Palestine Chicken: Al Mahloos
Enjoy the richness of the olive oil along with the tangy flavor of the sumac sprinkled on tender chicken with crispy skin in this al mahloos chicken, an ancient Palestinian recipe.

- 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces.
- 1 1/4 cups olive oil
- 4 large yellow onion
- 1/2 Tablespoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons sumac
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1/2 Tablespoon 7-spic mix
- In a small food processor, finely process all the onion.
- In a large bowl, add all the spices along with the chopped onions and mix well.
- Place chicken pieces in a baking dish then pour the onion mixture over.
- Rub chicken well with onion mixture, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Remove the plastic wrap and cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil
- Bake in the oven for about an hour or until chicken is done.
- Uncover dish and broil the chicken to get the skin crisper.
Next time try this Musakhan recipe. ❤️ Why You'll Love It
- Flavorful and rich chicken recipe.
- Super easy to make.
- Comes with make ahead option.
- Can easily be doubled or tripled.
This recipe is also great for potluck and goes well with any salad, pasta or side dish you have. 📝 Ingredients 🥄 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a deep bowl, combine onions, olive oil and all the spices.
- Add chicken and toss well to coat then refrigerate for a couple of hour or up to 2 days.
⌛ Make Ahead
- You can marinade the chicken in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking.
- Freeze marinated chicken for 4-6 months.
🍽️ Serve With These chicken goes very well with yellow rice, freekeh pilaf , roasted vegetables or any kind of flat bread like this Palestinian taboon bread.
🧺 Storage Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
📣 Related Recipes
- This Mujadara recipe is so simple and done in one pot!
- Lebanese style Kafta is an easy weeknight dinner that packs a lot of flavors.
- An easy weeknight chicken dinner, oregano chicken, made with boneless chicken, lemon and delicious spices.
- Here's the best Cornish hen recipe, the whole family will love. This is a special occasion dish, but makes for a good hearty meal that can be served on a weeknight as well.
- This chicken and yellow rice recipe is easy to prepare and tastes great. It’s perfect for dinner parties or family gatherings.
I hope you'll like this recipe and please if you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #amiraspantry — I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter! Don’t want to miss a recipe? d stay in touch with me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates. If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish.
It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you. Palestinian chicken : Al mahloos
Notes
- You can use any bone-in chicken pieces you like.
- You will end up with a delicious rich chicken swimming in olive oil, do not throw the oil away, it will be so flavorful with onions too. Dip some crusty bread in this oil mixture or scoop it over rice.
- Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.
Nutrition
First published Jun 15, 2015 .
Last updated February 10, 2022 with important tips, clear step by step instructions and readability.