Zaatar Chicken

Ingredients

• 4-6 chicken thighs or 1 chicken quartered
• 1 onion
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt (approx)
• 2 tbsp of mild olive oil (good drizzle)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp seven spice
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp zaatar blend
• 3-4 tbsp mild olive oil
• 3-4 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt (approx)

Instructions

1. 1

   Peel the onions and garlic and puree them in a blender until you make a thick paste (or finely chop) and add to a dish or bowl where you will marinade the chicken

2. 2

   Add the salt, lemon juice, 7 spice, turmeric, sumac and black pepper to the onion garlic mix along with a good drizzle of mild olive oil

3. 3

   Wash the chicken and add to the bowl, massaging the marinade well and rubbing under the skin too

4. 4

   Leave the chicken to marinade overnight if possible or for a few hours at least

5. 5

   When you are ready to cook the chicken, take it out about an hour before and bring to room temperature. Heat the oven to 200°C (390F)

6. 6

   Place the chicken in a roasting dish and cook in the oven for 15 mins at 200°C (390F) then lower the heat to 175°C (340F) and cook for another half hour, turning the chicken occasionally

7. 7

   Prepare the basting juice by mixing the zaatar blend with the mild olive oil, salt and lemon juice

8. 8

   Drizzle the basting mix over the chicken and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, drizzling over the chicken juices every 5 minutes to combine with the zaatar chicken

9. 9

   Serve with rice or flatbreads.