Tandoori Chicken Manakish
Soft, chewy Lebanese flatbreads topped with yogurt-marinated tandoori chicken, charred red onion and a cooling mint-yogurt drizzle. A very hot oven blisters the edges while the spiced chicken stays juicy.
- Prep
- 1 hr 5 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Wait
- 1 hr 50 min
- Total
- 3 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 6 manakish (about 7-inch / 18 cm rounds)
Steps
Before you start
- Start the chicken marinade first: it needs about 2 hours, which fits neatly around the dough rising and resting.
- Use warm water of about 105°F (40°C). It should feel comfortably warm, not hot, or it can slow or kill the yeast.
- Put two heavy baking sheets (or a baking stone) in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- The chicken is fully cooked in a skillet before topping, so the manakish only need to bake until the dough is done.
Marinate the chicken
- In a medium bowl, stir together the marinade yogurt, tandoori masala, grated garlic, grated ginger, 2 tbsp of the lemon juice and the chicken salt until smooth.
- Add the chicken pieces and toss until every piece is coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (up to overnight).
- Save the remaining 2 tbsp lemon juice for the drizzle.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated in a thick, brick-red paste with no dry spots.
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 24 hours; the lemon juice can make the chicken mushy.
Mix the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and dough salt.
- Add the warm water and 1 tbsp of the olive oil.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: No dry flour remains and the dough looks rough and sticky.
Tip: Keep the salt away from the yeast until the flour is whisked in, so it can't inhibit it.
Knead until smooth
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, dusting with only as much flour as needed to stop sticking.
- Stop when the dough is smooth, slightly tacky and springs back slowly when poked.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dough is smooth and elastic, and a poked dent slowly springs back.
Tip: Resist adding too much flour; a slightly tacky dough bakes up softer.
Let the dough rise
- Brush a large bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil, add the dough and turn it to coat.
- Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot for 60 to 75 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dough has doubled and a floured finger leaves an indent that fills in slowly.
Tip: In a cool kitchen, place the bowl in the turned-off oven with the light on.
Divide and restOven 500°F / 260°C
- Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 6 equal pieces (about 125 g each).
- Roll each into a tight ball, place on a floured surface, cover with a towel and rest for 20 minutes.
- During this time, place two baking sheets on the oven racks (upper-middle and lower-middle) and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Balls are puffy and soft, and spring back only slightly when pressed.
Tip: Make sure the seam side of each ball faces down for a smoother surface.
Cook chicken and onion
- Heat the neutral oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Scrape most of the excess marinade off the chicken, then cook in a single layer, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until browned in spots and cooked through.
- Transfer to a bowl.
- In the same skillet, cook the sliced red onion for 2 to 3 minutes until just softened with a few charred edges.
- Combine with the chicken and half of the cilantro.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece, with no pink inside.
Tip: Work in two batches if the pan is crowded; otherwise the chicken steams instead of browning.
Make the drizzle
- In a small bowl, stir the drizzle yogurt with the mint, the remaining 2 tbsp lemon juice, drizzle salt and the green chili, if using.
- Add 1 to 2 tbsp water to thin it to a pourable consistency.
- Refrigerate until serving.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Drizzle falls from a spoon in a thick ribbon.
Shape and top
- Cut 3 pieces of parchment to fit your baking sheets.
- Roll or stretch 3 dough balls into 7-inch (18 cm) rounds, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, and set them on the parchment.
- Press dimples across the surface with your fingertips and leave a ½-inch (1 cm) border.
- Brush with a little of the remaining olive oil, then spread about ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture over each, pressing it in lightly.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Rounds are evenly thick, with a clear border and the topping pressed in.
Tip: Don't pile the topping high; thick, wet toppings leave the dough pale and underbaked.
Bake the first batchOven 500°F / 260°C
- Slide the parchment with the manakish onto the hot baking sheets (or stone) in the 500°F (260°C) oven.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, switching the sheets' positions halfway through, until the border is golden brown and blistered and the underside is firm.
- Repeat with the remaining 3 dough balls and topping.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Edges are deep golden with dark blisters and the bottom sounds slightly hollow when tapped.
Tip: Let the oven come back to 500°F (260°C) for 3 to 5 minutes between batches.
Finish and serve
- Scatter the remaining cilantro over the hot manakish, drizzle with the mint yogurt and serve right away, folded in half or flat with a knife and fork.
+ Show details− Hide details
Tip: Add the drizzle at the table so the bread stays crisp at the edges.
Good to know
Tips
- Scrape off excess marinade before cooking to get browning instead of steaming.
- A preheated sheet or stone gives the dough an immediate blast of heat for a crisp base and blistered edges.
- Keep the topping thin and slightly dry so the dough bakes through.
- Adjust the heat by adding more chili to the drizzle or ½ tsp cayenne to the marinade.
Make ahead
The chicken can marinate up to 24 hours ahead. The dough can be refrigerated after kneading for up to 24 hours; bring to room temperature for 45 minutes before dividing. The cooked chicken-onion mixture and the drizzle can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: store leftover manakish in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: wrap individually and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat at 375°F (190°C) for 6 to 8 minutes (10 to 12 from frozen) until hot and crisp at the edges. Keep the drizzle separate in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Substitutions
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breast. Leaner and drier; cook just to 165°F (74°C) and keep the pieces slightly larger.
- tandoori masala → 1 tbsp garam masala + 1 tsp paprika + ½ tsp turmeric + ½ tsp cumin. Gives a similar warm, red-spiced flavor if you can't find tandoori masala.
- whole-milk plain yogurt → Greek yogurt. Use the same amount; it's thicker, so thin the marinade with 1 tbsp water.
- all-purpose flour → bread flour. Makes a chewier crumb; add 1 to 2 tbsp extra water.