Za'atar Roast Chicken

★★★☆☆
Prep: 55 mins Cook: 85 mins Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • Black Garlic Tahini
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice60 ml fresh lemon juice
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, grated2 medium garlic cloves, grated
  • 3 peeled black garlic cloves3 peeled black garlic cloves
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt4 ml kosher salt
  • ¾ cup tahini180 ml tahini
  • ¾ cup ice water180 ml ice water
  • Sumac Onions
  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar60 ml red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ground sumac15 ml ground sumac
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt2 ml kosher salt
  • Za'atar Chicken:Za'atar Chicken:
  • 1 (4-pound) whole chicken1 (4-pound) whole chicken
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt30 ml kosher salt
  • 1½ tablespoons za'atar20 ml za'atar

Instructions

  1. 1. Make the Black Garlic Tahini: Combine lemon juice and grated garlic in a blender; let stand 15 minutes. Using flat side of a knife, smash black garlic cloves on a cutting board, and scrape to form a paste. Add black garlic paste and salt to blender; puree until mostly smooth and black garlic is very finely chopped, 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. 2. Place tahini in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on high speed until smooth and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Decrease speed to medium, and slowly drizzle in black garlic mixture. (Mixture will thicken but will smooth out again after adding water.) With mixer running, slowly drizzle in ¾ cup cold water until fully incorporated. Increase speed to high, and beat until mixture is smooth, glossy, and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  3. 3. Make the za'atar chicken: Preheat oven to 450°F, and line a large baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place chicken, backbone side up, on baking sheet. Using kitchen shears, cut along each side of backbone; remove and discard backbone. Flip chicken breast side up, and push down on breast to flatten. Season both sides of chicken evenly with salt.
  4. 4. Roast chicken, breast side up, in preheated oven until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 140°F, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating pan after 20 minutes.
  5. 5. Meanwhile, make the sumac onions: Toss together onion, vinegar, sumac, and salt in a large bowl until onions are well coated. Set aside until ready to serve.
  6. 6. Remove chicken from oven. (Do not turn oven off.) Tilt pan slightly to collect rendered juices into a baster or large spoon. Baste chicken skin with drippings, and sprinkle with za'atar. Return chicken to oven, and roast at 450°F until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 155°F, 5 to 10 minutes.
  7. 7. Let chicken rest 15 minutes before carving. Serve with sumac onions and black garlic tahini.
From chef Zachary Engel of Chicago's Galit restaurant. Spatchcocking (removing the backbone) helps the chicken cook evenly and keeps the meat moist while achieving crispy skin. Leave chicken uncovered in fridge overnight to dry skin for extra crispiness. Black garlic tahini can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 days. Sumac onions can be stored for up to 1 week. Black garlic has a unique flavor profile - less pungent than regular garlic, with sticky texture and slightly sweet, tangy notes.
Wine Pairing: Rosé — Mediterranean Rosé — The herbal complexity of za'atar and nutty richness of tahini pair beautifully with a dry rosé's fresh acidity and subtle earthiness
Source: Zachary Engel, Food & Wine Magazine
zaatar, spatchcock, roast chicken, black garlic, tahini, sumac, middle eastern spices, crispy skin