Zatar Roast Chicken

This is the best sheet pan chicken I have had--I find chicken a little under flavored much of the time, and that was not the case with this. It was also most and really delicious. Added bonus is that it is forgiving on when it is served. If you need the meal to be left alone after guests start arriving, this is an excellent choice. It calls for cutting up a whole chicken but you could certainly do with the parts you like best. It comes from Falatin, a cookbook I have yet to really explore. ▢3 lemons ▢One (2 3/4-pound) whole chicken cut into legs, thighs, and breasts with the wing-tips left on (or about 2 lb 2 oz | 1kg of bone-in chicken legs or breasts with the wing-tips left on), skin on if you prefer ▢2 medium onions sliced in half, then each half cut into 3 wedges (2 3/4 cups) ▢2 heads garlic skin on, sliced in half, crosswise ▢2 teaspoons sumac ▢3/4 teaspoon ground allspice ▢4 tablespoons za’atar ▢6 tablespoons olive oil ▢3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons store-bought or homemade chicken stock or water (200 ml) ▢Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Cut 2 of the lemons into slices 1/4 inch thick (6 mm) and place in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag. Finely grate the zest of the remaining lemon (you want about 1 1/2 teaspoon of zest) and set it aside for later. Squeeze 1 1/2 tablespoons juice from that same last lemon into the bowl or bag. Add the chicken, onions, garlic, sumac, allspice, 2 tablespoons of za’atar, 2 tablespoons of oil, the stock, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and a good grind of black pepper to the lemon juice. Mix well to combine and then cover with a large plate or seal the bag, and let marinate in the fridge, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours (or up to overnight, if you have the time). About 30 minutes before baking, take the chicken out of the fridge. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Transfer the chicken to a large rimmed baking sheet, skin side up, and pour on the marinade, including the onion, garlic, and sliced lemon. Drizzle the chicken with 1 tablespoon of oil and roast, giving everything a bit of a stir halfway through, until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the onions have taken on Transfer the chicken to a platter along with the onions and lemon slices and any juices that have collected at the bottom of the pan. Some people will love to eat the lemon slices and others won’t. Either way, serve them up with the chicken—they look great!