Recipe inspired by Yasmin Khan’s Zaitoun
Yasmin Khan was trained as a lawyer and worked as a human rights activist. While she was working in the Palestinian region, she chose a new path to sharing people’s humanity, by “portraying the sum of life’s experiences through food”. This recipe is from her travels in the Occupied Territories and is featured in her book Zaitoun.
The ingredient which gives the chicken its special flavor is za’atar, a traditional Middle Eastern spice containing a mixture of wild thyme, oregano, sesame seeds and sumac.
For Fadia Jawdat, the Lebanese painter who contributes to the Gazette, za’atar is a “genie in a jar, the link to my heritage and to memoires of a sunny and safe childhood gathering fresh za’atar in the hills.”
Ingredients
8 bone-in chicken thighs
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2–4 Tbl za’atar
1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1–2 tsp kosher salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more sprigs for garnish
Instructions
Marinate the chicken in olive oil, lemon, garlic, yogurt and za’atar for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Shake off any marinade clinging to the chicken.
On a sheet pan, roast the chicken for around 30 to 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the skin is beautifully brown or the temperature near the bone reaches 165-175°.
Serve the chicken with flat breads and more yogurt mixed with grated garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste. A little tahini stirred in would also be good.
What a great issue! Definitely want to try this za’atar recipe as Winter fades to Spring. Thanks CG!