Recipe from Yasmin Khan
Adapted by Mayukh Sen
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus 1 to 3 hours’ marinating
- Rating
- 5(1,705)
- Notes
- Read community notes
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
Featured in: A Writer Describes Palestinian Cuisine, and the World Around It
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 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
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
572 calories; 38 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 43 grams protein; 887 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
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.
Ratings
5
out of 5
1,705
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Cooking Notes
Robert in Flyover Country
I've made this several times since it was first posted to NYT. It's a winner in our household. Great use of dark-meat chicken ( thighs and/or legs ). The only quibble I have with the recipe ( posted by others ) is with the cooking temp. Finally figured out that baking the chicken uncovered at 425 F is the way to go. Two pounds of bone-in chicken prepared in a 10-inch cast iron skillet is done after 35 minutes. I set a timer for 20 minutes, and rotate the pan once during cooking.
Judy Richman
DELICIOUS, easy and fast. Great recipe! I used 1 lb. of boneless skinless chicken thighs in lieu of the 2 lbs. of bone-in, and then followed the recipe exactly, though it took a shorter time to cook because the thighs were boneless. This is a keeper recipe!
Anne B
This recipe—inexpensive, easy to prepare and wonderfully flavored—might easily make it onto people's rota. And, if you can find some really nice naan it could be a great dinner party dish. The problem with the recipe is the cooking instructions are not right. Disbelieving them I tried 400 degrees (watching carefully after 30 minutes). Next time, I will see what happens at 425 degrees.
mdurphy
Instead of lemon, you could use about a half cup of plain yogurt. Different flavor, browns faster. Kind of wonderful, though I'm not sure it would be Palestinian (maybe more Iranian). If you're following the recipe, consider increasing the oven temp to 400. At 375 the chicken is done before there's as much browning as I would like.
Matt C
In Chicago you can buy a big bag of sumac at Middle East Bakery & Grocery in Andersonville. I'd imagine it's available at similar Middle Eastern markets in New York.
Mr. XYZ
This came out great. Totally different flavor than the usual herb based roast chickenJust one question though...there was a lot of liquid in the cooking pan once the dish was ready. Is this normal? Is it from the onions or chicken releasing some of the liquid from the marinade.Thanks.
Marcia
I bought bone-in thighs and removed the bones, since I wanted skin, but no bones. Easier and faster. Put onions on sheet pan, chicken on top. crank oven to 400 or 425 (convection @400 if you have one). Skin comes out crispy, chicken done, onions tender and a lot of juice to pour over the chicken and naan before serving. Absolute unanimous winner at dinner parties and family dinners.
JudyMKE
Cook at 400 per notes.
Pat N
Followed the recipe and loved the dish, served with a kale tabouleh salad and some homemade baba ganoush. My only issue was the chicken skin, which didn't crisp up as I expected it to. I wound up pulling it off (flabby chicken skin...gah), which is not a deal breaker. But I did hate losing the spices I had rubbed into it.
Jen
Made this last night for Passover Seder--fabulous!. I used bone-in breasts and thighs but took off the skin so the marinade would really penetrate, and marinated for about 8 hours. Probably less juice than if I'd used skin but still very moist--the pine nuts and parsley finish it off beautifully. I'll likely try it next time with boneless thighs/breasts.
Nancy K
I’ve made this 3 times now , once for company and twice for my husband and myself. It’s a wonderful easy dinner that we both love. I made it last night and added another onion because my husband loved them as much as the chicken. We have a convection oven that gives crispy skin and I reduced the time to 35 minutes. We will be making it again.
nanbrand
I followed the suggestions of other cooks who said the oven should be set at 400 degrees, not 375. I left it in the oven for one hour, but the onions were burned when I removed it. Clearly I should have been checking it at 45 minutes! This is good topped with slivered almonds instead of pine nuts. Could not find sumac, so I used lemon pepper. I also served it with rice, not naan. Don't skip the 3-hour marinade -- it's worth it! This dish was a hit at my dinner party.
nyrkr
Sumac is available at Whole Foods
rengahan
I set the oven at 400 and timed for 30 minutes. At 30 minutes it was juicy and not quite done. So I broiled for five minutes. It was beautiful but still not quite done. So, I covered it in foil, turned the oven off and put it in for another 10 minutes.It was delicious. But I had to modify. I have herb salt with sumac, biber, rosemary, saffron, and smoked paprika. I used 1T of the salt and added 1/2T more of sumac. I also used 3T orange juice and 1T cane vinegar. Shallots instead too. So good.
lynn
Cost Plus World Market NOT Costco.
PatC
425 is absolutely the correct temp—even in a convection oven for about 40 minutes. I used a copper oval roaster for two leg-thigh combo pieces. Heat the pan first in the oven or on the stove add onions and chick on top. Turn pan once. Nicely caramelized onions and browned chicken. A keeper.
Jessica
Most 5 star recipes on this app are legit. Every once in awhile there is a dud and I’m not sure why the raves on this one. I increased the temp to 400, and after 30 mins it was already dry on the outside and undercooked on the interior. Flavor was just ok.
susain
Definitely double the onions. They are better than the chicken!
Lesley
I wanted to love this recipe, but the skin wasn't crispy enough for me (I followed the other suggestions to cook at 425).
Serena
Hands down our favourite chicken dish. Thank you Palestine.
Bryan
Seems like the marinade needs more liquid to produce a sauce. I would add another tablespoon each of olive oil and lemon juice. Great spice blend though and I do think 425 degrees would be fine and faster.
Lindsey
Made this once as written and enjoyed the flavor but the cooking directions didn’t allow the skin to crisp at all. Made it again tonight but grilled the chicken & onions. Perfection!
Corina
This is one of the best recipes on NYT.
CotaV
I followed the recipe exactly, except I cooked the chicken and onions in the air fryer: 200 C (392 F) for 20 minutes or a little less. Delicious!
Betsy
I made this for a group who loved it. One person didn’t eat chicken, so I used the same marinade on a piece of salmon, baked it for about 15 min, and it was fabulous as well!
Serena
We used aubergine for our vegetarian friends... will try salmon as well!
David
Made this with bone-in skin-on chicken breasts. Got a late start so marinated over night and cooked for lunch...so about 14 hours in marinade. 425 degrees for 37 minutes. The chicken was juicy and flavorful. Not much in terms of drippings because of white meat. But a success to say the least. Next time I will triple the marinade and then cook the chicken on top of both the onions and some potatoes. Deliciousl
tracy
Cook at 425
VicinNY
Note to Pat N about flabby skin: before you prep the chicken thighs, try letting them rest skin side down on paper towels. Then when you prepare the marinade, pour it into a shallow bowl or dish with rim, put the thighs in to the marinade skin side up. Sprinkle the skin with a little salt & pepper and then Marinate in the fridge uncovered, for as long as you want. Hope this helps
Jcew
How is this a weeknight dinner? Where are the - I strolled in from work and have to work it’s whats in the fridge recipes? Who has 3 hours to marinate chicken on a weeknight to stock up on these spices?
Kim D.
This was utterly delicious. I took the advice of others and used 2 red onions, I also added about 2 cups of tiny pieces of cauliflower. Used boneless skinless thighs and cooked on convection @ 400° for 25 min. Topped it with a dollop of Sumac and Mint Raita when serving.
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