This sumac chicken and onion sheet pan dinner features tangy and juicy chicken thighs marinated in sumac and a blend of spices, layered over thinly sliced onions. With only 10 minutes of prep time, it bakes to perfection in the oven all on one sheet pan. A final garnish of toasted pine nuts, fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon add texture and brightness. Make this reader favourite the next time you need a quick weeknight dinner!

A large sheet pan lined with parchment paper with cooked chicken thighs and cooked slices of red onions, lemon wedges, and a serving spoon. Everything is garnished with toasted pine nuts and parsley.

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5-Star Reader Review

“This is so good. The first time I made it I had to stop myself from eating it all in one go. I also made some tuom to go along with it. It’s a great pairing.I couldn’t believe how good it all was. I sent the recipe to my foodie friends because I wanted everyone to share in it’s goodness! Thank you!”

—Andrew
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This recipe is inspired by musakhan, a Palestinian dish that usually requires bone-in chicken and a much longer process in which the onions are fried and deeply caramelized. The star of the dish is sumac, a highly underused spice in my opinion, with a fruity and tangy flavour.

Taking the spirit of the dish and turning it into a sheet pan meal required many rounds of testing. I needed to use a cut of chicken that cooks quickly but also allows the onions enough time to soften and caramelize, releasing their sweet flavour. That meant no bone-in chicken!

Boneless chicken thighs work best, and you can use them skinless or with the skin on. Another important note is to ensure the onions (I prefer red onions, but white onions will work too) are very thinly sliced. I use a mandolin to slice them quite quickly and to ensure they’re the same size for even cooking (always use the guard or cut proof gloves!). They end up soft and sweet, perfectly balancing the tartness of the dish from the sumac.

Sumac is also an ingredient used in Za’atar, which is a Levantine spice mix. I use it quite often to make za’atar roasted chicken, so if you love the flavour of sumac, you’ll love that dish too.

How to Make Sumac Chicken on a Sheet Pan

Mix the spices together (reserving 1 tablespoon of the sumac) to make a mixture you can use to marinate the chicken as well as the onions. Place the sliced onions on a parchment lined baking sheet and place a few dollops of the spice paste on top. Mix the spices in and evenly spread the onions out into one layer.

Seasoning mixed with olive oil and lemon juice in a small white bowl
thinly sliced red onions are placed on a parchment lined sheet pan, and drizzled with a seasoned oil paste

Place the chicken on top of the bed of onions and rub the spices in evenly. You can choose to marinate the chicken for 1-2 hours in the fridge, or just cook it right away. Marinating it longer will amplify the flavours more but I actually end up baking right away most of the time.

thinly sliced red onions are placed on a parchment lined sheet pan, topped with raw chicken thighs, both drizzled with a seasoned oil paste
thinly sliced red onions are placed on a parchment lined sheet pan, topped with raw chicken thighs, both well seasoned with spices and olive oil

Bake, garnish and serve. I sprinkle the remaining sumac over the baked chicken. I also love it sprinkled with parsley for a pop of colour and some freshness, along with a squeeze of lemon. If I have slivered almonds or pine nuts, I toast them lightly in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and then sprinkle them on top. The nuts really do elevate the dish!

A large sheet pan lined with parchment paper with cooked chicken thighs and cooked slices of red onions, lemon wedges, and a serving spoon. Everything is garnished with toasted pine nuts and parsley.

My Favourite Way to Serve It

I usually serve with some pita bread or any type of flatbread. I lay the pita flat, then add a generous amount of the caramelized onions, a few chicken pieces, then top it with the pine nuts and parsley. You eat it by tearing the bread and using it to grab some chicken and onions and make small bites! It is also so delicious served with my 5-minute toum sauce, or this yogurt based shawarma sauce.

A dinner plate with a large pita flat pita bread, topped with baked chicken thighs, a lot of red onions, and garnished with toasted pine nuts and parsley.

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A large sheet pan lined with parchment paper with cooked chicken thighs and cooked slices of red onions, lemon wedges, and a serving spoon. Everything is garnished with toasted pine nuts and parsley.
4.94 from 32 ratings

Sumac Chicken and Onion (Sheet Pan Dinner)

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
This Sumac Chicken and Onion sheet pan dinner is bursting with Middle Eastern spices and requires very little effort to make! Simply marinate the chicken and onion slices then pop in the oven. The flavours are inspired by classic Palestinian Musakhan. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner.
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Ingredients
 

  • 680 g boneless skinless chicken thighs , roughly 8 thighs
  • 3 small Red Onions, yellow onion will work too
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the spice mixture:

  • 4 tablespoons sumac, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1.5 teaspoon salt

For garnish:

  • 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
  • Lemon wedges
  • Toasted pine nuts, or slivered almonds

Instructions
 

  • Start by pre-heating the oven to 400F
  • Thinly slice the onions into half moons (I do this using a mandolin) and place them on a parchment lined sheet pan.
  • In a bowl, mix together the olive oil and the spices until they're well combined, reserving 1 tablespoon of the sumac.
  • Place about one tablespoon of the spice paste over the onions and toss them together to ensure they are all coated. Spread them into one even layer.
  • Place the chicken thighs over the onions and add the rest of the spice paste. Use your hands to evenly coat the chicken with the spice paste.  
  • Bake in the oven for roughly 30-35 minutes, until juice run clear and chicken is white on the inside (you can test a piece). Broil for 5 minutes to achieve a bit of colour on the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining sumac on top of the chicken and onions.
  • Garnish with parsley, toasted pine nuts and lemon wedges. Serve with bread or a side of rice and enjoy!

Notes

  • Not recommended to use chicken breast, since I have not tested the optimum cooking time, and chicken breast tends to dry out faster in the oven due to low fat content. If you must, then do check it for doneness after about 15 minutes of baking time.
  • You can also add in other vegetables to this dish that have a similar cooking time to the onions.
Serving: 1Serving, Calories: 363kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 162mg, Sodium: 1028mg, Potassium: 552mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 51IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 2mg
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