Roasted Za’atar Chicken With Potatoes & Beans

Preparation time: 2 hours + Overnight marination | Serves: 4 people

This beautiful Middle Eastern inspired roast chicken recipe is simple and delicious - the perfect centrepiece for a dinner party, or an easy weeknight dinner. Plus, it comes together in one pan and requires minimum prep or cleaning up.

What is za’atar?
Za’atar is a versatile Middle Eastern blend which is a combination of dried herbs (usually thyme), sumac and sesame seeds. It’s both a spice blend and a seasoning, which means you can use it for cooking, marinating or simply sprinkle it over salads and dips before serving.
Growing up, my mum would often give me fluffy pita bread spread with Puck cream cheese and a bowl of za’atar mixed with extra virgin olive oil. To date, this remains one of my favourite quick breakfasts.

The trick to the perfect roast chicken -
The trick for simplifying the process of making roast chicken is to simply butterfly it. This involves removing the backbone, flattening the legs, and pressing down on the breastbone. This process halves the cooking time and you’ll have a perfect roast chicken in just over an hour.

What makes this roast chicken recipe special?
I’ve also used fresh thyme, sumac and lots of fresh lemon stuffed into the cavity of the roast chicken to really resonate with the flavour of the za’atar. Paired with golden roast potatoes and perfectly al-dente beans, it’s a flavour packed lunch, dinner or meal prep recipe.

Find some tips for butterflying the chicken, plus more suggestions in my recipe notes below.

Ingredients

• 1-1.5 kgs whole chicken (skin on)

• 5-6 tbsps. olive oil

• 2 tbsps. good quality za’atar (plus more for sprinkling)

• 2-3 tsps. sumac

• 3-4 tbsps. honey

• 4-5 garlic cloves

• 2 lemons

• Handful of fresh thyme

• 8-10 baby potatoes, halved (skin on)

• 150 gms green beans, trimmed

• Salt, according to taste

Method

Day before -

1. Butterfly the chicken by cutting along the backbone and flattening it. Place in a large bowl.

2. Make the marinade by mixing 3 tbsps. olive oil with za'atar, sumac, honey, salt, and juice of one lemon (save the lemon).

3. Reserve ¼ of the marinade. Pour the rest over the chicken and massage well.

4. Cover and refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours).

Cooking day -

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and bring chicken to room temperature.

2. Place chicken on a lined baking tray with thyme sprigs, garlic cloves, and the squeezed lemon half.

3. Arrange potatoes around the chicken, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.

4. Roast for 30 minutes, then brush chicken with reserved marinade and flip potatoes.

5. Add green beans to the tray and roast for another 20 minutes.

6. For crispy skin, switch to grill/broiler setting for 8-10 minutes (remove beans first if they're done).

7. Before serving, drizzle with olive oil and fresh lemon juice, then sprinkle with salt and additional za'atar.

RECIPE NOTES

Swaps, Serves & Storage

1. Do I have to marinate the chicken overnight?
   Since this recipe is simple with minimal ingredients, I would recommend marinating it overnight for maximum flavour. However if you just don’t have the time, 1-2 will work too - just don’t skip the step!

2. Can I remove the chicken skin?
   The best part of a roast chicken is the crispy, golden skin. The fat from the skin also soaks into the chicken keeping it incredibly moist and tender. If you’re not a fan of the skin, I would suggest marinating the chicken as usual, reducing the temperature to 170ºC and skipping the grilling process in the end.

3. How can I use this chicken for meal prep?
   Once roasted, I would suggest portioning the chicken and even shredding the breast or thighs so you can pack it easily for work lunches.

4. Can I swap the vegetables?
   Roast pumpkin or sweet potato can be swapped for normal potatoes. Swap the green beans for asparagus or broccolini.

5. Do I need to serve this roast chicken with a sauce?
   The pan juices drizzled on top of the chicken make for a great sauce, but a yoghurt or garlic sauce would also work well with this recipe.

6. How long can I store the roast chicken?
   You can store this chicken in an air tight container for up to 4 days.

7. How do I reheat the roast chicken?
   I would recommend popping it in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes - potatoes and beans too! Alternatively you can heat it up in a pan. I would advise against the microwave as it will turn the skin soggy.
   

Tips & Tricks -

1. How do I butterfly a chicken?
   Butterflying the chicken is a a great hack for when you want to reduce the cooking time of a whole chicken. Here’s a link to an easy tutorial on how to do it. I like to freeze the backbone for stock.

2. Soaking the potatoes - I like to soak my potatoes in salt water with a pinch of baking soda. This helps get rid of some of the starch and helps with a fluffy interior and crispy exterior.

3. Blanching the beans - This takes away from the ‘one-pan’ nature of this recipe, but if you have time to spare I would recommend blanching the beans to retain the vibrant green colour and texture. Boil a pot of water and cook the beans for 2-3 minutes, drain and immediately plunge into an ice bath. Cook for 5 mins less than the time recommended in the recipe if following this step.

4. Good quality za’atar - I’m lucky enough to have family in the Middle East who keep me supplied with great quality za’atar and sumac. That being said, visit your local speciality/ Middle Eastern store and ask for their recommendations.