Za’atar Roast Chicken with Green Tahini Sauce

By Leslie Blythe Chicken Marinating, Roasting

August 6, 2018

This Za'atar Roast Chicken is marinated overnight in lots of spices, onions and lemon. It makes the chicken super juicy and moist on the inside. It’s then topped off with Za’atar right before roasting. Za’atar is a Middle Eastern herb blend typically made from dried thyme, marjoram, oregano, sumac, toasted sesame seeds and salt. Variations of this herb and spice blend go back to medieval times and it's common in all the countries of the Middle East. Serve with Green Tahini Sauce.

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Yields: 6 Servings

Ingredients

1 - 3½ – 4 pound chicken, cut into quarters, or 2 large skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts and 2 skin-on, bone-in chicken legs

2 medium red onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed

1 tablespoon sumac

1½ teaspoons ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water

¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons za’atar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup pine nuts

6 pieces lavash or other flatbread

Green Tahini Sauce

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 cup (lightly packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves with tender stems

½ cup tahini

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

Directions

1Preheat oven to 400° F before roasting. Toss chicken, onions, garlic, lemon, sumac, allspice, cinnamon, broth, and ¼ cup oil in a large resealable plastic bag; season with salt and pepper. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

2Place chicken, onions, garlic, and lemon on a rimmed baking sheet, spooning any remaining marinade over and around chicken. Sprinkle with za'atar and roast until chicken is browned and cooked through, 45 – 55 minutes.

3Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring often, until butter foams, then browns, and nuts are golden brown (be careful not to burn), about 4 minutes; season with salt.

4Slice chicken breasts, if desired. Serve chicken with roasted onion and lemon, topped with pine nuts, with green tahini sauce and lavash.

Green Tahini Sauce

1Pulse garlic, parsley, tahini, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup water in a food processor, adding more water if needed, until smooth (sauce should be the consistency of a thin mayonnaise); season with salt.

Do ahead

1Chicken can be marinated 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

2Za'atar and sumac are available at Middle Eastern markets and specialty foods stores, and online.

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