Best 5 Zaatar Fried Chicken Recipes

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Transport your taste buds to the vibrant streets of the Middle East with our tantalizing Zaatar Fried Chicken recipe. This culinary delight combines the aromatic flavors of zaatar spice blend, a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, with the crispy crunch of fried chicken. But that's not all! We also present three additional tempting recipes to satisfy every craving: Zaatar Roasted Cauliflower for a healthier twist, Zaatar Grilled Shrimp Skewers for a succulent seafood option, and Zaatar Flatbread for a delectable side or appetizer. Get ready to embark on a flavorful journey with our carefully curated collection of zaatar-inspired dishes.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

OVEN-ROASTED ZA'ATAR CHICKEN BREASTS



Oven-Roasted Za'atar Chicken Breasts image

This za'atar-marinated chicken gets an extra dose of za'atar seasoning right before being roasted in the oven for a tender and juicy meal. Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend found in most spice shops or you can make your own using one of the many recipes found online. Serve the za'atar chicken with couscous, roasted potatoes, or atop a salad.

Provided by France C

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Chicken Breast Recipes

Time 2h30m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 7

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons za'atar seasoning, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
cooking spray
salt to taste

Steps:

  • Pound chicken breasts to a 1-inch thickness for even cooking. Place in a large resealable plastic bag.
  • Combine 2 tablespoons za'atar seasoning, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Pour mixture over the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.
  • Place chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining za'atar seasoning.
  • Roast in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 23 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Season with salt.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 201.9 calories, Carbohydrate 3 g, Cholesterol 67.2 mg, Fat 9.8 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 24.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.8 g, Sodium 100.3 mg, Sugar 0.2 g

ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND ZA'ATAR



Roast Chicken With Lemon and Za'atar image

This plump and juicy roast chicken benefits from tenderizing in a yogurt-lemon-garlic marinade for as long as 24 hours, but if you don't have a lot of time, slathering it with the mixture before sliding it into the oven will still add flavor, and give the spices something to stick to. Za'atar, a Middle Eastern herb-and-spice blend, can still be hard to find in the supermarket, so make your own by combining sumac, sesame seeds, thyme, coriander, oregano and cumin. You can buy sumac, a garnet-colored lemony spice, in Middle Eastern markets or online, but the rest of the ingredients are most likely already on your spice rack, and leaving out one or two of them is perfectly O.K. If you have a premade za'atar blend on hand, you'll need about 1/2 cup to coat the chicken.

Provided by Susan Spungen

Categories     dinner, poultry, roasts, main course

Time 4h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 cup plain full- or reduced-fat Greek yogurt
3 lemons (1 lemon zested and juiced; 2 lemons, halved)
2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (4- to 5-pound) whole chicken
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (see Tip)
2 tablespoons sumac (optional)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 medium shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise

Steps:

  • In a shallow bowl, stir together yogurt, zest and juice of 1 lemon, garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season the chicken inside and out with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the bowl and coat with the yogurt mixture inside and out. Cover and refrigerate until cooking, up to 24 hours.
  • Heat oven to 400 degrees. Make the za'atar: In a small bowl, mix sesame seeds, sumac (if using), thyme, coriander, oregano, cumin and 1 tablespoon salt. Remove chicken from marinade and gently scrape off excess yogurt while leaving a nice coating. Transfer chicken to a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Coat chicken all over with the za'atar blend. Scrape up any spices that fall off and pack them on. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil and pat gently.
  • Put 1 lemon half in the cavity of the bird. Tie legs together using butcher's twine, if desired, and place chicken in a small roasting pan. Arrange remaining 3 lemon halves and shallots cut-sides down in the pan surrounding the chicken. Add 1/4 cup water to the pan and roast on the middle rack for 30 minutes.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees, gently baste the chicken and add another 1/4 cup water. Roast for an additional 60 to 75 minutes, rotating the pan periodically. Turn the lemon and shallots occasionally, basting once or twice and add 1/4 cup water whenever the pan juices dry out. Cook until until the legs wiggle easily and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
  • Let chicken rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving. Pour the pan juices (add a few tablespoons of water first, if they are very reduced) into a small gravy boat, degreasing or skimming some fat, if desired. Serve the chicken with the juices and the roasted shallots.

ZA'ATAR CHICKEN THIGHS



Za'atar Chicken Thighs image

Chicken thighs that are ridiculously simple yet packed with flavor thanks to a generous amount of za'atar. I like to serve this chicken with a fresh green salad of romaine, red onion, and tomato with a tahini-lemon dressing.

Provided by Diana Moutsopoulos

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Chicken Thigh Recipes

Time 35m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 4

4 bone-in chicken thighs, with skin
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons za'atar, divided, or more to taste

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a bowl and coat with olive oil. Season liberally with sea salt and black pepper on all sides.
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, to the hot skillet. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon za'atar immediately over each chicken thigh. Cook chicken, without turning, until skin is crispy and browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
  • Turn chicken so skin side faces up and remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle remaining za'atar quickly and evenly over each chicken thigh. Spoon some of the rendered chicken fat from the pan over the top of the za'atar.
  • Place the skillet in the preheated oven and roast until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink near the bone, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 193.9 calories, Carbohydrate 2.1 g, Cholesterol 70.3 mg, Fat 11.7 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 19.5 g, SaturatedFat 2.8 g, Sodium 146.9 mg, Sugar 0.1 g

ZA'ATAR CHICKEN



Za'atar Chicken image

It's hard to find a dinner that both my husband and kids will enjoy-and even harder to find one that's fast and easy. This is it! No matter how much I make of this dish, it's gone to the last bite. -Esther Erani, Brooklyn, New York

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 5h20m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

1/4 cup za'atar seasoning
1/4 cup olive oil
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
1 cup pimiento-stuffed olives
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup pitted dried plums (prunes)
1/4 cup water
Hot cooked basmati rice, optional

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Add chicken; toss to coat., Arrange olives, apricots and plums on the bottom of a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker. Add 1/4 cup water; top with chicken. Cook, covered, on low until chicken is tender, 5-6 hours. If desired, serve with rice.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 484 calories, Fat 32g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 107mg cholesterol, Sodium 1367mg sodium, Carbohydrate 18g carbohydrate (10g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 30g protein.

GRILLED ZA'ATAR CHICKEN WITH GARLIC YOGURT AND CILANTRO



Grilled Za'atar Chicken With Garlic Yogurt and Cilantro image

This garlicky, herby chicken is full-flavored and very tender, thanks to its piquant yogurt marinade. It's flexible, too - marinate the meat for as little as a couple of hours, or as long as overnight. And the chicken is just as good cooked under the broiler as it is on the grill (see Tip). You can serve this dish with almost anything, but it's especially nice with pita or other flatbread and a big cucumber and tomato salad. And if you're looking to substitute chicken breasts for the thighs, you can. Just watch them carefully; they're likely to cook faster than the dark meat.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     poultry, main course

Time 30m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

6 garlic cloves, finely grated, pressed, or minced
2 lemons, zested
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more sprigs for garnish
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 1/2 tablespoons za'atar, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or marjoram, plus more sprigs for garnish
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Steps:

  • In a large bowl or container, stir together 5 of the grated garlic cloves, half the lemon zest, 1/3 cup yogurt, the cilantro, oil, za'atar, oregano or marjoram, salt and black pepper. Add chicken and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • When ready to cook, light the grill to medium or heat your broiler with the rack 3 inches from the heat source. Remove chicken from bowl, shaking off any excess marinade, and grill or broil on one side until charred in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and grill or broil for another 5 to 8 minutes, until just cooked through.
  • While the chicken is cooking, place remaining 2/3 cup yogurt in a small bowl. Stir in the reserve grated garlic clove and lemon zest, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut one zested lemon in half and set aside for serving (save the other zested lemon for another use).
  • To serve, place chicken on a serving platter and drizzle with olive oil and a large squeeze of the zested lemon. Top with cilantro and oregano or marjoram sprigs and serve with yogurt sauce.

Tips:

  • For the best flavor, use fresh thyme and oregano. If you only have dried herbs, use 1/2 the amount.
  • Be sure to coat the chicken evenly in the za'atar mixture. This will help create a crispy, flavorful crust.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken. This will cause the chicken to steam instead of fry, resulting in soggy chicken.
  • Fry the chicken until it is golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Serve the fried chicken with your favorite dipping sauce, such as tzatziki sauce or tahini sauce.

Conclusion:

Za'atar fried chicken is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any occasion. The combination of za'atar and lemon gives the chicken a unique and flavorful taste that is sure to please everyone. Whether you are serving it as an appetizer or a main course, this dish is sure to be a hit.

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