Ottolenghi's Roast Chicken with Za'atar and Sumac

Here's an amazing roast chicken recipe from chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Chicken thighs are spiced with za'atar and sumac, tossed with onions, lemons and garlic, and roasted. This is a great dinner party recipe because you can do all the prep ahead. The chicken is tender and juicy and the flavors are fantastically delicious!

THE PERFECT DINNER PARTY RECIPE

HOW TO MAKE OTTOLENGHI'S ROAST CHICKEN

• Slice two red onions and one lemon. Throw them into a big bowl. 
• Add all the other ingredients: Chicken thighs, spices, olive oil and two crushed garlic cloves
• Toss the chicken with all the marinade ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for at least three hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Transfer the chicken and all the marinade ingredients to a baking pan large enough to hold all the chicken pieces without overlapping.
• Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through.
• If you like the skin browned, turn the oven up to broil for the last few minutes of cooking, until the chicken is golden brown and crisp on top.
• Toasted pine nuts are a great garnish. You can toast them up ahead of time or while the chicken is roasting. 

• Instead of chicken quarters I used only thighs, just a personal preference.
• I omitted allspice from my recipe (Ottolenghi uses 1½ teaspoons). I tried it with and without and found the allspice too dominant. I prefer to let wonderful flavors of sumac and za'atar shine through.
• Also, I discovered that roasting the chicken in a deep roasting pan resulted in juicier chicken and more delicious gravy vs roasting it in a shallow jellyroll pan.
• The skin doesn't brown as much in the deeper pan but If you're set on crispy skin, simply turn on the broiler for the last few minutes of cooking time until the skin is crisp and brown to your liking.

 

Ottolenghi has been my chef-hero for years. Now that I live in London, his home city, I find myself wanting to cook his beautiful Middle Eastern recipes more than ever. I brought very few cookbooks with me overseas but my entire Ottolenghi cookbook collection made the cut.

This roast chicken recipe comes from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook - his first cookbook and one of my favorites.

If you are an Ottolenghi fan, don't miss these other delicious Ottolenghi recipes on Panning The Globe:

• Ottolenghi's Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts
• Ottolenghi's Turkey Zucchini Meatballs with Lemony Yogurt Sauce
• Ottolenghi's Turkey Corn Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
• Ottolenghi's Lentil Salad with Herbs and Feta

Here's the recipe for Ottolenghi's Roast Chicken with Za'atar and Sumac. If you try this recipe I hope you come back to leave a rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think.

Be sure to follow PANNING THE GLOBE on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM for daily cooking inspiration. 

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Ottolenghi's Roast Chicken with Za'atar and Sumac

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★★★★★

4.8 from 16 reviews

Delicious roast chicken thighs recipe with Middle Eastern flavors. Easy. Prep ahead. Worthy of a special occasion.

• Author: Lisa
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4-6 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Oven Roast
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 8 chicken thighs with skin and bones, trimmed of excess fat and loose skin
• 2 red onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
• 5 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons za'atar plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon sumac
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• Topping:
• 6 tablespoons pine nuts
• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix chicken, onions, lemon, garlic, 4 tablespoons olive oil, spices, broth, salt, and pepper. Marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer chicken and its marinade to a shallow baking pan large enough to hold all the chicken pieces lying flat with a little space between pieces. Chicken should be skin side up. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked through.* If you like the skin browned, turn the oven up to broil for the last few minutes of cooking, checking every minute or so until the skin is as crisp and brown as you like it. (Be very careful not to burn it)
3. Make The Topping: While the chicken is roasting, line a plate with a double layer of paper towels. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until they turn golden. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate, to absorb the oil.
4. To Serve: Transfer the hot chicken, onions and lemons to a serving platter. Pour pan juices over the chicken pieces. Sprinkle chicken with extra za'atar if you like and sprinkle with chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts. Serve hot.