Musakhan – Palestinian Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Sumac with homemade bread

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade bread ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl.

   Bowl
2. 2
   Add the lukewarm water and olive oil and Knead about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pliable and doesn't stick to your hands.

   BowlStand mixer

   💡For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
3. 3
   Cover and Let rise about an hour in a warm place, until the dough doubles in size.

   Plastic wraporKitchen towel

   💡Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it has doubled, and a gentle finger press leaves a dent that fills back slowly; if it springs right back, wait longer.
4. 4
   Shape the dough into an oblong loaf and place it in loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

   Loaf pan

   💡Shape a tight loaf the length of the pan: it fills the pan evenly, and the bread rises tall instead of spreading sideways.
5. 5
   Cover and Let rise 30 minutes, until the loaf has risen.

   Plastic wraporKitchen towel
6. 6
   Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
7. 7
   Bake 35–40 minutes, until the loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

   OvenLoaf pan

   💡Tapping the bottom of the loaf is the test: baked bread sounds hollow; if the sound is dull, put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
8. 8
   Turn the loaf out of the pan and let cool on a rack before slicing.

   Cooling rack

   💡Bread left in the hot pan sweats, and its crust softens: turn it out right away and cool it on a rack.

For the Caramelized Onion

1. 9
   Slice the onion into thin rings.

   KnifeCutting board
2. 10
   Heat the oil in a wide pot and fry the onion over medium heat 25–30 minutes, stirring, until it is deep brown.

   StoveWide, shallow pot

   💡Onion caramelizes with patience: over medium heat it reaches deep brown in about half an hour, over low heat it takes close to an hour, and over high heat it burns at the edges before it softens. A pinch of salt at the start draws out its liquid, and when it starts to stick, add a tablespoon of water and scrape the bottom.

To assemble

1. 11
   Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).

   Oven
2. 12
   Cook the chicken in a pot with water, salt and black pepper for about 40 minutes, until tender. Reserve 1 cup of the broth.

   StovePot
3. 13
   Add the sumac, baharat and cinnamon to the caramelized onion and stir.
4. 14
   Moisten the pitas in the chicken broth and arrange them in a baking dish.

   Baking pan

   💡Moisten the pitas, don't soak them: a pita that's too wet falls apart in the dish, while a lightly moistened one turns soft underneath and crisp at the edges.
5. 15
   Spread half the caramelized onion over the pitas.
6. 16
   Arrange the chicken pieces on top and cover with the rest of the onion.
7. 17
   Bake 20 minutes, until the chicken is browned and the pitas are crisp at the edges.

   OvenBaking pan
8. 18
   Sprinkle the walnuts on top and serve hot.