Ingredients
- tbsp allspice
- tbsp ground cinnamon
- tbsp coriander
- tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- chicken legs, bone-in, skin on (if you like, divide the legs to thighs and drumsticks. You can also use chicken breast piece s, if you prefer.)
- Extra virgin olive oil (I used Greek Private Reserve EVOO)
- Kosher salt
- tsp sumac
- 1/2 tsp of spice mixture above
- Extra virgin olive oil (Greek Private Reserve EVOO again)
- yellow onions, chopped
- Kosher slat
- tbsp sumac, more for later
- tbsp ground cumin
- tsp of spice mixture above
- Toasted pine nuts, about 1/3 cup or more to your liking
- flatbread such as Taboon bread, Greek pita bread, or naan
Instructions
- This spice mixture will be used throughout the recipe, so it’s good to have it prepared ahead and ready for use. In a small bowl, combine allspice , cinnamon, coriander, black pepper, cardamom and nutmeg. Mix well.
- Sumac will also be used several times, so keep your sumac bottle handy as well.
- Tip: If you don’t already have these spices, find them at our online shop
- Pat chicken pieces dry and place them on a lightly oiled sheet pan (or roasting pan).
- Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil, season with kosher salt on both sides.
- Add 1 tsp sumac and 1 ½ tsp of the spice mixture.
- Give the chicken a good rub with your hands.
- Arrange the chicken pieces skin side up and place on the middle rack of your heated oven.
- TIP: For best flavor, make sure to lift the chicken skin and apply some of the spice mixture underneath.
- TIP #2: You can season the chicken 1 night in advance. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to cook it the next day.
- While the chicken is roasting, work on the onions.
- In a large cooking skillet, put just over ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek EVOO) chopped onions, kosher salt, 1 tbsp sumac , 1 tbsp cumin , and 2 tsp of the spice mixture.
- Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally.
- This will may take anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes, and your goal here is to cook the onions well until they quite soft, but you are not looking to brown the onions.
- Tip: Onions should be chopped fairly small for this recipe. To help cook them down, add a bit of liquid, about 2 to 4 tbsp of water at a time.
- Tip #2: You can cook the onions in the skillet 1 night ahead of time and save them in a tight lid glass container in the fridge.
- Pour any roasting pan juices into the caramelized onions, adding more flavor to the flatbreads. Make sure to let the chicken rest for a bit, cover loosely with foil and set aside for 15 minutes while you assemble the flatbreads.
- Traditionally, musakhan uses Palestinian taboon bread, but I used Greek pita bread here. To assemble flatbreads, dip the edges of each bread in the oil on the surface of the onion mixture, you want the edges moistened so they don’t burn under the broiler.
- Work in batches, a couple of flatbreads at a time.
- Arrange flatbreads on a large baking sheet.
- Spread enough of the caramelized onion mixture on the surface of each flatbread, leaving a small border around the edge (like pizza).
- Add a generous sprinkle of sumac.
- Sprinkle toasted pine nuts.
- Place under the broiler briefly (2 to 4 mins), watching carefully, until edges are browned and onion mixture is caramelized.
- When flatbreads are ready, top each with a chicken portion to serve.
Tips
This recipe tastes good but, as other have pointed out, it makes way too much spice mix. It’s wasteful. It would be extremely helpful if the author actually provided a correction or any other insight besides “I don’t have that issue,” despite multiple comments stating there is an over abundance of mix of following the recipe as written.