Chef notes
The depth of flavor in the za'atar spice blend and the texture of the crispy garlic make this an instant hit. I also love that you can make a big batch of the fried garlic in olive oil and store it to use on other dishes. This recipe works well if you like to prep in advance as the chickens can cure for up to one week.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, halved, leg bones taken out and wing tips removed
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons za'atar
- 3 heads garlic (about 30 cloves), half crushed and half thinly sliced
- 2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- canola oil
- 2 cups olive oil
Preparation
1.Pat dry the chicken with paper towels to remove excess moisture and then place in a large mixing bowl.
2.Combine the salt and za'atar in a bowl and use to cover the whole chicken.
3.Add the chicken, crushed garlic and thinly sliced onion to a large plastic container and cover the chicken in canola oil.
4.Cover the chicken and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.
5.After the chicken has cured, preheat the oven to 350 F. While the oven heats, let the chicken rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
6.Once preheated, place a large cast-iron skillet in the oven for 30 minutes.
7.Remove the chicken halves from the container and add directly to the hot cast-iron pan, skin-side down.
8.Place the cast-iron pan into the oven and cook for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, flip the chicken and cook skin side up for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes.
9.Add the olive oil to a large pot and bring to a frying temperature of 350 F (monitor the temp with a candy thermometer).
10.Once the oil has reached temperature, add the thinly sliced garlic and fry.
11.Turn the oil off once any color is noticed. The garlic will continue to cook in the oil while the heat is off.
12.Plate the chicken and, using a slotted spoon, top the chicken with the crispy garlic.
