Chicken Musakhan Rolls
Crispy Palestinian flatbread rolls filled with shredded poached chicken, sweet olive-oil onions, tangy sumac, warm spices, and toasted almonds, baked and broiled until golden.
Equipment
- Pot
- Food processor
- large sauté pan
- Skillet
- 9x13 inch casserole dish
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 3 full chicken legs skin on and bone in
- 2 yellow onions
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 cardamom pods
- 6 whole allspice berries
For the rolls
- 4 large Markouk bread substitute with Lebanese pita or tortillas
- 6 red onions
- 1 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 4 tablespoons sumac plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup slivered almonds
Instructions
To Make the Chicken
- Arrange the chicken legs, yellow onions, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and allspice berries in a pot, then add water to cover. The chicken should sit beneath the water with the aromatics distributed around it.
- Heat the pot until the water boils, removing surface foam and replenishing water as needed. Skimming clears away the residue that collects on top.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for at least 45 minutes, or extend the simmer to 2 to 3 hours. The meat should become tender enough to separate readily from the bones.
- Lift the legs out of the broth, remove the meat from the bones, and pull it into shreds for the filling. A fork should separate the tender meat into soft strands.
To Make the Musakhan Rolls
- Set the oven to 400°F. A fully heated oven helps the thin bread develop a crisp exterior.
- Cut the red onions into slices, using a knife or a food processor fitted with a slicing attachment. The slices need not be paper-thin.
- Combine the olive oil, sliced onions, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large sauté pan. Turn the onions through the oil so their surfaces become coated.
- Maintain medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Look for slumped, translucent onions with lightly golden edges rather than dark browning.
- While the onions cook, stir the almonds in a separate skillet over low heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then set them aside once lightly toasted. The almonds should take on a pale golden color without dark spots.
- Fold the shredded chicken, sumac, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, and remaining teaspoon salt into the softened onions. The warm mixture will release a fragrant, tangy spice aroma.
- Keep the filling moving over the heat for another 5 to 7 minutes, then take the pan off the burner and fold in the almonds. The chicken should look evenly coated with onions and seasoning.
- Divide the markouk into long strips, add about 1 to 2 tablespoons filling to each, and roll gently, folding in the ends if desired. The bread should enclose the filling without stretching or tearing.
- Transfer the assembled rolls to an oiled 9×13 inch casserole dish. Keep the filling enclosed as you move each roll.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 400°F, then broil for 5 minutes while watching closely. The bread should finish golden and crisp, without scorched edges.
Notes
Texture tip: Tilt the pan before scooping the filling so excess oil pools to the side. This keeps the onions coated while preventing the bottom of the flatbread from turning soggy.
Ingredient tip: If your markouk has a thick outer edge, trim it off before cutting strips so the rolls bake evenly without tearing or turning chewy.
Shortcut option: You can skip the poaching step and fold shredded rotisserie or leftover roasted chicken directly into the softened onions, adding a small splash of broth if the meat feels dry.
Storage and reheating: Refrigerate cooked chicken dishes within 2 hours and store for 3 to 4 days, or freeze the cooked filling for 3 to 4 months. Reheat in an oven, toaster oven, or air fryer until the center reaches 165°F to restore the crisp exterior.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.