Mousakhan Palestinian Chicken Recipes

MOUSAKHAN (PALESTINIAN CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Wash then wipe the chickens dry with paper towels.
• Rub them inside and out with salt and pepper, then tuck and tie the wings under the body.
• Heat half the oil in a large skillet and fry the chickens one at a time until lightly browned all over, turning often, then set aside.
• Add remaining oil to the pan and saute the onion, stirring, until clear.
• Sprinkle the sumak over the onion, cooking another 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Split each khoubz or pita bread in half, making 4 halves.
• Place two slightly overlapping in the base of a baking dish large enough to hold both chickens.
• Place a mound of onion in the center of each, using about a quarter of the onion mix only, and place a chicken on top of each, and spread remaining onion mix over the chicken evenly.
• Pour the oil from the pan over the chicken, then cover with remaining bread, making sure to tuck it around the chicken as best as you can.
• This bread covering is what keeps the chicken very moist and flavorful.
• Bake in moderate oven (about 350) for 1 1/2 hours or until chickens are cooked through and tender.
• If the bread browns too much or ack, begins to burn, you can place a piece of foil over the tops to avoid this.
• Serve cut into portions with some of the bread if you wish.

MUSSAKHAN (BAKED CHICKEN ON BREAD) MIDDLE EAST, PALESTINE

Steps:

• Wash cut pieces of chicken, and place in a large pot and cover with water. Add salt and let boil. Remove froth from the top of pot and let the chicken boil until cooked.
• Mix the onions with the salt and 2 tbsp sumac, and saute in olive oil until tender.
• When chicken is done, remove from broth and rub with salt, 1 tbsp of sumac, and lemon juice, and brush with olive oil. Set aside the broth to cool.
• Place the pieces of arabic or pita bread in a baking pan, and pour some of the chicken broth you just made on top of the bread (you want to soak the bread in the broth). Turn the bread over to make sure both sides are covered. **Make sure the broth is cooled off completely, otherwise you will end up with soggy bread that you cannot pick up!
• Place the sauted onions with the olive oil on top of each piece of bread (depending on how big your piece of bread is will depend on how much onions you will put on each piece, but normally its about 1/2 cup for bigger pieces of bread and 1/3 cup for smaller pieces). Spread the onions out to cover the top of the bread.
• Place 1-2 pieces of chicken (depending on how big ur bread is) on top of the sauted onions.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is browned.
• Garnish with the sauted pine nuts.