Chicken sumac
============= 2021-08-10


Inspired by : Sumac Chicken and Rice Recipe

and Roasted Chicken with Sumac and Meyer lemons

Comments: Sumac is a spice of dark red color, coming from the Middle East. It has a lemony flavor. Here we use it with lemon zest and lemon slices to re-inforce this lemony flavor. Use chicken thighs (preferably deboned and with skin) or whole chicken legs. The za'atar could be replaced by half the amount of dried thyme. The Aleppo pepper gives a moderate amount of heat. The rice should be washed 3 or 4 times until the water runs fairly clear. As for the roasting pan, it should be large enough so the chicken pieces do not touch each other. This will also make sure the stock for the rice does not drown the chicken pieces. Use a non stick roasting pan or buttered an oven dish.

3 servings

Ingredients:
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6 deboned chicken thighs with skin or 3 chicken legs (drumstick & thigh)
3 flat tablespoons (15 g) sumac
1 flat tablespoon (5 g) za'atar  
1 lemon zest
270 g basmati rice
1 teaspoon (4 g) turmeric
1+ red onion sliced 1 cm thick (6 slices)
6 thin slices of lemon
6 garlic cloves unpeeled
480 ml chicken stock - add salt if it is not salty
Aleppo pepper (opt)

EVOO
S + P

Preparation:
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Preheat the oven at 180C [360F] fan asisted oven or 200C [400F] standard oven.
Make a rub with the sumac, za'tar, the zest, pepper and 1 flat teaspoon of fine salt.
Rub the spice mix on both sides of the chicken and under the skin.  
In a roasting pan place the riced (washed), the turmeric and 1 tablespoon of EVOO and mix well.
Place the red onion slices on top of the rice.
Pour the chicken stock on the rice.
Then place the chicken, skin up, on each onion slice (that will hold it up above the liquid)
Top each piece of chicken with a thin lemon slice.
Add the garlic between the pieces of chicken and drizzle the chicken with a good splash of EVOO.
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 40 mn.
After that remove the foil, increase the oven to 200C [400F] and roast for another 20 mn until the chicken gets slightly browned.
Serve sprinkled with some Aleppo pepper.