January 30th, 2022: Mussakhan (Roast Chicken With Sumac and Red Onions) (Jordan)

“This is a really great dish! The flavors are unusual, sweet, savory, fragrant, floral, citrusy and just yummy with the parsley and pine nuts offering a lovely texture and flavor to the dish! Highly recommended. It’s simple, easy to make and yummy!”

Chef Chasan Recipe Notes

• Prep Time: 1-3 hours prep and marinating
• Cook Time: 1-hour
• Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 large lemon, juiced (about 4 tablespoons)
• 4 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 ½ T. sumac, plus more for serving
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. ground allspice
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
•  Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 1 large red onion (about 1 pound), halved and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• parsley, chopped
•  Naan bread, for serving

Directions:

1. Slash the flesh of each piece of chicken diagonally a few times, around 3/4 inch apart, and then place the meat in a large bowl or plastic container. Add the lemon juice; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 1/2 tablespoons sumac; the garlic, cumin, allspice and cinnamon; and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 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.
2. When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat the oven to 400-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 finish under the broiler. Then cover the baking sheet tightly in foil and set aside while you prepare the toppings.
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.
4. To serve, heat the naan 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.