Palestinian roast chicken with melted onions, hummus and lemony flatbread

Serves 4

This recipe is a firm favourite in our house - we've been making it for years. It's traditionally called Musakhan and is often considered the national dish of Palestine. My take includes hummus, lemon zest, cumin and coriander. The true star of the dish is the confit-like onions which are silky, melted and delicious.

Palestinian roasted chicken with melted onions, hummus and lemony flatbread Photo: supplie

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 tsp each ground coriander and cumin
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 5 onions, cut into thin strips
• Sea salt and pepper

To serve:

• 4 warmed flatbreads
• Zest of a lemon
• 1 cup hummus
• 1/2 cup pinenuts toasted

Method

1) Heat oven to 180°C.
2) Rub coriander and cumin into the chicken and dry roast for 15 minutes (or until lightly
browned) in a heavy casserole dish to seal it.
3) While the chicken is sealing add olive oil and onions to a heavy-based frypan and cook
over a low heat until onions are soft and lightly brown (about 10-15 minutes).
4) Remove chicken briefly from the oven, add onions and oil, season, cover and roast for
another hour.
5) Remove lid and continue baking uncovered for a further 20 minutes until cooked.
6) Tear chicken and serve on a warm flatbread with lemon zest and smeared hummus,
drench with olive oil and onion mix allowing juices to run into the bread the sprinkle with
pinenuts