Al Faham chicken, also known as charcoal chicken, is a smoky grilled chicken dish seasoned with aromatic Middle Eastern spices. Just like your favorite grilled tandoori chicken, it’s ideal for a casual get-together or backyard barbecue, and pairs beautifully with just about any side.
What is Al Faham Chicken?
Al Faham is a popular Arabian grilled chicken dish known for its bold, smoky flavor. The word faham means “charcoal,” a nod to the traditional grilling method that gives the chicken its signature taste. Even without a charcoal grill, you can still recreate the same mouthwatering results at home.
It is primarily made with a whole chicken or juicy bone-in thighs or legs, marinated in a homemade bezar (bzar), which is a fragrant blend of warm spices.
Whether you’re preparing a festive Ramadan or Eid spread or just need a quick, flavorful weeknight dinner, his recipe is one you’ll find yourself making on repeat.
Key Ingredients
- Spices: Make a fragrant homemade Emirati spice blend, known as bezar, by toasting a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, green cardamom pods, black cloves, and cumin seeds. Grind them into a fine powder with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, then mix in the paprika, kosher salt, and turmeric powder.
- Marinade: Blend the homemade bezar with full-fat yogurt to tenderize the chicken, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic cloves, fresh ginger, white or red onion, a tomato, and a few green chilies (jalapeño, serrano, or Thai peppers) to round out the marinade’s flavor.
- Chicken: Choose your favorite cut—whole spatchcocked chicken, bone-in thighs, legs, or quarters will give you the best results since bone-in chicken will stay juicier and more flavorful as it cooks. If you prefer boneless chicken, go with chicken thighs.
Additions and Substitutions
- Spice things up. Use bezar seasoning to flavor al faham chicken or substitute it with kosher salt and seasonings such as baharat seasoning, ras el hanout, garam masala, or seven-spice.
Equipment
Toast the whole spices in a skillet, grind them with a spice grinder, and blend the marinade ingredients in a food processor. Marinate the chicken in a large mixing bowl, then cook it on a charcoal or gas grill. A grilling basket is a classic choice that makes flipping easier and helps the chicken cook evenly.
Just preheat the grill, clean the grates with a wooden scraper, and follow the instructions below for perfectly grilled chicken every time.
How to Make Al Faham Chicken
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Toast a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, green cardamom pods, black cloves, and cumin seeds in a skillet for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Step 2: Let the spices cool slightly and transfer them to a spice grinder in batches. Blend into a fine powder and move them to a food processor.
Step 3: Add yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, onion, tomato, chilies, paprika, kosher salt, and turmeric powder to the bowl of the food processor. Process into a smooth paste and set aside.
Step 4: Score the chicken pieces with a sharp knife and transfer them to a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to combine. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 6-24 hours.
Step 5: Let the chicken come to room temperature. Then, remove the grates and preheat the grill by setting the burners to high heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the marinated chicken to a grill basket, shaking off any excess marinade.
Step 6: Lower the grill temperature to medium-high heat or 450℉ (232℃). Place the basket on the grill or rest it on the flavor bars. Cook skin-side-down for 10 minutes. Flip the basket and cook for 10 minutes.
How do I know when the chicken is done?
Grill the chicken until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). You can check the temperature by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the bone.
Step 7: Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
- Marinate the chicken. Marinate al faham chicken for 6-24 hours, but at least 30 minutes for the best results.
- Prepare the grill. Preheat the gas grill before adding the chicken to create a sear to seal in the juices.
- Go by temperature. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. According to the USDA, chicken is safe when it reaches 165°F (74°C). Check by inserting the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken without touching the bone.
- Rest the chicken. Resting the chicken after it grills allows the juices to redistribute for juicy, flavorful chicken.
If you enjoy al faham chicken, try more Middle Eastern recipes from Jamil Ghar!
Serving Suggestions
Al Faham chicken takes smoky grilled chicken to the next level with aromatic spices so it pairs perfectly with cooling side dishes like cucumber yogurt salad, fattoush, malfouf salad, or avocado cucumber tomato salad. Add some sumac onions, biwaz, or sumac cucumbers on the side to keep things fresh and vibrant.
Serve charcoal chicken with warm pita bread, sourdough discard naan, or aromatic rice dishes like basmati rice, mandi, jeera rice, saffron rice, or chicken yakni pulao.
Round it out with creamy garlic toum, spicy skhug, tahini yogurt sauce, or roasted veggies like zucchini and bell peppers for a meal that’s as balanced as it is flavorful.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days, though it may lose some of its smokiness.
- Freeze: Let the chicken cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Al faham chicken freezes for 4-6 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the chicken in the fridge overnight for the best results.
- Reheat: Warm the defrosted or leftover grilled chicken in the oven at 400°F (204°C) for 15 minutes to keep the chicken nice and crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does al faham mean?
Al faham is an Arabic term meaning ‘charcoal’ or ‘embers.’ The dish goes by the name al faham chicken because of the traditional method of cooking the chicken over hot coals or on a charcoal grill, infusing the meat with a distinctive smoky flavor.
How is al faham chicken made?
Al Faham chicken starts with whole chicken, legs, thighs, or leg quarters marinated in a flavorful mix of tangy yogurt, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and bezar.
Deep slits are scored into the chicken to ensure the marinade penetrates, and it’s left to marinate for several hours, ideally overnight, for maximum flavor.
Traditionally, the chicken grills over charcoal, giving the meal its signature char and smokiness. Feel free to roast the chicken in the oven or cook it in a grill pan on the stovetop as a convenient alternative.
Can I cook the chicken in the oven?
Follow the chicken and marinade instructions in the recipe card below. When you are ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack and arrange the chicken (whole or in pieces) on the rack in a single layer, shaking off any excess marinade.
Lower the heat to 400°F (204°C) and roast for 35 to 45 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
If you want to capture some of that smoky flavor you get from grilling, wrap a hot piece of charcoal in aluminum foil and place it under the wire rack. If you’re out of coals, a few dashes of liquid smoke in the marinade will do the trick.
More Chicken Recipes:
Al Faham Chicken
- 1 -inch cinnamon stick
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 4 black cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ cup full-fat yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- lemon juice, one lemon
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 -inch knob of ginger, grated
- ½ white onion, roughly chopped
- 1 Roma tomato, roughly chopped
- 1-2 green chiles, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken
- Toast a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, green cardamom pods, black cloves, and cumin seeds in a skillet for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Let the spices cool slightly and transfer them to a spice grinder in batches. Blend into a fine powder and move them to a food processor.
- Add yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, onion, tomato, chilies, paprika, kosher salt, and turmeric powder to the bowl of the food processor. Process into a smooth paste and set aside.
- Score the chicken pieces with a sharp knife and transfer them to a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to combine. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 6-24 hours.
- Let the chicken come to room temperature. Then, remove the grates and preheat the grill by setting the burners to high heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the marinated chicken to a grill basket, shaking off any excess marinade.
- Lower the grill temperature to medium-high heat or 450℉ (232℃). Place the basket on the grill or rest it on the flavor bars. Cook skin-side-down for 10 minutes. Flip the basket and cook for 10 minutes.Tip: Grill the chicken until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). You can check the temperature by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the bone.
- Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Marinate the chicken. Marinate al faham chicken for 6-24 hours, but at least 30 minutes for the best results.
- Prepare the grill. Preheat the gas grill before adding the chicken to create a sear to seal in the juices.
- Go by temperature. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. According to the USDA, chicken is safe when it reaches 165°F (74°C). Check by inserting the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken without touching the bone.
- Rest the chicken. Resting the chicken after it grills allows the juices to redistribute for juicy, flavorful chicken.
Mindy
Saturday 28th of September 2024
This is in our regular rotation now. We normally do bone in thighs but have also done boneless thighs for a quick weeknight meal and tomorrow is Al Faham chicken wings. Literally the only chicken marinade we’ll ever need.
Tressa Jamil
Saturday 28th of September 2024
That’s amazing to hear! I love that you’re making it part of your regular rotation, and trying it with wings sounds fantastic. That may have to be the next recipe I post.