Musakhan (Tunisian Kissed)
Musakhan (Tunisian Kissed)
4
30 minutes
75 minutes
Musakhan, which literally translates to 'heated up', is a centuries-old Palestinian dish considered by many to be their national dish. A delicacy that celebrates the ingredients of the land, from the generous amount of olive oil used to cook down the onions to the chicken which historically was one of the most widely raised livestock by Palestinians, and the sumac that brings a complementary citrusy acidity to the whole thing. Predictably, we gave this dish extra Tunisian love by incorporating our harissa paste into both the chicken and the caramelized onions, giving the whole thing a spicy kick that worked nicely. This spicy Muskhan is an expression of love and appreciation for both cultures, which are old, distinct, and beautiful in their own ways.
We highly recommend using the incredibly fragrant sumac from our Palestinian brothers over at Z&Z !
This recipe is an interpretation of Reem Kassis’ recipe posted on Serious Eats. She is the author of The Palestinian Table (2017) and The Arabesque Table (2021).
Ingredients
Chicken Legs (4)
Pita or Naan flatbread (4)
Yellow Onions (sliced), 3 lbs
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 7 tbsp
Zwïta Harissa paste, 3 tbsp
Sumac (ground), 3 tbsp
Pine nuts (toasted), 2 tbsp
Cinnamon (ground), 1 tsp
Black pepper (ground), 1 tsp
Parsley (chopped), 1 tsp
Kosher salt, 2 tsp
Directions
1. Coat chicken legs with 1 tbsp harissa paste, 1 tbsp EVOO, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
2. Roast the chicken thighs on a baking sheet at 450F for 30 min. Rest for 15 min and collect all juices for the onions.
3. In a pan, sauté the sliced onions, 6 tbsp EVOO, and 1 tsp salt until very well caramelized (30 min).
4. Add 2 tbsp sumac, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp black pepper, chicken juices, 5 tbsp water, 2 tbsp harissa paste and keep stirring on low heat until a nice glazy caramelized onion mix is obtained.
5. Turn on the broiler and on a baking sheet, place the pita(s) and cover with the glazy onion mix, sprinkle more sumac and toasted pine nuts.
6. Broil for a few minutes until the edges of the flatbread start to crisp up then remove from the oven, plate, and place one piece of chicken on top (reheat the chicken if preferred).
7. Garnish with chopped parsley (optional) and enjoy!
