Za'atar Roasted Chicken Breast Recipe...an easy one-skillet chicken dinner that will have your taste buds going crazy (in a good way!) Za'atar is a flavor-packed spice blend of Mediterranean wild thyme and toasted sesame seed. You can find all-natural za'atar spice right here in our online store. Be sure to check out the step-by-step tutorial for this za'atar chicken!
When I posted my recipe for cilantro-lime chicken thighs (another awesome chicken dinner, by the way), a reader wrote to me about her big dilemma involving her husband eating only chicken breast. Well friend, today is your day! But another dilemma that more of us deal with is that roasted chicken breasts are tricky to cook because they often end up on the dry side.
I've been experimenting with cooking chicken breasts for a little while now, and I can honestly say, this is one of the best roasted chicken breast recipes you will find. This recipe, adapted from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook, is a spin off a chicken dinner from my childhood. The citrus-based marinade with all sorts of Eastern Mediterranean spices is the key to this recipe's success. It acts as a tenderizer to the chicken breasts, meanwhile, infusing them with awesome flavor.
You are probably more familiar with allspice, sumac and other spices used here. But don't let za'atar scare you. It is an amazing Middle Eastern spice blend that has both earthy and subtle citrus undertones. It often includes spices like marjoram or thyme, oregano, and sumac. And it always includes sesame seeds, which add a nice nutty and woodsy flavor to the spice mix.
We all love a roast chicken dinner. After all, it's quick prep and you can let the oven do the hard work! You will not regret spicing up your roasted chicken breasts this way, though. What to serve it with? Try Israeli couscous salad, or roasted Greek potatoes.
Step-by-step instructions for this Za'atar Chicken:
In a mixing bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in a deep dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover with the marinade. To ensure good flavor, work some of the marinade underneath the skin of the chicken breasts. Cover and place the chicken in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Transfer the chicken breasts and the marinade to a baking dish or a cast iron skillet. Sprinkle with a little more sumac and paprika. Now sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the za'atar, and take another tablespoon of za'atar to work underneath the skin of chicken breasts. You should have 1 tablespoon za'atar left for later.
Roast the chicken in the heated oven for 35 minutes or so. Remove from heat and allow the chicken 5 minutes to rest. The chicken is ready to serve when its internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Sprinkle with a little more sumac and the remaining za'atar. Garnish with the toasted nuts and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
More chicken recipes to try:
Za'atar Roasted Chicken Breast Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: serves 4 to 6 1x
Description
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp Za'atar, divided
- 2 tbsp toasted shaved almonds
- 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- Ā½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
For the Marinade
- 2 lemons, juice of
- ā cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Sumac, more for later
- 1 tbsp allspice
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp paprika, more for later
- 7 large garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 1 medium red onion, sliced or roughly chopped
- Ā½ large lemon, sliced
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the marinade ingredients.
- Place the chicken in a deep pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover with the marinade, making sure to work some of the marinade underneath the skin (this is important for flavor). Cover and place the chicken in the fridge for four hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Transfer the chicken and marinade to a baking dish or a cast iron skillet. Sprinkle with a little more sumac and paprika. Now, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the za'atar, and take another tablespoon to work underneath the skin of chicken breasts. (You should have 1 tablespoon of za'atar left for later use).
- Place the chicken in the heated oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes (once the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, it is ready).
- Sprinkle with a little more sumac and the remaining za'atar. Garnish with the toasted nuts and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- Browse our Online Shop for quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- This recipe is adapted from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook and it is a spin off a chicken dinner from my childhood.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Looks wonderful Suzy!
Thank you, Nancy! It is a pretty healthy and tasty dinner
Looks awesome. I just bought some Za-atar spice. Now I have a recipe to follow.
Thank you, Peter! If you try it soon, I'd love to know your thoughts!
Gorgeous, sharing!!
Tara, thanks so much for the comment. And thank you for sharing it with others!
Seems too tasty to be true! š I want to try it!
Thank you very much, Lily! It is absolutely delicious. Let me know if you try it soon! Thanks for stopping in.
Looking at your pictures I feel like I'm in my kitchen right now! I've been making za'atar roasted chicken at my supper club this weekend and loving it. I love the presentation in the skillet ... so pretty!
Sounds like we share a love of Za'atar Kristen! Thank you for stopping by to see me. Hope we remain in touch.
Beautiful and pinned! Your photography is gorgeous and the dish looks delicious. I got some of the spice combination from Penzeys a while back and now have a great recipe to try. Thanks!
Carol,thank you so much for the kind comment! And for the pin! Glad to see you here today!
I will definitely be trying this, it looks amazing.
I hope you have a wonderful time with your parents.
Mine were over for a month just after Christmas and it was wonderful to see them, like you it had been a year since they were here last. Enjoy your time with them x
Claire, thanks so much, friend! Glad you like my Za'atar chicken. It's a new favorite here. Thanks for stopping in to see me!
I've been trying to find a yummy recipe with za'atar. Yumm!
Awesome, Susan! Glad you like this recipe. Let me know if you try it! Appreciate you stopping in.
This recipe would be great! Let me know if you try it!
This looks beyond delicious!! I have to make this ASAP!!
Angie, you are too kind. Thank you! This is a new favorite here. Let me know your thoughts once you try it. Thanks for taking the time to stop in and comment. Stay in touch!
Looks so good
Thank you, Brenda! Let me know if you ever give it a try!
I made my own za'atar flavouring for the first time a few weeks ago.. and loved it! So this recipe is definitely perfect for me Suzy. I can only imagine how good this tasted and how divine your kitchen must have smelt too!
Thalia, you would enjoy this recipe if you love Za'atar! Let me know if you try it. Thank you for the kind comment, friend. Good to see you here.
I've not tried za'tar yet, Suzy. I've used sumac and dukkah. It's still on the must get list. Is there a famous middle eastern bread that uses za'tar heavily?
Can't wait to see some of your mothers old Egyptian recipes.
Cheers
Dave
Hi Dave! You should definitely try za'atar, I know you'll like it. Yes, my mom-in-law makes these small pastries (like little pizzas) with za'atar; they are amazing! I must make them for the blog sometime.Thanks for the idea! Hopefully mom will be up for cooking when she comes! I'm counting on her help š Thanks for staying in touch, Dave
Boy does this look amazing! YES, a winner!!!
Thank you, Debra! Glad you like it, friend.
My husband has been making this for me for years now (we found the recipe in an Ottolenghi cookbook), and it is one of my absolute favorites! I'm a new subscriber and excited to try so many of the recipes. I also shared your blog with my mother-in-law who lives in England!
Kathleen, welcome to The Mediterranean Dish! So glad you're here. And Thank you for sharing with your mom-in-law! Sounds like you and I share a love of Za'atar roast chicken and Ottolenghi! My mom made Za'atar chicken almost every Sunday dinner growing up. I hadn't thought about it as such a special meal until lately; Ottolenghi's picture inspired me to recreate it.
I've always wanted to buy the Za'atar seasoning at Allspice, but I've never known what to do with it. Now I do! PS: Suzy, you take the most beautiful photographs.
This looks amazing! Hope to make this soon!!
Thanks, Letty! Let me know how you like it. Appreciate you dropping in!