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An oval pan filled with a whole roast chicken with sumac, surrounded by roasted carrots, garlic, lemon wedges; a bowl of yogurt, sumac, and olive oil nearby
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5 / 2 votes

Sumac Roast Chicken

This classic roast chicken takes on Middle Eastern flair with the addition of a sumac rub and creamy labneh sauce.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Resting Time6 hours
Total Time7 hours 45 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 296

Ingredients

  • One (4-pound) chicken
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 teaspoons sumac, plus more for serving
  • 3 lemons, halved
  • 3 heads garlic, halved
  • 4 medium (11 oz) carrots , peeled and quartered
  • 4 small (about 1 1/2 lbs) Yukon Gold potatoes , scrubbed and quartered
  • 2 small (11 oz) yellow onions , quartered
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the labneh
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup labneh or full-fat Greek yogurt
  • Toasted sesame seeds, for serving
  • Flaky sea salt, for serving
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Place the chicken in a deep, large roasting pan. Using your fingers, gently tug the skin from the meat over the breasts and drumsticks. Rub the butter between the skin and the meat. Rub 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons sumac all over the chicken skin. If time permits, refrigerate the chicken, uncovered, for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°̊C).
  • Squeeze half of 1 lemon over the chicken and place it inside the cavity along with a half head of garlic. Drizzle the chicken with 2 to 4 tablespoons oil.
  • In a large bowl, combine the carrots, potatoes, onions, and the remaining lemons and garlic. Pour over 1/4 cup oil, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sumac, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated and scatter them around the chicken.
  • Roast, tossing the vegetables occasionally, until the chicken and vegetables are deep golden and cooked through and the chicken registers 165°F (72°C) in the thickest part of the thigh, 60 to 75 minutes. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
  • Squeeze the garlic out of its papery husk and stir it into the vegetables.
  • Drizzle the labneh with oil and sprinkle it with the sesame seeds, some pepper, sumac, and flaky sea salt. Serve the labneh alongside the chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 25mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g