Middle East Chicken Recipes: Easy Za’atar Chicken and Rice
A one-pan Middle Eastern-inspired dish featuring juicy za’atar-spiced chicken thighs baked over fragrant lemony rice. Easy, flavorful, and perfect for any night of the week.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons za’atar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Optional: chopped parsley, pine nuts, extra za’atar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Season chicken with oil, za’atar, salt, and pepper.
- Sear chicken in a hot skillet until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté onion and garlic in the same pan.
- Stir in rice, broth, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
- Nestle chicken on top, skin-side up.
- Bake uncovered 30–35 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is cooked.
- Let rest 10 minutes. Garnish and serve.
Notes
Use boneless chicken for faster cooking. Make vegetarian by swapping in za’atar-roasted cauliflower or chickpeas.