Za'atar Sheet Pan Chicken & Red Potatoes

Feb 28 2017

It has been a while since I did Za’atar chicken. Za’atar is a Middle Eastern seasoning, there are many different versions, and most are made with toasted sesame seeds and a mix of herbs. What I used tonight was Israeli. Ingredients are sesame seeds, sea salt, sumac and olive oil. This makes a great seasoning for flat bread too.

I bought a whole fryer chicken; spatchcocked and air dried in the fridge overnight. About 3 hours before cooking I cut it up and in a plastic bag with half the seasoning mix to marinate. With the other half of the seasoning mix I added the red potatoes and cut up onion I added to the recipe. They both went in the fridge.

The recipe said bake at 400 deg. for 35 to 45 minutes. I added the chicken to the sheet pan and seasoned with more Za’atar. I baked them at 400 deg. for 10 minutes in my convection oven then added the potatoes and onions for another 35 minutes. I was afraid if I did it all from the start the potatoes would be overdone but I think it would have been fine.

I had baked some cheese and garlic butter corn muffins using Jiffy mix. We both had a salad too; I had tomatoes, blue cheese dressing and some fresh ground Moroccan harissa.

Chicken was great, tender, juicy and the skin was eatable; you need that to get the benefit of the Za’atar seasoning.

Click Here for printable chicken recipe

Chicken after air drying overnight

The muffins

Chicken and potatoes marinating

Chicken ready to bake

Potatoes & onions added

Done ready to serve

My salad

My supper