Djaj bi Sumac wa Basal

This beautiful dish from the Lebanese mountains relies on the tangy, wine-dark spice sumac to braise chicken thighs into something extraordinary. The onions melt into a jammy sauce that is simultaneously sour, sweet and deeply savoury — perfect spooned over warm flatbread or rice. It is a staple of home cooking and mezze feasts from Tripoli to the Bekaa Valley.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1kg (2.2 lb) bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 4 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
• 3 tbsp (30g) ground sumac, divided
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 100ml (scant ½ cup) pomegranate juice or water
• 2 tbsp (20g) toasted pine nuts, to garnish
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish
• Khubz (flatbread) or vermicelli rice, to serve

Instructions

1. In a bowl, toss chicken with 1.5 tbsp sumac, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper and salt. Let marinate at least 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge).
2. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken skin-side down for 5-6 minutes until golden and crisp. Flip and brown the other side 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to the same pan (do not clean it). Cook 20-25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until deeply golden and soft.
4. Stir in remaining 1.5 tbsp sumac and cook 2 minutes.
5. Nestle the chicken back into the onion mixture. Add pomegranate juice or water. Cover and braise over low heat for 25-30 minutes until chicken is completely tender and cooked through.
6. Remove lid and cook a further 5 minutes to reduce and concentrate the sauce.
7. Serve scattered with toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley.

Cook's Notes: Sumac is the star — use the freshest you can find, ideally bought from a Middle Eastern grocer. The dish can be made a day ahead and tastes even better reheated. A drizzle of pomegranate molasses at the end adds extra depth.