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
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
For the Marinade
- 2 lemons, juice of
- ⅔ 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
- ½ 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
I accidentally put the zatar in the marinade. So you think this will change the result and taste? Hope not, dinner guests tomorrow!
Hi AK. So sorry, when I am on the road, I am not always able to answer questions right then. I hope it turned out okay for you after all. Would love to hear.
I was just wondering if it was ok to marinate the chicken for so long in lemon juice? I know it can cook the chicken.
I have always marinated my chicken for a few hours and up to one night. Just be sure the container in which the chicken is refrigerated is non-reactive. Use a glass bowl or something of that nature, and cover well.
This recipe was delicious! I loved how all the flavors came together and the chicken breasts were tender and juicy.
Thank you for sharing Teressa! I am so happy you enjoyed it!
Going to try this with a spatch-cocked whole chicken, roasted in a cast iron skillet. I have a recipe that calls for adding a can of rinsed chickpeas to the skillet at the midpoint. Will let you know how it turns out. Thanks!
Charlie, hope you enjoyed it! Would love to hear about the addition of chickpeas!
Hi i was wondering... I tend to have dry results from using chic breast. is it possible to use boneless thighs instead?
Absolutely, Carol! You may adjust the cooking time a little, but chicken thighs would be great here!
I made this dish first to try my za'atar. It was so incredibly good, I had to make it right away again, or listen to my husband's repeated requests interminably. I ordered Ottolenghi's cookbook, so fascinated by this cuisine.
BTW: I didn't have sumac, and substituted lemon pepper per internet recommendation. I used air-chilled chicken breasts the first times and marinated for 12 hours and it was SO fabulous. I made it again with a whole chicken and marinated overnight and a half a day and it was not nearly as good. I am trying air chilled again tonight, but I did marinate 2 days. I have used this recipe for only 2 half breasts. It seemed scant for the whole chicken, and maybe that was the problem.
Jennifer, thank you so much for sharing! I am so glad you all enjoyed this recipe. And thanks for sharing your variation using whole chicken!
Hi there, Oh, everything is just so delicious!!!!! always thought that schools in europe and the usa are on holiday in august, and that the new school year starts in september, anyway wish them well for the new school year. Could you perhaps let me know what to use instead of sumac and zaátar as it is not avialable here in our shops in south africa.
many thanks and regards, Rosemary.
Hi Rosemary! thank you very much for the kind comment. In this particular recipe Sumac and Za'atar are not easily replaceable. But you can maybe try a different chicken recipe? how about this simple Greek-style chicken and potatoes: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/greek-chicken-and-potato-dinner/
This was fabulous! The flavor is so good, and it comes together super quickly. This will make it into our regular rotation of dinners.
Awesome, Molly! So glad to hear it!
If I made the Za'Atar Chicken with skinless Boneless Chicken breasts do I alter the oven temperature or cooking time?
Hi Robin, boneless chicken breast will cook faster. You can keep the oven temperature as is; begin to check for doneness after 25 minutes or so. The internal temperature of the chicken needs to be 165/170 degrees F to be considered safe to eat.
Excellent recipe - really moist chicken with a wonderful flavor. Wondering if anyone has tried to crisp up the skin? I'm not sure it's possible though, as the marinade definitely helps keep it really moist during cooking.
Hi Martin! So glad you enjoyed it. It's one of my favorites. It is very moist, and you're right, the marinade is so important here.
Cant wait to try this. A friend of mine recently brought me back some sumac and za'taar from Lebanon and I've been looking for a yummy recipe to try it out. This is it 🙂 🙂
#FanfromSouthAfrica
Ameshnee! Thank you for stopping in! Hope you love this chicken recipe. it's a favorite. And welcome to The Mediterranean Dish!
Excellent
Thank you!
We had this for a late lunch today and it was so delicious!
Awesome, Judy! This is a favorite at my house too. Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi,
what kind of paprika is this? sweet? smoky? spicy?
thanks.
Hi Mira. I am so sorry that i'm just able to respond to your question now. You can use either sweet or spicy paprika here, but not smoked paprika. Enjoy!
My za' atar chicken is marinating in the fridge at the moment. I'll be cooking it in about 4 hrs for dinner tonight. It is increasingly difficult to find chicken breast with a bone in it here (in New Zealand), so my chicken is boneless. I'm going to serve it with your za'atar chickpea and eggplant salad and some wild rice. I know it's a lot of za'atar, but I just love that chickpea dish and serve it with just about everything these days.
Many thanks for your step-by-step photos. They are most helpful when trying a dish for the very first time.
Merja...thank you so much for taking the time to write this thoughtful comment. I am so glad you tailored the chicken recipe to your needs. Hope you loved it. And...it's never too much za'atar! Stop by again soon.
Is it possible to make this with boneless chicken breast? My husband does not like bones in his chicken.
Yes, absolutely! You just watch the cooking time as boneless chicken will roast quicker, depending on how thick the chicken breasts are.