Mussakhan- Roast Chicken with Sumac

Name: Mussakhan- Roast Chicken with Sumac
Prep time: 4 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 5 h
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks; 1large lemon, juiced (about 4 tablespoons); 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving; 1½tablespoons sumac, plus more for serving; 4garlic cloves, crushed; ½teaspoon ground cumin; ½teaspoon ground allspice; ¼teaspoon ground cinnamon; Sea salt and ground black pepper; 1large red onion (about 1 pound), halved and thinly sliced; 2tablespoons pine nuts; Naan or Arabic taboon bread, for serving; Coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

4 steps

Prep:4hCook:1h

Among Palestinians, mussakhan is a beloved roast chicken dish, at once energetic and comforting. In this recipe, adapted from Yasmin Khan’s “Zaitoun: Recipes From the Palestinian Kitchen,” you’ll rub chicken thighs and drumsticks with spices, painting the skin a sumac-stained fuchsia. Marinate the meat with red onion for a few hours before roasting them in the oven, where the onions caramelize and absorb the chicken’s fragrant juices. It’s an ideal dish to share, one torn apart with your hands and topped with fried pine nuts, parsley and a generous dusting of sumac. Ms. Khan serves the chicken on toasted naan or taboon bread, which soak up the juices, but it's equally appealing alongside a salad or over a bed of rice. —Mayukh Sen

Updated at: Thu, 28 Sep 2023 08:25:07 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories431 kcal (22%)

Total Fat27 g (39%)

Carbs9.4 g (4%)

Sugars4 g (4%)

Protein35.2 g (70%)

Sodium669.7 mg (33%)

Fiber2 g (7%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

4 servings

2 poundschicken thighs and drumsticks

bone-in, skin-on

1lemon

large, juiced

4 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil

plus more for serving

1 ½ tablespoonssumac

plus more for serving

4garlic cloves

crushed

½ teaspoonground cumin

½ teaspoonground allspice

¼ teaspoonground cinnamon

sea salt

ground black pepper

1 poundred onion

large, halved and thinly sliced

2 tablespoonspine nuts

Naan bread

or Arabic taboon, for serving

fresh parsley leaves

Coarsely chopped, for serving

Instructions

Step 1

Slash the flesh of each piece of chicken diagonally a few times, around ¾ inch apart, and then place the meat in a large bowl or plastic container. Add the lemon juice; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1½ tablespoons sumac; the garlic, cumin, allspice and cinnamon; and 1½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Rub the mixture into the meat. Add the red onion and toss to coat. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate, 1 to 3 hours.

Step 2

When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Transfer the meat, onion slices and any juices to a baking sheet and roast until the juices run clear when the chicken pieces are pierced at their thickest part, about 40 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, cover the baking sheet tightly in foil and set aside while you prepare the toppings.

Step 3

In a small skillet, cook the pine nuts in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel to drain.

Step 4

To serve, heat the naan or taboon bread in the oven until toasted and warmed and transfer to a platter. Arrange the chicken and red onion on top. Finish with a smattering of pine nuts, sumac and chopped parsley. Drizzle any remaining roasting juices so they soak into the bread, then drizzle with a little more olive oil.