Jerusalem Chicken

Jerusalem Chicken is among the rare breed of fast-casual places that’ll still be on your mind the next day, week, or year. Run by the same family who started the local mini-chain Orleans & York (which happens to have a location right next door), this chicken shop is one of the few Palestinian restaurants in the city. They serve a range of pita sandwiches, falafel plates, and chicken dishes in a tiny View Park-Windsor Hills strip mall. Here, chicken isn’t just the safe order—it’s the heavy hitter, the head honcho, the top dog.

The specialty at Jerusalem Chicken is Siti’s Original, a baked chicken stuffed with yellow rice, ground beef, chopped mushrooms, and earthy spices. It’s tender, juicy, and served with a couple of sides like spicy hummus and fresh salata. The best thing on the menu, though, is the Emsakhan Chicken plate. It’s a sumac-dusted bird covered in caramelized onions that’s served over flatbread so fluffy you could use it as a mattress pad. They also drizzle Palestinian olive oil over the whole dish, which adds a rich, peppery flavor that blends with the chicken juices and sets everything off.

Jerusalem Chicken checks all the boxes for a typical fast-casual spot, and then some. The portions are huge, which means you can basically split every dish on the menu. Plus, other than a couple of party-sized items, nothing costs more than $20. There’s no dine-in seating, but the food here tends to travel well, so it’s a good choice for a quick meal on your lunch break or takeout for your next potluck or park hang.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Siti’s Original Stuffed Chicken

This huge chicken dish is a must-order on your first visit. “Siti” also translates to “grandma,” which should tell you everything you need to know about where the owner learned this recipe. The moist bird is stuffed with a medley of rice, beef, mushrooms, and spices like cumin and cardamom—and while it doesn’t need anything else, you should get salata (chopped tomato, cucumber, and parsley, doused in lemon juice) and their creamy hummus on the side to balance the richness.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Emsakhan Chicken Plate

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a takeout rotisserie chicken that’s this special. It’s not just the slow-roasted poultry and carmelized onions that are incredible, it’s that the half-bird sits on top of a thick raft of pita that transforms into a shawarma-flavored treat once it soaks up the chicken jus. There’s no better way to spend $20 here.

Lemon & Garlic Chicken

After marinating in lemon and garlic for hours, this succulent chicken is roasted until the skin is golden brown. The result is a crisp-skinned bird that smells like a freshly peeled garlic clove (and is worth the bad breath that will inevitably follow). Order this dish with a side of spicy hummus and some pickles to double-down on the acidity.

Chicken Pita

Admittedly, this one isn’t as impressive as some of the other chicken dishes on the menu. We like the convenience of a handheld pita pocket, but the chicken’s flavor gets lost under a pile of salata, pickles, and tahini sauce. We actually prefer the falafel pita, especially if you’re in need of a plant-based option.

Jerusalem Ribeye Sandwich

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. And when dining at Jerusalem Chicken, stick to the poultry. The ribeye in this sandwich isn’t bad, but combined with a mostly forgettable pita pocket, it just left us thinking about that chicken again.