Ferakh Mashwi
Chicken spatchcocked and grilled under a cumin, garlic and lemon paste until the skin blackens in patches. The marinade is thin on purpose so it burns rather than steams.
Photograph credit: Arabic grilled chicken with Egyptian pickle by Mohamod Fasil · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photograph credit: Flickr - schmuela - chicken in the grill, rice in the pots by Karen Green · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Method
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Cut down either side of the backbone with kitchen scissors and press the bird flat, cracking the breastbone.
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Slash the thighs and the thickest part of the breast twice each, down to the bone.
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Mix the marinade — it should be thin and pourable, not a paste. Rub it into the slashes and all over the skin.
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Leave for 60 minutes at cool room temperature.
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Heat a grill to high, or set coals up for indirect heat. Start the bird skin-side up, 20 cm from the element.
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Grill 25 minutes skin-side up, then turn and give it 20 minutes more, until the juices run clear at the thigh and the skin has blackened in patches.
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Rest 10 minutes, then squeeze over the last of the lemon and scatter with coriander.
Chef’s Tips
- A thin marinade. A thick one steams the skin.
- Slash to the bone or the thighs will not be done with the breast.
- Char in patches is correct. Uniform gold means the heat was too low.
Common Substitutions & Variations
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
Pairing Suggestions
- Batates mohammara
- Salata baladi
- Egyptian tahina
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat at 200°C for 12 minutes. It freezes cooked for 2 months.
Common questions
How long does Ferakh Mashwi take to make?
About 1 hour 5 minutes of hands-on work — 20 minutes of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking — plus 1 hour of marinating, so allow 2 hours 5 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Ferakh Mashwi?
A thin marinade. A thick one steams the skin. Slash to the bone or the thighs will not be done with the breast. Char in patches is correct. Uniform gold means the heat was too low.
What should I serve with Ferakh Mashwi?
Batates mohammara; Salata baladi; Egyptian tahina.
Can Ferakh Mashwi be made ahead or frozen?
Refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat at 200°C for 12 minutes. It freezes cooked for 2 months.
Is Ferakh Mashwi suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, high-protein, low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Ferakh Mashwi?
About 520 kcal per serving, with 46 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate and 35 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutritional Highlights
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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