Musakhan rolls are a modernized handheld variation of the Palestinian classic-Musakhan. These popular rolls are stuffed with juicy shredded chicken and caramelized sumac onions for a delightful bite. They are a standout dish. The tartness of the sumac and the sweetness of the onions, coupled with the tender chicken and crisp bread, are just addicting. Best yet, they are simple to put together and such a crowd-pleaser.
What is Musakhan?
Musakhan translates to “reheated” in Arabic, which references the taboon bread—the foundation of this meal. If the taboon bread were stale, Palestinians would give it new life by dipping it in fresh olive oil to bring it back to life and make this iconic Palestinian meal, the National Dish of Palestine. It’s a layered dish that comprises fresh taboon breadjammy sumac onions, roasted sumac chicken, and toasted nuts. It’s often made during olive harvest season as a celebratory meal. Typically, it is served with plain yogurt and Arabic-style salad.
These musakhan rolls carry all the flavors of a classic Palestinian Musakhan, making them easier to create and enjoy. They are often served during Ramadan as a staple side dish. However, they are welcomed all year round as they are so delicious! Adults and children love them alike. These are a must try!
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How to make Musakhan Rolls:
Musakhan rolls are known to be more convenient to make and eat. They can also be prepared and baked the day of, making them an appealing appetizer or side dish for a crowd.
- Start by preparing the filling consisting of shredded tender chicken and jammy sumac onions.
- Poach the chicken in aromatic broth until just tender, about 20 minutes. Then shred and use extra chicken broth to keep the chicken moist. Alternatively, you can roast a whole quartered chicken with salt, pepper, olive oil, sumac and 7 spice. Then, shred the meat and use that.
- To make the rest of the filling, dice the onions or thinly slice-whatever you prefer and cook them in lots of olive oil and sumac low and slow until caramelized.
- Season the chicken and onions with 7 spices, more sumac, olive oil, and lemon juice. Then, combine to fill the rolls.
- Start on assembly. If using markouk or shrak, cut into four halves and use each triangle portion to make the roll. Add the filling to the most extended end. Tuck in the sides and roll over, keeping the seam down. Place in an olive oil-prepped pan and brush with oil and sumac.
- Bake until crisp, and enjoy with a side of yogurt to dip if you would like.
Tips to making Musakhan Chicken Rolls:
- Use high-quality olive oil and sumac since they are the stars of musakhan. The better the quality, the tastier the outcome.
- Use a fresh flatbread that will not tear. I typically use flour tortillas, but fresh markouk is more authentic if accessible to you like used here.
- If you want to save extra time, use rotisserie chicken. This way, you can skip the entire step of poaching the chicken. However, you can cook and save the broth to make a soup. The chicken and onions can always be prepped a day in advance if you are also short on time.
What to enjoy with Musakhan Rolls?
These make the perfect handheld side dish or appetizer on any dinner table. I often include these for Ramadan. During Ramadan, when it is time to break iftar, you’ll find several sides on most tables for variation. This is one of the recipes frequently used. You can often find them alongside finger foods like Stuffed Grape Leaves, Potato samosasor Cheese Spring rolls.
I typically make any of these finger foods alongside large comprehensive meals such as Makloubeh, Leg of Lamb, Ironday, Cottageand Kabsa.
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I’m excited for you to try these Palestinian Musakhan rolls! If you try my recipes, please leave a star rating and/ or review in the comment section below. I love hearing from you. Feel free to leave any questions or comments below as well. You can share your remakes with me on Instagram!
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First, let’s get the chicken cooking. Grab a large pot and add your chicken along with water to submerge it in. To this, add the onions, bay leaves, garlic cloves and salt.
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Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through.
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While the chicken is cooking; start working on the onion prep. Thinly slice the onions and then place in a large pan with olive oil and let this cook down until jammy and caramelized. This can take close to 15 minutes. Season with salt and sumac. Stir together to make sure it is well coated. Set aside.
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Once the chicken is cooked; shred it with two forks and add it to the onions. Season with sumac, seven spice, salt, olive oil, lemon’s juice, along with the chicken broth to keep it juicy. Taste and adjust if needed.
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At this point, the filling is complete and it is time for assembly. Preheat the oven to 400F.
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Take a piece of the bread; placing the widest part in front of you. Add 2 tbsp of filling and place across the end. Tuck the sides in and roll the bread over the stuffing to keep rolling until reaching the triangle tip. Keep seam face down in a lightly oiled tray or parchment lined baking pan to bake. Repeat with the rest.
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Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm with plain yogurt and/or salad.
