Roasted Zaatar Chicken (Printable)

Aromatic Middle Eastern roasted chicken with zaatar, lemon, and olive oil. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and authentic flavors in one delicious dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

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

→ Marinade

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

→ Roasting Vegetables

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Whisk together olive oil, zaatar, sumac, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Gently loosen the skin over the chicken breasts. Rub half the marinade under the skin, then coat the entire exterior with the remaining mixture.
03 - Optionally place a few lemon slices and some onion rings inside the chicken cavity for added moisture and flavor.
04 - Arrange remaining onion rings, carrot chunks, and lemon slices in a roasting pan. Position the chicken on top, breast side up.
05 - Let the chicken stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Bring to room temperature before roasting if refrigerated.
06 - Set oven to 400°F.
07 - Roast in the middle 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 registers 165°F.
08 - Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with roasted vegetables and pan juices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The zaatar creates this irresistibly fragrant, nutty crust that people literally cannot stop talking about
  • Its practically foolproof but makes you look like you spent hours planning something special
  • The leftover chicken makes the most incredible sandwiches for lunch the next day
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that covering the chicken during roasting will steam the skin and youll lose all that wonderful crispiness
  • Trusting your meat thermometer is more reliable than timing alone because every oven behaves differently
03 -
  • Letting the chicken come to room temperature before roasting ensures more even cooking from edge to center
  • Saving the pan juices and drizzling them over the carved chicken is the kind of restaurant quality detail that makes people think youre a kitchen genius

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