Name: Roast Chicken with Sumac and Red Onion
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 115 min
Ingredients: 8 bone-in chicken thighs (skin on); 2 red onions (thinly sliced); 4 tbsp olive oil; 2 cloves garlic (crushed); 1 tbsp sumac (plus extra to serve); 1 tsp ground allspice; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 lemon (juiced); 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp pine nuts (toasted); 1 handful parsley (chopped); Flatbread (to serve)

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Chicken thighs roasted with sumac, allspice and red onion, finished with pine nuts and parsley.

About this Middle Eastern recipe

Chicken with sumac and onions is a Palestinian favourite, known as musakhan when served on flatbread.

Ingredients you will need

The main ingredients are bone-in chicken thighs, red onions, olive oil, garlic, sumac, ground allspice. Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.

How long it takes

Allow 1 hr 55 min in total: 15 min of preparation, 40 min of cooking and 1 hr of resting, chilling or soaking. The recipe serves 4.

Inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi

Sumac-roasted chicken appears in Jerusalem, the cookbook Ottolenghi wrote with Sami Tamimi. This is our own take on the Palestinian classic. Read our profile of Yotam Ottolenghi.

This is our own home-kitchen version of a classic dish. It is not Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe and is not endorsed by them. For the chef’s own recipes, see their official books and restaurants.

Roast Chicken with Sumac and Red Onion

Chicken thighs roasted with sumac, allspice and red onion, finished with pine nuts and parsley.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Resting 1

Total Time 1 55

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Calories: 560

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

8 bone-in chicken thighs skin on
2 red onions thinly sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbsp sumac plus extra to serve
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 lemon juiced
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp pine nuts toasted
1 handful parsley chopped
Flatbread to serve

Method

Mix the chicken and onions with the oil, garlic, spices, lemon juice and salt. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 200°C. Spread in a roasting tin, chicken skin side up.
Roast for 35–40 minutes until the skin is golden and the chicken is cooked through.
Sprinkle with pine nuts, parsley and extra sumac.
Serve with warm flatbread to soak up the juices.

Notes

Sumac loses its tang when it gets old. Buy it in small amounts and keep it sealed.