Za’atar Grilled Chicken and Pasta is a recipe made with chicken breasts that are marinated in Za’atar seasoning, lemon and olive oil.
I love Mediterranian and Middle Eastern flavors and spices so I’m not sure why it took me so long to try Za’tar. Honestly, it’s been “on my list” but I just haven’t had the opportunity to find it anywhere. That all changed on a recent trip to Atlanta, where our daughter now lives. One morning we all went to an amazing market place and they had every type of spice you can imagine and at really great prices. Although I might have gone a little crazy buying spice, I’m not complaining because I have now discovered Za’atar and it’s perfect in this Grilled Za’atar Chicken and Pasta recipe.
What is Za’atar?
Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that is full of thyme, oregano, marjoram, and sumac. The blend is very aromatic and it has a lemony tangy flavor. I was surprised to find out it doesn’t contain lemon because of the high lemon notes in the spice blend mix. It’s actually very similar to oregano and thyme and is used in a lot of Middle Eastern and Arabic dishes.
I used a blend of the Za’atar spices, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil to marinate my chicken breasts for 6 hours. I also used lemon juice, white wine, butter, and Za’atar in my pasta and pea mix. The flavors are bold, but not too strong. Za’atar is now going to be a regular spice in my recipes.
Can I use a different type of pasta in this recipe?
Of course, you can use any type of pasta or rice for this recipe. But I prefer Farfalle, or bow tie pasta as it’s sometimes called. Some call it butterfly pasta and actually Farfalle means butterfly in Italian. I prefer to use it because it stands up to the flavors and holds on to the spices in the small crevices. To me, it has a good “tooth feel” which means a good bite…you know you are eating pasta when you bite into it.
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Za’atar Grilled Chicken and Pasta
Za’atar Grilled Chicken and Pasta is a recipe made with chicken breasts that are marinated in Za’atar seasoning, lemon and olive oil.
- Prep Time: 8 hour marinade
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 11 minute
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Grilled
- Method: Easy Recipe
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern-American
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1.5 TBS Za’atar spice blend
- 1/2 lb Farfalle pasta
- 1 cup frozen peas (thawed at room temperature)
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 2 TBS butter (I used salted butter)
- 1.5 TBS Za’atar spice blend
- Black pepper
- Pasta water
- Lemon slices and chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
To marinate the chicken:
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, and za’atar to a zip-top bag. Close it and mix it together.
- Add the chicken breasts, seal the bag and place them in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.
To prepare the chicken:
- Grill the chicken on medium heat until it’ reaches an internal temperature of 165° – usually about 6-7 minutes per side.
- Transfer it to a plate, cover with foil and let it rest.
To prepare the pasta:
- Prepare the pasta 5 minutes less than the box directions.
- While pasta is cooking add the butter, lemon juice and wine to a stove-top skillet and turn on low.
- When the pasta is ready, add the pasta to the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high.
- Let it cook for 5-7 minutes to let the juice reduce, add 1/4 cup of pasta water as needed to make sure there is enough liquid.
- Add the frozen peas and cook for another 3 minutes.
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