Sumac, za’atar & lemon chicken

Adobo Goya was always the seasoning of choice growing up. On chicken, pork, beef — no questions asked. And while the famous Puerto Rican spice blend does indeed taste fabulous on anything, there’s a world of spice combinations we’ve grown to love. You can even make recipes a bit healthier by adding certain ingredients that have a higher nutritional value, like sumac and za’atar.

These are two of our favorite spices. Sumac is very high in antioxidants, helping to neutralize free radicals that can cause cancer, heart disease and signs of aging. Za’atar helps boost memory, improves mood and has expectorant properties that help clear respiratory tracks. Since we’re testing Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavor profiles for our Thanksgiving lunch, these two spices are perfect to season our roasted chicken. 

For our test recipe, we used drumsticks and thighs, which is the perfect portion for a weekday meal. Check out the recipe!

Sumac, za’atar & lemon roasted chicken (serves 2 people)

• 2 Chicken drumsticks, with the skin and bone-in 
• 2 Chicken Things, with the skin and bone-in
• 3 Teaspoons sumac
• 2 Tablespoons sumac
• 1 Pinch of salt
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 3 Cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 Cup fresh dill
• ½ Onion, sliced
• Olive oil

1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Place a roasting rack on a baking pan. 
2. Pat dry your chicken pieces and coat them with olive oil. Add the spices and salt.
3. Rub onion slices and dill with oil and place it on the rack. Place chicken on top and bake for 45-50 minutes. Serve with roasted pumpkin and rehydrated cherries.