Musakhan is one of the most iconic Palestinian dishes, closely tied to the olive harvest season. It celebrates freshly pressed olive oil, sumac, onions, and taboon bread, ingredients that define Palestinian land and identity. Traditionally served communally, musakhan is eaten by hand, with bread soaking up the rich onion and olive oil mixture, making it both a meal and a ritual of gathering.
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Total Cooking Time
1 hr 30 min
Preparation 20 min
Cooking 1 hr 10 min
Ingredients
Chicken and Onions
1 kg whole chicken, cut into pieces (2.2 lb)
0.5 L water (2 cups)
5 g salt (1 tsp)
2 bay leaves
2 kg onions, thinly sliced (4.4 lb)
250 ml Zaatar & Zayn olive oil (1 cup)
50 g Zaatar & Zayn sumac minimum (about 6 Tbsp)
3 g Zaatar & Zayn ground 7 spices blend (1 tsp)
3 g ground black pepper (1 tsp)
3 g salt (½ tsp)
Assembly
3 to 4 large taboon breads or flatbreads
Extra Zaatar & Zayn olive oil for brushing, as needed
60 g pine nuts, lightly toasted (½ cup)
Preparation Chicken and Onions
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Place a wide pot on the stove over medium heat
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Add Zaatar & Zayn olive oil and allow it to heat
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Add the sliced onions and cook gently, stirring, until soft and lightly golden, about 15 to 20 min
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Add the chicken pieces directly to the pot
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Season with salt, black pepper, spice blend, bay leaves, and half of the sumac
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Stir to coat the chicken with onions and olive oil
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Allow the chicken to cook in the olive oil
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Add small amounts of water as needed
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Cover and simmer gently for 35 to 40 min until the chicken is fully cooked
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Remove the chicken and set aside
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Strain and reserve the olive oil and cooking juices separately from the onions
Assembly and Baking
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Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F)
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Arrange the cooked chicken pieces on a baking tray
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Brush or spoon some of the reserved olive oil over the chicken
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Sprinkle with additional sumac
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Roast in the oven for 10 to 15 min until well colored
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Dip each taboon bread lightly into the reserved olive oil
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Spread a generous layer of the cooked onion mixture over the taboon
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For added crunch, place the oiled taboon in the oven for 5 to 10 min
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Layer additional taboon and onions as needed
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Place the roasted chicken on top
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Spoon more onions and drizzle with reserved olive oil
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Bake uncovered for 15 min until the bread edges are crisp and everything is heated through
To Finish
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Scatter the toasted pine nuts generously over the musakhan just before serving
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Sprinkle with more sumac
Texture and Flavor Notes
Deeply aromatic from sumac and olive oil
Sweet, jammy onions balanced by acidity
Rich but not heavy, meant to be shared
Traditional Serving
Served immediately, family style
Eaten by hand
Often accompanied by yogurt or fresh salad
Storage
Best eaten fresh
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated gently
