This recipe, admittedly, was adapted from an Alison Roman recipe. In her book Dining In, she has a recipe for chicken for which I lifted the exact cooking temperature, time, and preparation method (spatchcocking).
While Roman doesn't have an exclusive on these, I felt it relevant to mention; the flavors, however, are of entirely different inspiration. This recipe highlights za'atar, an herb mix from the Middle East. While it varies in flavor depending on where you are, it generally contains thyme, oregano, and marjoram. The flavor could generally be described as toasty and bold, and since it's made of herbs so it is certainly an herbal flavor. My husband is Palestinian and za'atar is one of his favorite flavors. So, the opportunity to add it to something that takes up so much space on a dinner plate was appealing immediately!
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, spatchcocked
1 fennel bulb, diced
1 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. za'atar mix
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
3 tbsp. olive oil, plus two for sheet-pan
2 lemons, quartered
NOTE: The photo shows this dish with potatoes, which I would not recommend after doing myself.
FIRST: Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spatchcock chicken, if you haven't already. Drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil onto the baking sheet or skillet you will use to cook the bird. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rimmed baking sheet or in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet.
MEANWHILE: Dice fennel bulb and quarter lemons, if not done already. Mix garlic, za'atar, three tablespoons of olive oil, and salt and pepper in a small bowl until a paste forms. This is your spice mixture.
THEN: Rub spice mixture all over the chicken. Rub any leftover spice mixture onto lemon quarters. Scatter lemons around the chicken. NOTE: I prefer to try and tuck them very close against the body of the bird, and sometimes even add a quartered onion to the mix!
FINALLY: Pop that sucker in the oven! Cook for around 2 hours, or until the internal thermometer registers above 165 degrees at the breast, and the lemons are jammy. Remove from oven, rest 15 minutes, and serve the chicken with the lemon wedges and let people mix at their leisure.
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