Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken with Za'atar Chickpea Salad
Servings
4-6
Prep Time
1 hour
Cook Time
25-35 minutes
Much of this crowd-pleasing recipe can be prepared in advance — allowing you to relax & enjoy your next dinner party!
Jennifer Boada
Ingredients
1.5-2 lbs boneless chicken thighs (*see note)
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil
5-7 whole garlic cloves, crushed
1 large onion, sliced thick
1/2-1 lemon, sliced
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2 Tbsp Za'atar
salt, to taste
-
ground Zanzibar Black Peppercorns, to taste
Fresh parsley to garnish
3 cups freshly cooked chickpeas, or 2 cans chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
2-3 English cucumbers, chopped
1 carton of small tomatoes, like cherry or grape tomatoes, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 medium-large shallot, diced
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 small bunch fresh coriander
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1 Tbsp Za'atar
-
1/2 tsp Wild Mountain Cumin
-
1/2 tsp Silk Chili Flakes
-
1/2 tsp Euphrates Mint
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1.5 Tbsp red wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
-
ground Zanzibar Black Peppercorns, to taste
Balsamic Chicken with Charred Onion and Lemon
Za'atar Chickpea Salad
Directions
Balsamic Chicken with Charred Onion and Lemon
Place chicken, 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil and whole crushed garlic cloves in a shallow bowl. Toss well to coat and cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 min - 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 425˚.
Remove chicken from marinade and season with salt and pepper. Place chicken thighs, crushed garlic cloves and sliced onion on a sheet pan.
Roast on center rack for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Mix the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil with 2 Tbsp za'atar. About 5 minutes before the chicken is done cooking, brush with the za'atar-spiced olive oil and top with sliced lemons, being very careful not to burn the spices (**see note).
Finish cooking, remove from oven, discard garlic cloves and top with parsley and an extra squeeze of lemon.
Za'atar Chickpea Salad
Combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and spices. Whisk or shake together and pour over the remainder of ingredients in a bowl. Gently toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. (I like to add a little extra vinegar!)
Recipe Note
* Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or even a mix of thighs and breasts) work here too, but it will change cooking time.
** If unsure of remaining cooking time, it is also fine to drizzle the za'atar spiced olive oil on the chicken immediately after the pan is removed from the oven.