Although some may think this is in bad form, hosting friends is when I love to try out new recipes. Luckily, I get more hits than misses, but it’s always fun to experiment with friends who are up for the adventure.
So when we recently hosted a bunch of friends at our house for the weekend, I decided to try this Grilled Zaatar Chicken recipe. I love a good prep ahead recipe (and a good On the Grill recipe!) so that I can get a bunch of things done ahead of time, and this Grilled Zaatar Chicken tastes best when allowed to marinate overnight.
If you’re unfamiliar with za’atar, it is a Middle Eastern spice blend. The ingredients in the blend can vary, but the blend I used, Pereg Za’atar (paid link), contains quinoa flour, coriander, olive oil, hyssop (a mint-like herb that has a slight bitterness to it), parsley, salt, and sour salt.
Ingredients (makes 4-6 servings):
Marinade:
- 1/2 cup whole plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, pressed (paid link) or minced
- the zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons za’atar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2-3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Yogurt Dip:
- 1/2 whole plain Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove, pressed (paid link)
- the juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon za’atar (I used Pereg Za’atar – paid link)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Other, for serving:
- olive oil
- the juice of 1 lemon