Za'atar Chicken Thighs

Rating: 4.91 stars
23 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 21
  • 4 star values: 2
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0

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.

By Diana Moutsopoulos

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Recipe Summary

prep:
10 mins
cook:
25 mins
total:
35 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 servings
Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

4
Original recipe yields 4 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

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  • 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.

Cook's Notes:

You can use other cuts of chicken, just be sure the skin is left on. Note that cooking times will vary when using a cut other than the thigh, as well as if the chicken is boneless.

To make a tahini-lemon dressing for the salad, simply mix 3 tablespoons plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons tahini, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt together.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
194 calories; protein 19.5g; carbohydrates 2.1g; fat 11.7g; cholesterol 70.3mg; sodium 146.9mg. Full Nutrition
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Reviews (21)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

Melody Dibenedetto
Rating: 5 stars
06/01/2018
I made this but I first mixed the za'atar, salt, pepper, and added two tsp of garlic powder in a bowl. Then I add two to three tbsp of oil to the mix and coated bone-in chicken thighs that I took the skin and fat off and went straight to baking. I really liked the taste. I had it with quinoa cooked in bouillon with onions, fresh spinach, feta, and then broccoli on the side. Read More
Helpful
(5)
23 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 21
  • 4 star values: 2
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
Melody Dibenedetto
Rating: 5 stars
06/01/2018
I made this but I first mixed the za'atar, salt, pepper, and added two tsp of garlic powder in a bowl. Then I add two to three tbsp of oil to the mix and coated bone-in chicken thighs that I took the skin and fat off and went straight to baking. I really liked the taste. I had it with quinoa cooked in bouillon with onions, fresh spinach, feta, and then broccoli on the side. Read More
Helpful
(5)
jaxclassact
Rating: 5 stars
10/14/2018
OMG this is good! I made my own za'atar spice (TOTALLY worth the effort). Exotic flavors linger on the tongue while you savor impossible aromas. Decidedly worth repeating again. Read More
Helpful
(3)
HClark
Rating: 5 stars
07/01/2020
Really fabulous recipe that was fast & easy to put together. I made a simple version of the Za’atar with coarse ground pepper and lemon zest subbing for the sumac because I didn’t have it. Still tasted amazing. I paired it with basmati rice sautéed in chicken broth with mushroom & green beans. I also made the tzatziki to go with. I will use this recipe a lot! Thank you for sharing. Read More
Helpful
(2)
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AdirondackKid
Rating: 5 stars
01/23/2020
This is a great recipe. Simple, and quite tasty. I was first introduced to za-atar when I met my wife and her Lebanese family. We would go to the local bakery and buy fresh pita bread with za-atar on it. It was love at first bite. I made it exactly according to the recipe adding a bit more za-atar than the recipe called for. It was amazing and is going in my recipe collection. Thank you! Read More
Helpful
(1)
Tracey Wren
Rating: 5 stars
08/05/2019
Made it per recipe and enjoyed it very much. Super easy to make and packed with flavor. I will probably experiment and maybe add garlic next time but really good. I purchased a za'atar spice mix at Walmart. Read More
K Richard Madeline
Rating: 5 stars
10/19/2019
My husband is a very picky eater and he doesn't even care for baked chicken. I made him try it and to my surprise he loved it!!! This recipe is a keeper! Read More
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SusanVey
Rating: 5 stars
11/01/2019
Easy dinner on the table in a half hour. Served it with baked acorn squash. I still have a bag of sumac from my farm so used it to make a fresh batch of za'atar. Read More
Benjamin F. Sturgis
Rating: 5 stars
05/26/2020
Recipe was great. A hit with the family! Read More
barbara
Rating: 5 stars
11/01/2018
quick easy and delicious Read More
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