Hanukkah Chicken Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What foods are not allowed during Hanukkah? ›

"Among other rules, eating certain animals, primarily pigs and shellfish, is forbidden; meat must be ritually and humanely slaughtered; and dairy and meat aren't to be eaten at the same meal." Fish and plant foods are "neutral" (parve) and can be eaten with either meat or dairy.

The eight days of Hanukkah are observed with the lighting of a menorah after sundown and meals featuring foods challah bread, kugel, potato latkes, jelly doughnuts called sufganiyot, and festive drinks.

A perfect Hanukkah meal might start with matzoh ball soup, have a traditional brisket at the center and a stack of potato latkes on the side. If brisket is not your thing, a simple roasted chicken would serve very nicely, too.

Other related laws and customs

It is customary for women not to work for at least the first half-hour of the candles' burning, and some have the custom not to work for the entire time of burning. It is also forbidden to fast or to eulogize during Hanukkah.

Fried foods, like potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts, are prepared and eaten throughout the holiday to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah: oil that kept the menorah (an ancient lamp) lit for 8 days instead of the 1 day it was supposed to last.

In America, Hanukkah food typically refers to two things: latkes, Eastern European fried potato pancakes, and sufganiyot, jelly-filled doughnuts that are favored in Israel and increasingly popular here.

From crispy latkes to tangy brisket to jammy sufganiyot. From shallow-fried potato latkes to deep-fried jelly doughnuts, traditional Hanukkah foods hinge on oil. Typically falling in December, the Jewish holiday, also called the Festival of Lights, celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Therefore, one way to commemorate this miracle is by eating fried foods. Potato pancakes (latkes) were very popular foods for Hanukkah in Europe, probably due to the abundance of potatoes in the winter and the lack of anything else. The jelly donuts are deep fried in oil and much sweeter than potato pancakes.

What do you eat for brunch on Hanukkah? ›

While the Hanukkah menorah is usually lit after sunset, a lazy weekend morning is also a great time to celebrate the Jewish holiday. So many traditional Jewish foods double as brunch favorites, from potato latkes (hash browns, anyone?) to doughnuts and challah.

Did Jesus Celebrate Hanukkah? In the first century, you can imagine the excitement and festive atmosphere in the land, as the Temple stood in Jerusalem. Even Yeshua showed up for the celebration of this Feast of Dedication. It was the season of remembering a victory of a righteous priestly deliverer.

While potato latkes have become one of the most popular foods for celebrating the Hanukkah miracle, dairy remains central within some traditions. For Ashkenazi Jews, kugel and blinis are very popular at Hanukkah time. In Italy, ricotta pancakes called cassola are still considered a Hanukkah delicacy.

However, among many Jews it is also customary to consume dairy foods on Chanukah. The reasoning behind this tradition stems from an incident depicted in the Book of Judith.

Hanukkah doesn't have any dietary restrictions, but make sure not to bring food items that aren't kosher. Even if your hosts aren't observant, it's best to stick with kosher items out of politeness. You never know if the host might have invited observant guests!

While brisket may be a beef dish typically associated with the Hanukkah season, in his family, they prepare beef tongue. Because that's an ingredient lumped in with offal, it's not often enjoyed by many Americans (aside from lengua tacos, maybe!), he says. But it's considered a delicacy for some, he says.

A commentary from that time, by Rabbi Moses Isserles, on the Shulchan Aruch, the Jewish Code of Law, even recommends eating cheese on the holiday in honor of Judith. During the Middle Ages, that cheese would have likely come from a goat or a sheep, as cow's milk cheese was rare, Weingarten says.

Any animal who has cloven hooves and chews its cud may be eaten; such animals as the camel, badger, hare and the pig then may not be eaten. Sheep, cattle, goats and deer are all kosher and may be eaten. From the water, anything that has fins and scales may be consumed; prohibiting all shellfish.