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Four musakhan rolls sprinkled with sesame seeds, served on a white plate with a small bowl of yogurt on the side.

Musakhan Rolls

Musakhan rolls are a delicious Levantine dish made with tender chicken, caramelized onions, and fragrant sumac wrapped in soft flatbread and baked until golden. Topped with sesame seeds and served with creamy yogurt, these rolls offer a simple and flavorful twist on the classic Palestinian musakhan.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 46 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 18 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients
  

For The Chicken Roasting
  • 1 piece whole chicken around 1.2 kgs
  • 1 piece onion
  • 1 piece carrot
  • 1 piece celery stalk
  • 2 piece bay leaves
  • 5 piece cardamom pods
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1 tsp sumac
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
For The Stuffing
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 piece medium onions
  • 1 piece whole chicken cooked, and shredded
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 2 tsp sumac
  • 1 tsp lemon salt
  • 3/4 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
For The Yogurt Sauce
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1 piece small garlic clove
  • 1/2 tsp sumac
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Bread
  • 4 pieces markouk loaves

Method
 

Roast Chicken
  1. Start with a whole chicken. Remove the tail bone and the tips of the wings. Using a knife or kitchen scissors, cut along the back of the chicken and open it wide. Flatten it gently. Sprinkle the spice mix over the chicken and rub it well on both sides.
  2. Place onion wedges, roughly cut carrots, and celery pieces in a baking tray. Lay the chicken on top of the vegetables. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and massage it well.
  3. Bake in a 170°C (340°F) oven until the chicken begins to turn lightly golden. Then add hot water to the tray. Cover the tray with baking paper and aluminum foil, and continue baking until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
  4. Once cooked, remove the covers and return the tray to the oven. Bake again until the skin becomes golden and crispy.
  5. Finally, remove the chicken from the tray. Take out the bones and slice the meat into thin julienne strips. Set aside for the musakhan filling.
Prepare The Stuffing
  1. Slice the onions into thin julienne strips. Place them in a cooking pot with olive oil and cook over medium heat. The goal is not to fry the onions, but rather to let them soften slowly and become tender.
  2. Add the spice mix and stir well. Then pour in a small amount of chicken stock from the roasting tray to add flavor and keep the onions moist.
  3. Once the onions are fully softened and fragrant, add the julienned roasted chicken. Sprinkle in a little more spice mix if needed, then mix everything well until the chicken and onions are evenly combined.
Make The Musakhan Rolls
  1. Prepare an edible glue by mixing a small amount of flour with water until smooth.
  2. Cut each markouk loaf into 8 wedges. Place about 1 tablespoon of the chicken and onion stuffing on the wide side of each wedge. Fold the edges slightly inward, then roll the bread tightly toward the tip. Brush a little of the flour glue on the tip of the bread to seal the roll.
  3. Repeat the process until all the stuffing is used.
  4. Arrange the rolls in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops lightly with pomegranate molasses, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  5. Bake in the oven until the rolls become golden and crispy.
Prepare The Yogurt Dip
  1. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, tahini, smashed garlic, sumac, salt, and fresh mint. Mix well until the sauce becomes smooth and evenly blended.
  2. Transfer the dip to a small serving bowl and serve on the side with the warm musakhan rolls.

Video