Winner winner chicken dinner! This entire meal is ready in 60 minutes. Zesty za’atar packs this dish full of flavor. The roasted winter vegetables are comforting and the bean salad is hearty and refreshing. Serve yogurt tahini sauce alongside for some creamy goodness. This is a meal that’s perfect for a busy weeknight and elegant enough for a dinner party.

Roasted Za’atar Chicken with Winter Vegetables

What is Za’atar

Za’atar is an authentic Middle Eastern spice blend that was introduced to me by my Lebanese friend, Nadia. It is usually made with Sumac, thyme, oregano, and toasted sesame seeds. The combination varies from country to country. It is usually sold in Middle Eastern grocery stores and online but, you may already have all of the ingredients to make some at home. The recipe is in the card down below. Use this spice blend to marinate meat, sprinkle over Mediterranean dips such as hummus, eggplant dip, or even over plain yogurt. There are a million uses for Za’atar and I’m sure you will get creative once you have it in your pantry!

Homemade Za’atar Recipe:

1 tablespoon dried thyme or oregano
1 tablespoon sumac
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
3 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander

Mix all of the spices together and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Which cut of chicken to use

Any cut of chicken can be used for this recipe. My favorite cut is always chicken thighs. They stay juicy and are hard to over-cook.

Use any cut: chicken breast, boneless chicken thighs, a whole chicken that has been cut into pieces, and even drumsticks. The chicken is done as soon as the internal temperature of the thickest part reaches 165 °F.

Leftover za’atar chicken can be added to salads, sandwiches, and to stews.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

The combination of veggies that I used for this recipe was: onion, butternut squash, and sweet potato. However, feel free to use any or all of the following:

Russet potatoes
beets
carrots
parsnips
cauliflower

What to do with leftovers

The leftover vegetables can be pureed with some broth to make a delicious soup. Here is a delicious butternut squash soup recipe that I shared a while back that you can use with the leftovers.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Greek Bean Salad

This bean salad is so refreshing and full of flavor. Loaded with veggies and fiber, it’s the perfect side to this meal. Use your favorite beans. Garbanzos (chickpeas), lentils, black eyed peas, etc.

I added some tahini and lemon juice to my yogurt sauce and it’s delicious. The tahini adds a warm nutty flavor and pairs well with the sesame flavor in the za’atar spice. The lemon makes it zesty and light and it tastes amazing with the chicken and the roasted veggies. Make extra! It’s great as a dip too!

More Meals in 60 Minutes:

I hope that you enjoy this meal and make it for your loved ones. If you do, please share pics with me on Facebook and/or Instagram. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes! See you back here soon with another delicious recipe worth sharing. xxDimitra

Watch the Video Tutorial

Roasted Za'atar Chicken with Winter Vegetables

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

For the Za'atar Chicken:

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, or your favorite cut of chicken
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/4 cup of olive oil
3-4 tablespoons za'atar seasoning
1-2 tablespoons sumac
1 teaspoon ground cumin
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the Roasted Vegetables:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 and 1/4 inch cubes
1 onion, cubed
1 sweet potato, cubed
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Homemade Za'atar Spice:

1 tablespoon dried thyme or oregano
1 tablespoon sumac
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
3 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 °F, 230 °C.

Combine the lemon juice, salt, cumin, olive oil, and cut some slits into the chicken breasts so that the marinade can flavor the chicken well.

Pour the marinade over the chicken. Sprinkle both sides with the za'atar seasoning. Toss to coat.

Place all of the vegetables on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Toss and spread them in a flat layer.

Place both trays in the oven and roast for about 45 minutes. The vegetables are ready when they're fork-tender.

The chicken will be ready when the thickest part registers 165 °F.

Serve with salad and yogurt sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

Marinate the chicken overnight for maximum flavor.