My Cookbook: Souk to Table 
Honey Za’atar Roasted Chicken Drumsticks (with Potatoes)
This honey za’atar roasted chicken makes the best weeknight dinner. With an easy marinade with a flavorful blend of za’atar (a Middle Eastern herb and spice blend), honey, and garlic, the chicken drumsticks are then roasted up to perfection in the oven alongside potatoes. Crispy chicken, fork-tender potatoes, served with bread to mop up all of the delicious juices. Best part? This dish is ready in under 1 hour!
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Let’s Talk About Za’atar (the spice blend you have to try)
Za’atar is a seasoning blend that comes from the Levant region. There are various regional variations of za’atar, and the two you’ll find most often on shelves are Palestinian za’atar and Lebanese za’atar. It tastes bright, herby and with a lot of earthy notes. Za’atar is typically made up of these three core ingredients:
- Dried oregano (a type of oregano that is native to the region, which is slightly different than the oregano you’ll find in North America, though it is a good replacement).
- Sumac, a citrusy and fruity flowering plant, dried and crushed into a powder. This is what brings the bright flavors in the blend.
- Toasted sesame seeds for deep nuttiness
Za’atar is a treasured seasoning blend, celebrating the ingredients often grown on the land in Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. It is typically always found on the dinner table in a small bowl, next to a small bowl of olive oil. You can enjoy it by simply dipping a piece of bread into the olive oil, then into the za’atar.
A typical breakfast in the levant also includes za’atar manakish, which is just a za’atar and olive oil paste spread out on homemade dough and baked. It is also commonly sprinkled on top of labneh, along with a drizzle of olive oil.
Making Za’atar Chicken
Given the flavour profile of za’atar, it makes for an excellent chicken marinade (also great on fish and vegetables). I was tinkering in the kitchen one day and decided to also add honey and garlic to the marinade, and ever since that day, I never make za’atar chicken any other way.
Something about the sweetness from the honey and the zing from the garlic that go so well with the herby za’atar. A splash of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice has been proven to enhance the flavour, as I discovered after testing this recipe a few times.
This recipe has become my go-to weeknight chicken recipe. If you love middle eastern chicken recipes, you must also try my other “dump and bake” chicken recipes like my sumac chicken, harissa chicken, and mediterranean chicken.
This dish is as simple as mixing together the marinade ingredients and then pouring it all over the chicken and potatoes. Here are some visual instructions:
Start by preheating the oven to 425F. Then, place all of the marinade ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine.
Next, peel and cut the potatoes into large chunks. I like to cut each potato into eights (cut the potato in half, then in half again, then in half again). Grab a 9×13 inch baking dish and place the potato chunks inside, then season with salt.
I usually never pre-marinate the chicken when I make this dish, but I’m sure if you were to marinate for an hour or so in the fridge, it would intensify the flavour. But if you don’t have the time, simply dump the drumsticks on top of the potatoes, then pour the za’atar marinade on top and mix well until they are coated.
I found that baking it uncovered yielded the best crispiness on the chicken. I have tried covering it for the first 30 minutes, then uncovering it to broil, but the chicken doesn’t brown as much.
Pour about 1/2 cup of water on the bottom of the baking dish to prevent the potatoes from burning. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. Check it at the 35 minute mark to see if the chicken is cooked through. It should be browned and crispy, and fully white and juicy on the inside. The potatoes should be soft.
Serving Suggestions
The addition of that water to the baking dish will create a luscious sauce that I love to mop up, so definitely serve this za’atar chicken with some bread. I also suggest a light salad like this simple arabic chopped salad or a malfouf salad. Leftovers, if there are any, are perfect for chicken sandwiches the next day.
Other Baked Chicken Recipes You Will Love
If you tried these recipes, please consider leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page – I’d love to hear from you! You can also hop on over to Instagram and say hello!
Honey Za’atar Roasted Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
For the Chicken & Marinade:
- 8 Chicken drumsticks, skin on (aprox. 1.2kg), or 6-8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 10 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 tablespoons za'atar seasoning
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup honey (90g)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Potatoes
- 3 large potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
To Bake:
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 425F.
- Peel the potatoes and chop into large cubes, roughly 1 inch in size (into eighths). Place them in a 9×13 inch baking dish and sprinkle with the salt.
- Pat the chicken drumsticks with a paper towel to ensure they are dry. Place them directly on top of the potatoes.
- Mix the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined, then pour it on top of the chicken and potatoes. Mix everything well using your hands until the chicken and potatoes are coated in the marinade.
- Pour 1/2 cup of water on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the drumsticks are golden brown and cooked through. If needed, broil for a few minutes to get more colour on the chicken. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve.
thanks for the idea – going to make it for passover
Very easy and delicious recipe
So glad you loved it Salma, thanks for leaving us a review! 🙂
I made this recipe for my sister when she came to visit. I ad libbed a little and used sweet potatoes and cauliflower. While it was cooking my house was filled with the most delicious aroma, and the taste of the dish did not disappoint. The next day the leftovers were equally if not even more delicious. This recipe will definitely be one that will be repeatedly made by me.
Hi Phyllis! I am so glad you loved it – and your adjustments sound delicious! Thanks so much for your review 🙂
I was gifted a box of spices for Xmas and Zatar was one of them. Used the 10 drumsticks I had in the package, so I increased the ingredients a little bit accordingly. I was pleasantly surprised at the deliciousness. My daughter, who is notoriously picky, loved it. Since I have a whole jar of this stuff, I guess I’ll make this a few more times. 🙂
Hi Deborrah, Humaira from the Hungry Paprikas team here. Za’atar is such a wonderful spice, so glad that you enjoyed it on the chicken, it’s definitely a keeper!
I was a little hesitant with the honey because we usually don’t like any sweetness in our dishes but this recipe was absolutely amazing and a perfect balance of flavors! I added some cubed sweet potatoes and yellow bell peppers to the bake and everything was phenomenal.
Hi Stephanie! I’m really glad you found the flavours to be well balanced. Thanks so much for leaving us a review!
Made this recipe exactly as is, except that I didnt have as much honey on hand as listed. My son loved it! He asked for seconds and told me twice that it was really good. Definite keeper! this is where all my zaatar is going now 😀
Hi Ayesha! Aww love that your son enjoyed this one! Thank you so much for your lovely review!