat, and black pepper in a bowl. Add Chicken to a Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Place the bag in a bowl (to avoid leakage) and allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for 2 or more hours).
- Toast the pine nuts in a hot pan. Agitate the pan over low heat until the pine nuts are toasted and lightly browned.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan then sear the chicken on both sides before adding it to a baking dish. Bake the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through. Boneless chicken will require less time.
- Add chopped onion to the same pan and saute over low to medium heat until the onions are caramelized. This should take approximately 20 minutes, don't rush it. During the last few minutes, add the remaining Baharat, Sumac Powder, and salt.
- When there are 5 minutes remaining for the chicken to be done, brush the tops of the flatbread with some of the pan juices, then place the flatbread directly on the racks in the oven to get toasty.
Assembly
- To assemble the Musakhan, distribute the caramelized onions and pine nuts over the flatbread. Top each with a piece of chicken, and sprinkle with additional toasted pine nuts, sumac onions, and Sumac Powder.
Notes
- Although you can use chicken breast to make Musakhan, make sure not to overcook it as it can easily dry out.
- I prefer using boneless thighs because it's much easier to cut with a knife. However, you can also eat the chicken off the bone, separately from the flatbread.
- Try sprinkling some Feta cheese on the flatbread for a tasty variation. It may not be traditional, but it sure is tasty!
- If the ingredients cool off while you're assembling the Musakhan, pop them under a broiler for a couple of minutes, but keep an eye on them so that they don't burn.
- If you have leftovers, don't assemble the ingredients until you're ready to serve, or the bread will be soggy from the onion and chicken juices.
Tiffany says
Thank you, Hilda! I tried making this yesterday and it was delicious! I used bone in chicken thighs and lavash bread. It is definitely going to be part of the rotation. My family loved it.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Tiffany,
So glad your family enjoyed it. Thank you so much for the review!