Za'atar Chicken with Couscous and Tzatziki

A bright and fresh meal that's great for this weird week between Christmas and New Year's Eve.

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ICYMI, I spoke with Edy Massih, about spreading the joy of Lebanese cooking, how he thinks about authenticity, and his ‘Keep it Zesty’ mantra. Today, I’ve got a recipe for his Za’atar Chicken from his forth-coming book, Keep It Zesty (you can pre-order it here!).

I don’t typically do a lot of Lebanese cooking, but I use some of the hallmarks of the cuisine: lemons, a lot of herbs, tahini, garlic, and olive oil. I do, however, often purchase pre-made mezzes and throw them together in a bowl with couscous, a salad with a lemon-y dressing, and a protein of sorts (merguez, gigante beans, etc) for a vaguely North Africa meets Lebanon meets Greece bowl situation.

Here, I take that approach and use Edy’s recipe for za’atar chicken as the protein. This is a meal that’s great for this weird week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve when you’re not sure what day it is and you want something other than holiday food. It’s bright and fresh, and feels healthy without being labeled a healthy meal.

Za'atar Chicken with Couscous and Tzatziki

Serves 4

For the Chicken

1/4 cup za'atar

2 tablespoons sumac

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoons salt

3 cloves garlic, finely grated

1 lemon, zested and juiced

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

For the Tzatziki

10 oz plain, full-fat greek yogurt

2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

Handful of parsley and mint, thinly sliced

2 gloves garlic, grated

Heavy pinch of salt, 4 cranks of fresh ground pepper

Zest and juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

Everything else

2 large heads of romaine lettuce, sliced thin

Couscous, cooked as directed on package

Salt, lemon, olive oil to drizzle over lettuce

Other good additions: dolmas, spicy tomato jam, gigante beans in tomato sauce, babba ganoush, hummus, feta

Mint and parsley to garnish

Preheat your oven to 400 F.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix all the chicken ingredients together besides chicken thighs until well-incorporated. Add chicken thighs, mix and marinate for 15 to 20 minutes or overnight.

Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and spread the chicken on there. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender but still juicy.

While the chicken cooks, mix all the tzatziki ingredients together. Adjust salt and lemon to taste, let sit aside. Make the couscous according to the package.

Divide everything between four bowls. Garnish with olive oil, mint, and parsley to serve.