Roasted Zaatar Chicken (Printable)

Juicy roasted chicken with zaatar, lemon, and garlic delivers bold, aromatic Middle Eastern flavors and crispy skin.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 3.3 lbs), patted completely dry

→ Marinade

02 - 3 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tbsp zaatar spice blend
04 - 1 tbsp sumac (optional, for extra tanginess)
05 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
08 - ½ tsp black pepper

→ Vegetables for Roasting

09 - 1 large red onion, sliced into thick rings
10 - 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
11 - 1 lemon, sliced into rounds

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together olive oil, zaatar, sumac, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Gently lift the skin over the chicken breast area and rub half of the marinade evenly underneath the skin directly onto the meat.
03 - Rub the remaining marinade over the entire surface of the chicken, ensuring even coverage on all sides.
04 - Place lemon slices and onion rings inside the chicken cavity for added moisture and flavor during roasting.
05 - Arrange remaining onion rings, carrot chunks, and lemon slices in the roasting pan to create a vegetable bed. Position the chicken on top, breast side facing up.
06 - Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. For deeper flavor penetration, cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours, then bring to room temperature before roasting.
07 - Heat oven to 400°F.
08 - Roast in the center of the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F.
09 - Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
10 - Carve the chicken and serve alongside roasted vegetables with pan juices spooned over the top.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The zaatar crust creates this incredible fragrant crispy skin that people will fight over
  • Marinade comes together in minutes but makes it look like you planned ahead all day
  • Leftovers (if there are any) make the most incredible sandwiches the next morning
02 -
  • Dry that chicken skin thoroughly with paper towels before applying any marinade. Water is the enemy of crispy skin.
  • Every zaatar blend has different salt levels. Taste yours first, then adjust your recipe accordingly.
  • Letting the chicken come to room temperature before roasting helps it cook more evenly.
03 -
  • If your zaatar blend seems especially salty, reduce the added salt to 1 teaspoon
  • A thermometer eliminates all the guesswork and prevents overcooked, dry chicken

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