I have had sumac in my spice rack for a while, and it's mostly gathered dust. Thanks to the prodding of my friend Emily I did some research and found Yasmin's Khan's recipe for Mussakkhan. I cannot believe I ignored my sumac for so long! This is a lower fat version of the Palestinian dish and I've added a lemon-yogurt sauce to bring everything together. The onions smell amazing as they roast, and we've been eating this chicken (and the tofu version) on repeat.
Note about Protein: This recipe works well with tofu. See my recipe: Roasted Sumac Tofu and Onions. It also works well with bone-in skin-on chicken. If using bone-in chicken, then cooking times will need to be adjusted. If roasting in the oven, then we prefer bone-in skin- on and roast at 425 for about 30 minutes.
Note About Sumac. If you've never used it, it's not spicy. It has both a sharpness and acidity that is balanced with a deep earthiness. My kids find the flavor to be a bit strong, but my mild yogurt sauce balance it all out, so make sure you make extra sauce for young
diners.
Sumac Grilled Chicken with Roasted Red Onions
Adapted from Yasmin Khan's "Mussakkhan" in Zaitoun: Recipes from the Palestinian Kitchen
Serves 4-5. Prep 20 minutes (10 for prepping marinade for chicken and onions. 10 for prepping sauce and toppings). Baking and grilling time: 35 minutes.
Ingredients
1.5-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs.
2 medium or 1 extra large red onion sliced into thin 1/4 inch strips
1 medium lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 tablespoons sumac
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 slightly heaped teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Plus more salt and pepper to taste
Lemon-Yogurt Sauce
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon lemon zest (from about 1/2 lemon)
1/2 cup greek or regular yogurt (any fat content)
2 tablespoons mayonaise
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
1/2 teaspoon sugar (trust me)
2-3 tablespoons chopped mint (mint is ideal but parsley, dill cilantro will work)
Optional
4 tablespoons pine nuts (for garnish)
Serving Suggestion: Serve over Naan (rice or roasted cauliflower also work well)
STEP ONE
Make your marinade by combining lemon juice, olive oil, sumac, garlic, cumin, clove and cinnamon. Put chicken in a non-reactive pan and pour marinade on top making sure to coat the chicken. Then add the onions to the pan and toss to combine. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for 30 minutes - 3 hours.
STEP TWO
Preheat oven to 400. Spread onions evenly on a sheet pan with an edge. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then stir and continue to roast for another 15 minutes. While onions are roasting you can toast your pine nuts, prep your yogurt sauce, and cook your chicken.
STEP THREE
Make your lemony yogurt sauce: combined all the ingredients for sauce and stir to combine. Make sure to zest lemon before juicing. If you're having pine nuts, heat a skillet on medium heat and then add roughly a 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Toast the nuts until they become fragrant and they take on color. Once they start toasting, don't walk away from them or they'll burn!
STEP FOUR
Grill chicken for 8-10 minutes over medium high heat until it reaches 165 degrees. Serve chicken and onions over naan, rice, or cauliflower. Drizzle with yogurt sauce and sprinkle pine nuts on top.
Comments