Palestinian Chicken and Onions (Musakhan)

The “National Dish of Palestine”, this silky, tender chicken entree, onionized to the point of delectable and garnished with sumac and pine nuts, is deserving of it’s title!

A memory of a unique, richly satisfying eating experience led me to exclaim, "This is it!" when I tasted it again, many years later. What had been to me the Holy Grail of Arab Cuisine led me on this pilgrimage to a platter of rice, onion, sumac and chicken of my early Middle Eastern years. Once the name was retrieved, I went in search of those who knew the ritual that created this long cherished tasting experience. Musakhan, (not to be confused with the Greek Mousaka) owes its deep, rich flavor to piles of slivered onions, gilded with olive oil and fried to a rich, deep brown, that which we call caramelized today.

Known as the National dish of Palestine, this recipe originated in the small towns of Palestine and Palestinians have been smacking their lips ever since at the mention of this incredible blend of chicken, olive oil, richly caramelized onions and the unique citrusy spice, Sumac.

This humble Palestinian Bedouin dish belies its heritage, so rich and deep are the flavors of the chicken braised and infused with onion. It is then elevated to sophisticate with the subtle bite of citrus provided by the granular spice, sumac. The chicken mixture is then piled on a crust of thin towel-like bread called "shrak" in Syria, or when not available, split pita, and served on a large platter in the middle of the table, family style.

An ingredient that might give some pause is the generous amount of oil required which makes for a slippery, finger-licking mess, not one that I’m opposed to wallowing in, but my version is somewhat lighter.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of joining in this lemony mess of flavor, you can make it yourself and then you will understand why this recipe was honed in traditional Middle Eastern kitchens over the centuries throughout their tumultuous and challenging history. This is a dish that will bring you peace! As well as a glimpse into Arab cooking, with a resulting ray of revelation that will make you want to look again and again and keep you coming back for more.

Musakhan - Palestinian Chicken and Onions

1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces with bones and skin (breasts, legs, thighs)

1/2 cup olive oil

4 medium-sized onions, slivered

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ground sumac

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons “Seven Spice” or spice mix below

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

3 loaves pita bread or Greek flatbread (sliced in half horizontally)

7 SPICES MIXTURE:

1 tablespoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

pinch of ground nutmeg

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Combine 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon Seven Spice or spice mix below and 2 teaspoons sumac. Rub over chicken, including under the skin.

-Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken pieces over medium high heat until lightly browned, turning once during frying so they brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.

-Add the other 1/4 cup oil to the pan with slivered onions. 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sumac, 1 tablespoon cumin, and 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, adding a little bit of water (1 tablespoon or so at a time) as needed to keep onions from burning), until the onions have softened and caramelized (about 30 to 40 minutes). Remove from heat.

-Place 3 slices of the bread, slightly overlapping one another, on the base of a baking dish or roasting pan. Spread half of the onions over the top of the bread. Place the chicken pieces on top and then spread the remaining onions over the top of the chicken. Pour 2 - 3 tablespoon of oil, left over from the frying pan over the chicken and bread and sprinkle with a generous amount of sumac over the top, then cover the chicken and onion layer with the remaining rounds of bread, with the white surface of bread downwards. Sprinkle top bread lightly with a bit of water.

-Bake in a 350 degree oven, covered for 45 minutes. Turn heat up to 375, remove cover and continue baking for another 20 minutes. Test chicken for doneness by piercing with a fork to see if chicken is tender or until it registers 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. (The bread covering keeps the chicken moist, while the bread in the base of the dish absorbs the flavorful juices.)

-Garnish with pine nuts and another sprinkling of sumac and serve warm with sections of the bread. Accompany with “toum” (garlic sauce), yogurt cucumber salad or a tomato and cucumber Jordanian salad. Serves 6 - 8

Get up close and personal with these delicious flavors!

Serve the platter of Musakhan with garlic sauce, yogurt & cucumber salad or a fresh tomato and cucumber Jordanian salad.

Another day, another Musakhan!

Up close and personal you’ll want to jump right in and take a bite!

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**Sumac is vital to this recipe and provides a bright, lemony favor and a gorgeous dark red color. Made from the berry fruit of the Rhus Boriaria shrub which is indigenous to the Middle East, it is a common seasoning in Arab cuisine and is used on soups, salads and other meat dishes. Sumac can be purchased at Middle Eastern or International groceries or on line at Amazon or Pensey Spices.

**”Seven Spice” is also a common seasoning used most often for chicken dishes in the Middle East and combines the most commonly used Arab spices including allspice, cinnamon, corinador and cardamom. You can also order this spice mix on Amazon, but if you would rather, follow the directions above to combine the spices required to make your own mix.

**Middle Eastern meat dishes are often accompanied with a side sauce or salad to complement the meat with a fresh element and add a complexity of texture and flavors. “Toum” is perhaps our favorite, a garlic sauce that is delicious as a dip for meats and even french fries or even spread on tomatoes. Here is a simple recipe for “Toum”: https://www.seriouseats.com/traditional-toum

**Perhaps the most traditional meat accompaniment is Khyar bi Laban, which is simply made by combining 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (not Greek style), 1/2 cup finely chopped English cucumber, 2 cloves garlic, mashed and finely minced, 1 teaspoon salt, fresh black pepper and a squirt of lemon juice. (Freshly chopped mint is also frequently added.) Mix and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.