About the Recipe
These za'atar chicken wings are gorgeous, fragrant, savory, and citrusy. I recommend you make a double or triple batch of za’atar, because you will want to season just about everything with za’atar once you’ve tasted it.
Ingredients
Za'atar
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons marjoram
1 rounded tablespoon sumac
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Wings
3 1/2 pounds whole chicken wings, cut into flat and drum sections
1 tablespoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons honey 1/2 lemon, juiced
6 tablespoons za'atar 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional) 2 teaspoons za'atar, for dusting (optional)
Dipping Sauce (Tahini)
½ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 pinch salt to taste
2 tablespoons warm water, or as needed
Preparation
Step 1
For za'atar, grind thyme with a mortar and pestle, or using a spice grinder. Add marjoram and grind fine; place thyme and marjoram in a small bowl.
Step 2
Add sumac, sesame seeds, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne, and stir thoroughly. Store in an airtight container until needed.
Step 3
For wings, cut whole wings into flat and drum sections, and add to a bowl. Add salt and garlic powder, and mix thoroughly. Cover; refrigerate for at least 2 or up to 24 hours.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with parchment.
Step 5
Whisk egg white, honey, and lemon juice together in a small bowl until foamy. Pour over wings and stir thoroughly. Add za’atar, and toss until evenly coated. Arrange wings, evenly spaced, on the prepared pan.
Step 6
Bake in the preheated oven until bottoms of wings start to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven; turn wings over.
Step 7
Continue baking until wings are well browned, and meat easily pulls off the bone, 20 to 30 minutes more.
Step 8
Rest wings for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Place on a serving tray, drizzle with olive oil, and top with parsley. Sprinkle with additional za’atar if desired. For a sweeter, stickier version, drizzle with a little more
honey.
For the Tahini
Whisk tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt together in a bowl until smooth and thick. Add warm water a splash at a time, whisking after each addition, until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.