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Zaatar roasted chicken on a bed of sumac potatoes and shallots in a roasting dish
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5 from 3 votes

Za'atar Roast Chicken with Potatoes

This za'atar spiced roast chicken is made spatchcock style with sumac potatoes, but you can also use chicken breasts or a whole roasted chicken.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 424kcal
Author: Alicia

Ingredients

Sumac Potatoes

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound yukon gold potatoes, cut into wedges
  • 2-3 shallots, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 1 teaspoon sumac

Za'atar Chicken

  • 4 pound whole chicken
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • tablespoons za'atar
  • kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a roasting pan large enough to lay your chicken flat (you can also use a high rimmed baking sheet), toss the wedged potatoes and shallots with olive oil, sumac, and salt and pepper to your liking (I typically start with ½ teaspoon). Spread them in a single layer.
  • Spatchcock the chicken using the pictures from the post. Start by using your kitchen shears to cut along one side of the backbone (breast side down). You may have to make smaller snips in thick parts. Flip and cut out the other side of the backbone. Use your scissors to snip at the breastbone. You can also press hard on it to sort of "break" it enough to lay completely flat. Place the chicken in the roasting pan, surrounded by the potatoes, breast side up with legs spread. Tuck the wings if you can.
  • Slide your fingers between the skin and the meat to loosen it a bit, then apply a little bit of olive oil and the minced garlic between the meat and the skin. Rub the rest of the olive oil on the outside of the skin and top with the za'atar all over (you can rub this under the skin too). Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper.
  • Roast for 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast. Remove from oven, cover with foil, and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with sumac potatoes and shallots.

Notes

  • Za'atar and sumac can be found at most grocery stores or online, like Amazon. You can also make your own at home with easy recipes online. If you're following a migraine diet, just watch out for lemon peel. I used a homemade za'atar blend and Morton and Bassett Sumac.
  • For a whole roasted chicken (with the backbone), increase the cooking time to about 1 hour and 10 minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 108mg | Potassium: 638mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 268IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 4mg