Musakhan is one of the most popular and traditional Palestinian recipes. It is usually prepared during the olive oil pressing season to celebrate freshly pressed oil but you can see it on the menu all year round in family gatherings and parties. Musakhan is all about fresh, simple ingredients allowed to shine. Good olive oil, tangy sumac,a hint of spices, onions caramelized to the point of being sweet and tender, perfectly roasted chicken and fresh bread. Simple yet you have to taste it to see how a dish can be much more than the sum of its parts.
Sumac is one of the main players in Musakhan, it is a spice that comes from the berries of the Rhus shrubs. The berries are dried and then ground to give a purplish deep red powder that is sour, slightly fruity and astringent. It is used in the middle eastern cuisine to add a sour, lemony taste to chicken, salads and salad dressings. It is also used as a garnish for different dips and salads. The amount I am using here is my personal preference, you can use more sumac or less, it is really up to your taste
Taboon bread another key player here, is a traditional bread that is usually baked in a very hot oven lined with small round smooth stones. The stones give the bread its dimpled appearance. If you can’t find taboon bread you can replace it with any flat bread you like, just make sure it is not too thin because it needs to withstand holding the onions and chicken
Musakhan
This recipe was requested by my best friend, I am sorry Rasha it took me so long to post, I hope you will enjoy it 
To make 2 medium loaves (4 servings)
1 kg onions peeled and chopped
2 cups olive oil
2 tablespoons Sumac
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salt
1 chicken cut into 4 pieces
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 loaves taboon bread
For the decoration
Nuts for topping (pine nuts or almonds are the most commonly used ones)
1 tablespoon sumac
The onions:
Make sure you don’t chop the onions too fine or they will get too soft with cooking and lose texture
- place the onions in a pot and add enough olive oil to submerge the onions completely (it may vary a little with the size of your pot but it took me 2 cups)
- Cook the onions over low heat stirring occasionally till the onions are translucent but still hold their shape and have some texture, you don’t want them to get mushy (this will take 20- 30 minutes)
- Once the onions are done,place them in a colander to drain off the olive oil. Do not discard the oil.
- After all the oil has been drained off, sprinkle the onions with sumac, cardamom and black pepper and toss them till they are completely coated with sumac (note that the color and the taste will deepen when you leave the onions aside so add the sumac gradually, you can always add more if you want)
The chicken
Ideally you should use bone in chicken cutlets but you can use boneless chicken if you want.
Season the chicken on both sides with 1/4 teaspoon cardamom,1/4 teaspoon black pepper and a pinch of salt.
You have a number of options for cooking the chicken:
- Sear the chicken pieces till they are golden brown and then add them to the onions as they are cooking
- Poach the chicken until done and then place them in the oven under the broiler to give them color.
- cook them in a separate pan using medium heat till they are completely done (cook them stove top)
I usually go with No. 3, I place the chicken cutlets in a pot or pan , skin side down and cook over medium heat till the skin is golden brown, I then flip them and cook them on the other side till they are done (170 F on the thermometer inserted in the thickest area of the chicken). This takes 20-30 minutes.
To add more flavor to the onions and the chicken, I add the drained onions to the chicken in the last 5 minutes of cooking and stir gently.
To assemble the musakhan
Pre heat your oven to 200 C and place the rack on the bottom
I usually place the loaf in the oven for 2-3 minutes to crisp it slightly (this prevents it from going soggy when you top it with the onions).If you like your bread a little soggy you can skip this step
Brush the bread with some of the olive oil you strained from cooking the onions and top it with onions and chicken
place in the oven for 10 minutes
Take out of the oven and top with nuts,sprinkle with the sumac and serve with yogurt.
Musakhan wraps
If you want to make Musakhan wraps, you need shrak bread but you can use any flat bread you like if you can’t find shrak.
Top the bread with chopped onions and shredded cooked chicken, some nuts.
Roll and brush with some oil and heat in a sandwich press or in the oven.
Anonymous
/ April 9, 2013i make musakhan all the time but for some reason the bread always gets stucked to the pan and get hard. what to do?
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ April 9, 2013Try brushing the pan with a little oil and brush both sides of the bread with olive oil too. Using fresh bread also helps and try not to leave the bread in the oven for too long,you only want to heat it through and allow the flavors to merge
Island Girl
/ March 28, 2013Its me again! Island girl. Any reciepes for Basboosa?
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ March 28, 2013Hello Island girl
here is my recipe for basboosa
http://chefindisguise.com/2011/10/20/hareeseh/
Talia
/ March 1, 2013Yum! This is my absolute favorite dish growing up, haven’t had it in ages and wish I hung around my mom to learn how to make it before she passed (she used to wrap them). Thanks sooo much for the detailed recipe, I’m drooling thinking about eating it, I’m definitely going to make it this weekend, but had a question, do you use chicken with the skin or skinless? Or is it a matter of preference? Thanks!
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ March 1, 2013Hello Talia,
I am really glad I could help you with the recipe of a dish you loved growing up
I usually use the chicken with skin on, you can remove the skin later on if you don’t like to eat it
Island girl
/ December 31, 2012I am learning to cook middle eastern foods for my hubby who is a great cook…(i dont cook its a rare occasion today lol) and your receipe is the closest that i can remember the ladies in my family cooking it back home. thanks…cant wait to see the others! trying this now as i type! Thanks from the Virgin Islands!
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ December 31, 2012Hello Island girl
I hope the musakhan turned out well and your family enjoyed it
Thank you for your sweet somment and I hope to hear from you more often
Adriana @FoodCocktail
/ September 25, 2012I just found your blog today, but I am already drooling at all these beautiful pictures and tempting recipes. I love middle eastern cuisine, so I will most definitely try many of your recipes.
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ September 25, 2012Thank you for stopping by Adriana and for your kind comment
I would love to hear from you if you try any of my recipes.
ChgoJohn
/ September 25, 2012I am mesmerized by your taboon bread, Sawsan. I would heartily enjoy it with just the onions spread atop it. It looks just so delicious. And the spices you’ve used must make the chicken quite aromatic as well as delicious. I can only imagine how good everything is when served together.
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ September 25, 2012Thank you John.
Taboon is indeed a wonderful bread, it is great as a base for different toppings or eaten as is, dipped in some olive oil with a little zaatar.
I am glad you found the recipe interesting
Familycookwww
/ September 25, 2012This is such a beautiful post with clearly written directions…., just what I wanted! I had eaten the Musakhan at a friends place and had fallen in love with it. For me to try a new recipe, I need to have the recipe in front of me to read it and tend to follow every bit of the directions. I am glad I found your recipe. I will try making it soon insha Allah and let you know . Thank you:)
Jessica Maher (@kbelleicious)
/ September 24, 2012i love anything with onions on it much less a wonderful piece of bread. this looks insanely delicious. Wishing i was your neighbor right now!
Chica Andaluza
/ September 24, 2012This looks amazing Sawsan! I can almost smell it from here
I much prefer my chicken (or any meat) on the bone.
Sammie
/ September 24, 2012oooh! What an interesting recipe! So glad to learn a new dish! It looks gloriously delicious! I’ll have to order this if I ever see it on a menu!
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
/ September 24, 2012I always think of baking being the compilation of parts.. but this dish reminds me that cooking can really take food to another level with the right mix of flavors!! How lovely this looks, I can see why Rasha was asking for it.. and now we have it too! xx
Savory Simple
/ September 23, 2012What a gorgeous recipe. I would love to try this!
jehanne
/ September 23, 2012I’m so in love with this whole meal kind of recipe..very delicious and healthy! I’m glad you like the friday photography, join in with me Sawsan! Your photos are stunning and would be a good addition to the weekly event. I stopped for a bit as I didn’t advertise well enough:-(..but will edit something on my blog. Just leave me your weekly link and I will include it in the round-ups:-)
rsmacaalay
/ September 23, 2012Very nice dish! It looks so good
cakewhiz
/ September 23, 2012everytime i visit your blog, i learn of new ingredients and it’s always so exciting
i wish we were neighbors… i would be coming over to your place every day to sample all these fantastic recipes…hehehe
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ September 23, 2012That would be amazing Abeer, we’d have loads of fun and maybe you can give me a couple of lessons about frosting cupcakes
fati's recipes
/ September 23, 2012Wow…a new and interesting dish I’ve learned about today!
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ September 23, 2012Glad I could help
Bam's Kitchen
/ September 22, 2012Looking at all of those onions cooking I know this is going to be a yummy dish. I have not tried sumac so hoping I can find that here in HK.
Suzanne Perazzini
/ September 21, 2012I’ve never heard of sumac and probably can’t find it here and it looks so pretty. Such a shame. It looks so tasty too.
A_Boleyn
/ September 21, 2012I don’t use sumac by itself but am fortunate to be surrounded by a number of middle eastern grocery stores which carry ‘zataar’ a spice blend that’s a combination of dried thyme, sumac and sesame seeds which is a great rub on chicken or can be sprinkled over pita bread and baked. I used it a while back on chicken drumsticks. Yummy.
http://a-boleyn.livejournal.com/93677.html
See if you have any bulk food/spice places nearby that carry middle eastern goods. It’s a great herb mixture.
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
/ September 21, 2012What a scrumptious dish!
rebeccasubbiah
/ September 21, 2012this looks so so good adore food like this and sumac is one of my fav spices
mjskit
/ September 21, 2012What an exciting night of surfing! This is the third recipe I’ve seen that consisted of a delicious flatbread of some type with unique and tasty toppings! they all are quite different from each other and like this one – delicious! Your bread alone is a winner, and your topping of chicken and onions is awesome!
Eha
/ September 21, 2012Love all the ingredients separately and together they DO look appetizing: on list for a taste test
! Have a lovely weekend 
!
kitchenriffs
/ September 21, 2012This is a new dish to me. Love the way it looks, and the ingredients. This must have tremendous flavor! Really excellent description of how to prepare it – thanks so much.
Karen
/ September 21, 2012Sawsan, this dish sounds so good. I can’t wait to try preparing your recipe. I find that sumac can vary in flavor a lot…some seems to have a stronger lemony flavor. Do you think that is from which country it comes from?
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide
/ September 21, 2012How beautiful. I always learn so much coming here. And I get so hungry.
Tales and Travels of the Tin Man
/ September 21, 2012Marvelous..again! I only found sumak a few years ago and just love it!
sallybr
/ September 21, 2012Would absolutely LOVE to have dinner with you tonight!
Seriously, the only problem with me making this recipe is my beloved’s problem with onions. He simply cannot have them, it gives them severe upset stomach. So, I drool over all the recipes with caramelized onions, or onions in any shape.. like this one, heavenly!
zestybeandog
/ September 20, 2012Mmmm! I love sumac! This looks superb!
Allison
/ September 20, 2012This looks so tempting! The chicken especially looks so perfectly charred and flavorful! Yum.
A_Boleyn
/ September 20, 2012A gorgeous and hearty dish, Sawsan. I hope to do a lot of cooking, as long as I can stay off my feet to do it, as I recover from upcoming hip replacement surgery because 6 weeks of being trapped in the house unable to drive are going to be pretty dull. Perhaps I can try a few of your less challenging recipes.
Flavors of the Sun
/ September 20, 2012Oh, Sawsan, I am thrilled to see the chicken part of the recipe. Such a classic. I truly appreciate getting your version. Thans! Great photos too!
myninjanaan
/ September 20, 2012this looks soooo good! I saw something like this in a local spice catalogue and i was so intrigued. I love the step by step pictures too
Kristy
/ September 20, 2012Oh does this look good Sawsan! What a fun recipe for chicken. Those onions look so good. I’m going to have to look for sumac. I don’t know that I’ve seen it. So good!
Rasha
/ September 20, 2012Thank you my friend! I can’t wait to try it, you’re the best
Mariam
/ September 20, 2012Yummm!!! This is one of my favorite dishes. Once you try it you’ll never forget it and always crave for it. Thanks for posting, the tips are really helpful. Long time ago I made musakhan and it turned out great, but with my bad cooking luck, next time I tried it, it wasn’t that good. Thanks for coming to the rescue Sawsan, I have hope again, LOL.
yummychunklet
/ September 20, 2012The cardamom piques my interest. Can’t wait to try it!
thelady8home
/ September 20, 2012I HAVE to hunt for these spices. That looks SO SO good! I am practically drooling and eat it off the plate right now! You are such a sweetheart to make it fr your best friend.
Parsley Sage
/ September 20, 2012Gooooooorgeous! This looks so good. I’m thinking taboon bread is a no go for Cayman too so I may try your homemade pita suggestion
Muna Kenny
/ September 20, 2012Oh, it’s been years since I had musakhan, my mom’s friend used to make it and it was heavenly. I love your clicks, the chicken looks juicy and the onions, Oh my! I used to eat the bread with onion alone, this is how flavorful were the onions. Thanks for reminding me of such a delight
Norma Chang
/ September 20, 2012Your clear tutorial makes it easy to make this recipe, your tips help a lot too.
Aslı
/ September 20, 2012Looking way more delicious than any other chicken I tried before! Thanks for sharing, dear!
Choc Chip Uru
/ September 20, 2012You are so sweet to make this for your best friend
It looks incredible!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
hibiscus rosa noor
/ September 20, 2012looks really good!
Sarvani @ baker in disguise
/ September 20, 2012yum!!! i love the sound of this chicken sawsan!!! i can imagine eating this with my hands…simply finger licking!!
Manu
/ September 20, 2012Ohhhhhhhhh that looks AMAZING! I wish I could have it for dinner!!!! Can I use pita bread for it? I am not sure I would be able to find taboon bread here… or would a naan kind of bread be better?
Sawsan@ Chef in disguise
/ September 20, 2012Hello Manu
I am really glad you found this recipe interesting
You can make it with homemade pita just make the pita with part whole wheat flour and make the loaves big and dimple them with your fingertips so that they don’t puff up..the result should be close enough to taboon
manusmenu
/ September 21, 2012Thank you soooo much Sawsan! I will surely give it a try! It looks too delicious not to!