I’m so excited to introduce you to one of my favorite meals growing up in Jordan! Musakhan, which is sometimes referred to as sumac chicken, is a traditional Palestinian recipe that is popular in both Palestine and Jordan. You can’t go wrong with roasted chicken and this version is no exception. The recipe for this Palestinian or Jordanian chicken can be a little different from one area to another. Some like to simmer the chicken to create a broth that they use to soak the bread along with olive oil and sumac, and then they roast the chicken. I just roast the chicken for Musakhan in the oven as this is how my mom prepares it and it’s much easier! Kids love to eat Musakhan as they get to use their hands to tear off pieces of tender chicken and flatbread. This is the easiest way to eat it and it’s a lot of fun too! I encourage you to give it a go!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Musakhan
Ingredients In Musakhan
Here’s what you need to make this spectacular dish. Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Whole chicken – You’ll break the chicken down into 8 or 10 parts. Check out my great step-by-step tutorial on how to cut a whole chicken for more information. The chicken is cooked with the bone-in and skin-on for maximum flavor. Baharat spice mix (aka 7 spices) – This spice is optional, but I find it adds a lot of delicious middle eastern flavor to the dish. The mix contains cinnamon, black peppercorns, cardamom, nutmeg, coriander, cloves, and cumin seeds. I have a great recipe for making homemade Baharat spice mix.Salt, pepper, and olive oil – These are classic seasonings so often used to add flavor to many recipes. Yellow onion – You can use any type of onion, but I usually use yellow onions for their mild flavor. Sumac – This spice is a dark red powder that has a tart and lemony flavor. You might be able to find it in your local grocery store or look for it in middle eastern grocery stores or online. Sumac is a main flavor ingredient in Fattoush Salad too!Flatbreads – The traditional bread used in this dish is called taboon bread which is baked in a special taboon oven. If you can find it, then use it! It’s difficult to find in the US/UK, so I just use my homemade flatbread bread or yogurt flatbread for this recipe. You can also go for naan or Greek pita as well. Even tortillas can work!Pine nuts – The dish is topped with toasted nuts that you’ll toast in ghee or olive oil. You don’t want too dark of color on the nuts. We usually use blanched almonds (sometimes slivered), and/or pine nuts. Fresh parsley and lemon wedges for serving.
How To Make Sumac Roasted Chicken
Musakhan Recipe Tips
Use bone-in, skin-on chicken. Cooking the chicken pieces with the bone-in and the skin-on is recommended for the most flavor. I used a whole chicken that I cut up into parts, if you’re unsure how to do that, I have an easy tutorial on how to cut up a whole chicken.Season under the skin. What’s great about keeping the skin on is that it’s just one more way to add flavor. Carefully lift the skin and season underneath as well for maximum flavor.Cook the onion slowly. As tempting as it is to turn up the heat, cook the onions on a lower heat and allow them to soften slowly so they don’t burn or take on too much color. We are not trying to caramelize them today!Make-ahead. One of the ways you can prepare ahead and save some time is to make the onions up to 24 hours ahead of time. Keep them stored in an airtight container in the fridge and just warm them through when you’re ready to serve.Save the juices. Don’t throw all of those lovely seasoned chicken juices down the drain! Use the juice to pour over the flatbread and Musakhan before serving.
What to Serve with Musakhan
I’m excited to share with you an array of delicious traditional Middle Eastern recipes that would all pair nicely with your Musakhan. Salads: Try my Middle Eastern Tahini Salad, or this delicious and simple Shirazi Salad Mezze for an appetizer as your guests wait for their main! Serve Baba Ganoush, Tabouleh Salad, Hummus, and Muhammara Dip with warm pita breads or any flatbreads that you have available. For dessert: Serve Atayef, a stuffed pancake traditionally served during Ramadan. Or make Awameh, Middle Eastern sweet dumplings. If you’d like to serve a dessert drink then I recommend Sahlab, which is a sweet milk pudding recipe. Wash it down with: A Middle Eastern refreshing Lemon Mint Lemonade. Save this recipe for the next time you are looking for a new chicken recipe. I know your family will enjoy Musakhan as much as mine does! Pin it for more people to enjoy too! © Little Sunny Kitchen
