Skip to main content
LoginSign Up
Jerusalem-Style “Mixed-Grill” Chicken

Jerusalem-Style “Mixed-Grill” Chicken

Our skillet take on “mixed-grill” chicken, a medley of meats, onions, and spices served up in the markets of Israel.

  • Makes
    4-6 servings
  • Cook Time
    35 minutes
  • Rating

Jerusalem mixed grill, or meorav yerushalmi, is a popular Israeli street food, one that is said to originate in Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda market. The term “mixed” refers to the sundry ingredients that go into the dish—chicken meat, hearts, spleen and liver, along with bits of lamb, plus onions and spices. To re-create a simplified mixed grill at home, we borrowed from chef Daniel Alt’s version at The Barbary and Omri Mcnabb’s take on it at The Palomar, two London restaurants that serve up modern Levantine and Middle Eastern cuisine. We limited the meat to boneless, skinless chicken thighs and seasoned them assertively with select spices. Our “grill” is a nonstick skillet on the stovetop. Amba, a pickled mango condiment, is commonly served with mixed grill to offset the richness of the meat; we, however, quick-pickle sliced red onion to offer a similar acidity and brightness. Nutty, creamy tahini sauce is, of course, a requirement. Serve the chicken with warmed pita.

Tip

Don’t stir the chicken-onion mixture too often while cooking; doing so disrupts browning. Intermittent stirring—no more than every 2 to 3 minutes—allows the chicken to develop nice, deep, flavor-building char.

Ingredients
  • ¼

    cup white vinegar

  • ½

    teaspoon white sugar

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • ⅓

    cup tahini

  • 4

    tablespoons lemon juice, divided

  • 3

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 1½

    teaspoons ground coriander

  • 1

    teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1

    teaspoon ground turmeric

  • ¾

    teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 2

    pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch chunks

Step 1

In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar, sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt until the sugar and salt dissolve. Stir in 1 cup of sliced onion; set aside. In another small bowl, mix together the tahini and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, then whisk in 6 tablespoons water. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of oil, the coriander, allspice, turmeric, cinnamon and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the chicken and the remaining sliced onion, then stir until evenly coated.

Step 3

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until barely smoking. Add the chicken mixture in an even layer and cook, uncovered and stirring only every 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken is well browned all over and no longer is pink when cut into, 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 4

Off heat, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle lightly with some of the tahini sauce and top with the pickled onion. Serve the remaining tahini sauce on the side.

Featured in