
Recipes
12
Lemon Za’atar Chicken with Eggplant & Zucchini
Za’atar is popular Middle Eastern spice mixture dating back to ancient times. We have
enveloped the chicken with this aromatic blend of thyme, sumac, wild oregano and toasted
sesame seeds. Fresh lemon adds moist citrus notes.
The Air Fryer is the perfect tool for preparing moist and luscious, roasted chicken,
the
crisping tray
allows drippings (liquid flavor) to permeate the vegetables and stream down
into the easy-to-clean frying basket.
Serves 4
•
1 (3-1/2 - 4 -1/2 lb.) whole chicken
•
1 lemon, zested and halved
•
1 teaspoon salt, divided
•
1 Chinese eggplant
•
1 zucchini
•
1 cup zaatar seasoning
1. Remove the chicken giblets.
2. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Trim all excess fat and use paper towels to pat dry.
Work your hands inside the chicken skin to loosen from the meat. Use a sharp paring
knife to puncture all fat pockets. Make 3 to 4 slits along the chicken’s backbone to relieve
extra fat.
3. Liberally coat the chicken inside and out with zaatar. Generously rub zaatar under the
chicken skin. Squeeze each lemon half over the chicken; squeeze again and place inside
the chicken cavity.
4. Tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. To ensure crispy skin, refrigerate the
chicken uncovered for 30 minutes before air frying.
5. Trim the eggplant and zucchini, cut into discs, then use to cover the bottom of the
Air Fryer basket. Lay the chicken, breast side down, onto the bed of vegetables.
6. Air fry chicken at 365ºF for 25 minutes.
7. Turn the chicken over, breast-side-up. Sprinkle lemon zest over the breast of the chicken.
8. Continue air frying at 365ºF for 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you cut
between a leg and thigh or when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the
thigh reads 170ºF/77ºC - 180ºF/82ºC.
9. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and tent with aluminum foil for about
20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.
000068_14913 BELLA 3QT Air Fryer IM 2 R1.indd 12
2019-09-03 5:13 PM