This sumac chicken recipe is rich in bold Middle Eastern flavors and so easy to throw together for a weeknight dinner. It is made in one pan and cooks in just 30 minutes! Quick, with fewer dishes to clean up! Win, win!
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If you enjoy Middle Eastern flavors, you’ll love my Mediterranean air-fried chicken and goat cheese-stuffed dates, too!
Growing up in Saudi Arabia, I have fond childhood memories, so it is natural for me to prefer the region’s spices and flavors.
But it wasn’t until my aunt shared her Sumac chicken recipe just a few years ago that I was reintroduced to this tangy lemony spice. I loved it, and I knew I had to create a recipe that would make it easier to make on a weeknight.
Hers involved melting butter before making the spice paste. I wanted to cut that step out and use olive oil instead because who has time for that? Both would be excellent changes when hosting guests 😊.
Hers consisted of a whole chicken. I made it so you don’t have to carve the bird.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
⏲️Ready In: 40 mins
👪Serves: 4
🍽 Calories and Protein: 451 kcal, 30g
📋 Main Ingredients: Chicken, sumac, garlic, veggies.
📖 Dietary Notes: High-protein.
⭐ Why You’ll Love It:
- It’s quick & easy. Life can get busy, and on most weekdays we want to throw together dinner, feed our families, clean up, and get on with other activities. That’s where easy recipes like this chicken one come in. It cooks in just 30 minutes! Similar to this spicy fish tikka bowl.
- It’s meal prep-friendly. Just like my gluten-free chicken teriyaki, which stores and reheats beautifully.
- It cooks in one pan, so cleanup is easier! Similar to this One-Pan Tandoori Chicken Tikka recipe.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Excellent even without having a few ingredients. I made this with two cubed medium sweet potatoes, Smart Chicken thighs, and a sliced onion, as that's what I had in house. I googled what is in za'atar and settled on a mixture of sumac, sea salt, marjoram, thyme, oregano, hot pepper flakes, and a little sweet paprika, and toasted some sesame seeds to throw in there too. When you mess with a recipe, you never know what you'll get, but I was so happy! It was delicious and hearty...YUM. Thank you!” Raina
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Sumac Chicken Ingredient Notes
Sumac & Zaatar: Get the freshest you can. I get my sumac fresh from a Middle Eastern store here in Houston, and the za’atar is fresh from Palestine. I used za’atar to balance out the tanginess of the sumac.
Chicken: I use bone-in, skin-on chicken legs and thighs or even just drumsticks. These give the juiciest results. If you prefer breast, get it with the skin on and adjust the cook time as needed.
Aleppo Pepper: This pepper has mild heat. You can use paprika instead.
Vegetables: I used sweet potatoes and broccoli, but you can use cauliflower and even carrots. The idea is to use a vegetable that doesn’t end up either mushy or undercooked.
Quick yogurt sauce Ingredients
Yogurt: Greek yogurt or full-fat whole milk yogurt; both work.
Mayonnaise: Add some mayo to make it creamier! I use this one.
Garlic: I use both fresh and powdered, and they both work.
Water: Use to thin the sauce to your preference.
Variations
Change up the veggies: You can add bell peppers and yellow potatoes, carrots. They all work really well with this chicken.
How to Make Sumac Chicken and Vegetables in the Oven
Step 1: Cut up the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218 °C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Cut the sweet potato into cubes and broccoli into bite-sized florets, and add them to the lined sheet pan.
Step 2: Make the sumac paste. Add the sumac, za’atar, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and Aleppo pepper to a small bowl, then mix into a thick paste.
Step 3: Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken to the sheet pan and rub the paste all over the chicken and veggies, ensuring they are fully coated. Nestle the chicken pieces between the veggies.
Step 4: Bake. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through, and then broil for 4 minutes to get a nice char.
Step 5: Prepare the quick garlic yogurt sauce.
Step 6: Enjoy! Drizzle over the chicken and veggies and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Don’t be afraid of chicken skin! It is full of nutrients and makes this chicken juicy and crispy!
- Bone-in or boneless chicken legs or thighs are best for this dish, as they tend to be juicier.
- Save time by getting precut veggies at the store. I often get precut broccoli florets at Trader Joe’s.
- Sweet potatoes, if washed thoroughly, do not need to be peeled so when in a pinch, just give them a good wash and continue with chopping them.
Sumac Chicken FAQs
Yes absolutely. The cook time will vary, and it is slightly shorter for chicken breast, as that tends to dry out if cooked too long.
Of course! I’ve roasted cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini, and carrots before. Just make sure they cook in similar amounts of time.
Store sumac chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. This chicken will keep for up to 4 days cooked. If you store it uncooked, cook it within 24 hours to keep it fresh. Marinated and uncooked, this chicken can stay in the freezer for up to three months. I wouldn’t freeze the veggies, as their texture can change.
If you tried this sumac chicken recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments. I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get more deliciousness straight to your inbox!
Sumac Chicken Sheet Pan with Roasted Vegetables
Equipment
- 1 Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 8 -10 chicken drumsticks with skin on About 2 pounds. Can use thighs as well. See note
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon za’atar
- 2 tablespoons sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon aleppo pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 small heads broccoli Cut into florets
- 1 medium sweet potato cubed
For the garlic yogurt sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon water or to preference
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF/218ºC. Cut up the sweet potato into cubes and the broccoli into florets. Add them to a large bowl and set it aside.
Make the Marinade
- In a bowl, add the olive oil, salt, za'atar, sumac, garlic powder, and Aleppo pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Remove the chicken drumsticks and pat them dry with paper towels. Add the chicken to the bowl of veggies. Toss the chicken, sweet potato cubes, and broccoli florets with the marinade, making sure everything is coated. Transfer everything to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through.Meanwhile, make the garlic yogurt sauce by combining all the ingredients. Set aside. After 25 minutes, set the oven to broil and broil the chicken for about 4 minutes to char it. You can place the baking sheet on the top rack to do this. Enjoy with garlic yogurt sauce or any other condiment of choice.
Video
Notes
- The nutrition calculations do not take into account the yogurt sauce
- Bone-in or boneless chicken legs or thighs are best for this dish, as they tend to be juicier.
- I sometimes get the pre-cut florets at Trader Joe’s to save time.
- You don’t need to peel sweet potatoes. Just wash them thoroughly.
Raina Scura says
Excellent even without having a few ingredients. I made this with two cubed medium sweet potatoes, Smart Chicken thighs, and a sliced onion as that’s what I had in house. I googled what is in za’atar and settled on a mixture of sumac, sea salt, marjoram, thyme, oregano, hot pepper flakes and a little sweet paprika, and toasted some sesame seeds to throw in there too. When you mess with a recipe you never know what you’ll get, but I was so happy! It was delicious and hearty. Next time I’ll make a point of having broccoli on hand. I didn’t need to put it under the broiler as my Breville oven does have heat coming from above as well as below so everything cooked beautifully and browned well, a little faster cooking time (~18 minutes) since the thighs were cubed and I made the sweet potatoes cubed small as well. YUM. Thank you!
Zeeshan Shah says
Oh yay! So glad it worked out for you Raina. And way to go making homemade za’atar!
Sami Shah says
10/10 peak recipe🤤😋
Shah Zeeshan says
Thank you Sami!