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Plate with musakhan sumac chicken rolls with a bowl of mint yogurt, garnished with pomegranate seeds and pine nuts.
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5 from 3 votes

Musakhan Rolls (Crispy Palestinian Sumac Chicken)

Musakhan Rolls are a modern take on the classic Palestinian sumac chicken recipe. These rolls are portable, delicious and easy to prepare. They are made with shredded chicken, caramelized onions, and lots of sumac. Pair them with plain yogurt or a tangy mint yogurt sauce.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Levantine, Middle Eastern, Palestinian
Servings: 4 people
Author: Luay Ghafari
Cost: $10

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Chicken thighs
  • 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil - Divided, plus extra for brushing
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp Sumac - Divided
  • 1 tsp 7-Spice (Baharat) - Substitute equal parts cumin, coriander and cinnamon
  • Kosher salt and Black pepper
  • 2 Large red onions
  • 2 tbsp Pine nuts
  • 2 tbsp Parsley - Chopped
  • 1 Bundle Unleavened flatbreads (Markook) - See note
  • Garnish with more pine nuts, sumac, pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Season the chicken. Preheat your oven to 375F/190C. Season the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sumac, 1 teaspoon 7-spice (baharat), kosher salt and black pepper. Arrange the chicken pieces on a parchment-lined baking tray, baking dish, or in a braiser.
  • Bake. Bake the chicken thighs for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. An instant-read thermometer should read 170F.
  • Cook the onions. In a large sauté pan set on medium-low heat, cook chopped or sliced onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a big pinch of salt for 15-20 minutes, until soft. Season with 1 tbsp sumac.
  • Fry the pine nuts. To a small sauté pan, add the pine nuts and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Fry on medium heat until lightly browned. Watch out, they burn quickly. Transfer toasted pine nuts to a plate lined with a paper towel.
  • Shred the chicken. When the chicken is ready, set it aside to cool for 15 minutes then shred it into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken to the pan with the cooked onions. Add the pine nuts (save a few for garnish) and the chopped parsley. Stir to combine. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning.
  • Prepare the flatbread. Cut your flatbread into rectangles about 8”x10”. Place about ½ cup of chicken mixture on the 8” side. Roll the Markook up like you would a spring roll, by tucking in the sides and rolling tightly. Place the roll seam side down in an oiled baking tray or sheet. Repeat until you’re out of mixture or flatbread.
  • Brush with oil. Brush the rolls with a little olive oil and bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
  • Serve. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley, a sprinkle of sumac and pomegranate seeds for sweetness. Serve the crispy rolls with yogurt or my mint yogurt sauce.

Notes

See the post above for step-by-step recipe photos.
A few important ingredient notes:
  • Chicken: In this recipe, we will be shredding the chicken. I like to use chicken thighs as they will be moist after cooking, but chicken breast is fine too. Or you can simply skip the chicken cooking step and use rotisserie chicken!
  • Spices: The classic Musakhan spice profile includes sumac, 7-Spice (Baharat). If you don’t have 7-Spice, you can substitute with equal parts coriander, cumin and cinnamon.
  • Onions: You will need lots of onions for this recipe! I like using red onions, but you can also use white onions.
  • Flatbread: For this recipe, I am using Markook. Markook, also known as Markouk or Markouk, refers to a traditional flatbread that is commonly prepared in the Middle East, particularly in countries like Lebanon and Syria. You can find it at all Middle Eastern stores. If you don’t have access, you can substitute with flour tortillas or thin Lebanese pita bread (that is separated into 2 parts), lavash, saj bread, or roti.
  • Nuts: Pine nuts are traditional, but feel free to use almonds instead.
Serve with Mint Yogurt Sauce, Toum, Tahini Sauce, Jerusalem Chopped Salad, Authentic Fattoush or Tabbouleh. Also, try my traditional Musakhan recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 226IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg