Recipes

Zaatar Roasted Chicken

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 10 mins

| Cook Time: 45 mins

| Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins

You may need: Zaatar

Discover The Recipe

If we were pressed to recommend only one spice blend from the Levant / Eastern Mediterranean region to our customers, it would be Zaatar. Use Zaatar to make this easy, one-pan Zaatar roasted chicken recipe or sprinkle away on whatever happens to be handy. We think you'll find (just like we do) that the Zaatar disappears all too quickly.

The versatility and flavor punch of this classic spice are big reasons why we love it. Use it with any savory dish from roast meats to vegetables, stews to sauces, popcorn to pizza, and try it mixed with extra virgin olive oil to provide a burst of flavor on a pita or crusty bread. Zaatar has regional variations, but the core ingredients are thyme, providing a subtle woodsy-minty flavor; sumac, which provides a lovely tartness; marjoram, which adds a hint of sweetness; and sesame seeds for a nutty note. Most local preparations include salt, but we'll leave that up to you to add to your liking.

Ingredients

2-2.5 lbs of chicken (we like skin-on leg quarters)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Piquant Post Zaatar Spice
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 lemon, sliced into wedges
2 Tbsp flat leaf parsely, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Notes

We suggest using chicken leg quarters as they roast beautifully and provide a crispy skin crunch. They're also fun to eat! But you can use any pieces of chicken that you prefer.

Traditional zaatar blends include lots of salt. We leave that out but do recommend adding salt to your taste for maximum flavor punch.

We recommend adding the pomegranate seeds at the end as a garnish. You can roast the chicken with them on, but the delicate tartness tends to get degraded after cooking.

Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don't sweat it if you don't have them.

Instructions

Season chicken with salt & pepper. In a large mixing bowl, add the olive oil, Zaatar spice, and garlic. Stir to create a marinade.

Add the chicken to the bowl and mix to thoroughly coat chicken. Cover and place in fridge for at least 15 minutes and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 deg. Place chicken on a baking sheet or baking dish skin side up and cook for 45 mins or until chicken reaches 165 deg inside.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and parsley. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Zaatar is one of our favorite blends and there are so many ways to use it. Try it on pizza, popcorn, other roasted meats, seafood, and any roasted veggies.
Many Lebanese eat Za'atar daily on their flatbreads. Try mixing it with extra virgin olive oil and spreading on hot crusty bread or pita.
Use Zaatar to spruce up your meatless Monday with our Za'atar Roasted Salmon with Couscous & Yogurt , or Za'atar Spiced Fish recipes. Or try this Roasted Squash with Farro Fattoush recipe. Another delicious vegan side dish is our Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini (Kousa Mahsi ).
Check out this link for many more ideas of how to use zaatar.
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