Ramadan Recipe: Palestinian Musakhan
Musakhan is a traditional Palestinian dish known for its rich, earthy flavors and simple yet delicious ingredients. It features sumac-spiced caramelized onions layered over flatbread, topped with tender roasted chicken, and garnished with toasted pine nuts for added crunch. The dish is often enjoyed during family gatherings and special occasions, bringing people together over its comforting and aromatic flavors. A true symbol of Palestinian culinary heritage, Musakhan highlights the region’s love for bold spices, high-quality olive oil, and wholesome ingredients.
Read More: Ramadan Recipe: Afghani Chicken Pulao
This recipe was crafted by our esteemed culinary advisor, Chef Sarah.
For more recipes, be the first to receive our newsletter straight to your inbox!
Join our FREE WhatsApp channel to dive into a world of real-time engagement!
Ingredients of Musakhan
-
- 20 Minutes
- 6 Serving
- 481 Calories
- 3 tbsp allspice
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ¾ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
Spices
- 6 chicken legs, bone-in and skin on
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 ½ tsp of spice mixture above
Chicken
- 6 flatbreads, (Taboon bread, Greek pita bread, or naan)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 6 yellow onions, chopped
- Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp sumac, keep more for later
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp of the above spice mixture
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
Flatbread
-
Method & Directions of Musakhan
-
- 95 Minutes
- Preheat the Oven
تم نسخ الرابطPreheat your oven to 190°C to ensure even cooking.
- Make the Spice Mixture
تم نسخ الرابطIn a small bowl, mix allspice, cinnamon, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, and nutmeg. Stir well and set aside.
- Prepare the Chicken
تم نسخ الرابطPat the chicken legs dry and place them on a lightly oiled sheet pan or roasting pan. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt on both sides. Sprinkle 1 tsp sumac and 1 ½ tsp of the spice mixture over the chicken. Using your hands, rub the spices in thoroughly, making sure to get some underneath the skin.
- Bake the Chicken
تم نسخ الرابطArrange the chicken pieces skin-side up and place them on the middle rack of your preheated oven. Roast for about 1 hour or until fully cooked (internal temperature should reach 75 °C).
- Prepare the Caramelized Onions
تم نسخ الرابطIn a large skillet, heat ½ cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat. Add chopped onions, kosher salt, 1 tbsp sumac, 1 tbsp cumin, and 2 tsp of the spice mixture. Stir occasionally, adding 2 tbsp of water at a time as needed to prevent burning. Cook for 30–40 minutes until the onions are soft and caramelized. Remove from heat.
- Rest the Chicken
تم نسخ الرابطOnce the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and pour any juice from the roasting pan into the caramelized onions. Loosely cover the chicken with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 minutes while assembling the flatbreads.
- Dip the Musakhan Flatbreads
تم نسخ الرابطTurn on the broiler. Dip the edges of each flatbread into the surface oil of the caramelized onion mixture. Arrange the flatbreads on a large baking sheet (working in batches if needed).
- Scoop Onion and Chicken on the Flatbreads
تم نسخ الرابطSpread a generous amount of caramelized onions on each flatbread, leaving a small border around the edges, like a pizza. Sprinkle more sumac and toasted pine nuts on top. Place under the broiler for 2–4 minutes, watching closely until the edges and onions are nicely browned.
- Serve the Musakhan
تم نسخ الرابطTop each flatbread with a chicken portion. Serve with olives and a simple green salad for a complete meal. Enjoy!
You can separate the legs into thighs and drumsticks or use chicken breast pieces if preferred.