This One Pan Middle Eastern Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Bake is one of those dinners that instantly takes me back to my childhood. Chicken thighs, potatoes, carrots, and onions are seasoned generously with seven spice, sumac, and garlic, then roasted together until the chicken is tender and the vegetables soak up all those warm Middle Eastern flavors.
For me, this isn’t just an easy chicken dinner. It’s the kind of food that smells like home.
A Middle Eastern Chicken Dinner I Grew Up Eating
I have so many memories of being at my Tayta’s house around dinner time while she made some version of chicken and vegetables.
She had eight children, so she had a way of making feeding a family look effortless. The apartment would fill with the smell of garlic, onions, and Arabic spices while I waited — not very patiently — for dinner.
My mom learned how to make so many of her Arabic dishes from my Tayta, and then I grew up eating them too.
There is something about chicken seasoned with seven spice and sumac, surrounded by potatoes and vegetables, that will always be comfort food to me.
And now it’s one of those meals I make when I want a dinner that feels familiar, filling, and relatively simple.
Why You’ll Love This Middle Eastern Chicken and Vegetable Bake
This is a great recipe when you want a complete family dinner without making several separate dishes.
The chicken thighs stay juicy while the skin gets a quick sear before baking. The potatoes, carrots, and onions cook in the same spices and chicken stock, picking up flavor from the chicken as everything finishes together in the oven.
It’s:
- Made with simple ingredients
- A complete chicken-and-vegetable dinner
- Full of classic Middle Eastern flavors
- Naturally hearty and comforting
- Great for a family dinner
- Easy to serve with rice, bread, or a simple salad
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken
Chicken thighs: I use skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. Searing them skin-side down first helps give the outside more texture before they finish cooking in the oven.
Vegetables
Yukon Gold potatoes: Cut into wedges so they can brown in the skillet before baking.
Carrots: They add a little natural sweetness and hold up well during roasting.
Yellow onion: Onion wedges become soft and flavorful as they cook with the chicken and spices.
Middle Eastern Seasonings
Seven spice: A classic Arabic spice blend that gives the chicken its warm, savory flavor.
Sumac: Sumac adds its characteristic slightly tart, bright flavor and works especially well with chicken.
Garlic: Four minced garlic cloves give the spice mixture plenty of flavor.
Salt: Season according to your preference.
Olive Oil and Chicken Stock
A little olive oil is used for searing, while chicken stock is added before baking to keep everything moist and flavorful.
What Is Seven Spice?
Seven spice is a Middle Eastern spice blend used in everything from chicken and meat to rice and stews.
The exact blend can vary depending on the brand or family recipe, but it typically contains a combination of warm spices such as allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, cumin, coriander, and sometimes nutmeg or cardamom.
You can usually find it at a Middle Eastern or Arabic grocery store.
How to Make Middle Eastern Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
The key to this recipe is giving the chicken and vegetables a little color in the skillet before they go into the oven.
First, combine the seven spice, sumac, salt, and garlic. Rub the seasoning generously over the chicken, then use the same mixture to season the vegetables.
Sear the chicken skin-side down until the skin begins to crisp. The potatoes also get a few minutes in the skillet so they can develop some color on the outside.
Next, lightly cook the carrots and onions.
Once everything has been seared, arrange the vegetables in your oven-safe skillet or baking dish and nestle the chicken into them skin-side up. Add the chicken stock, cover, and finish cooking in the oven.
This extra skillet step is worth it because you’re building flavor and texture before everything roasts together.
Why Bake in the Bottom Third of the Oven?
You’ll notice that the recipe calls for baking the chicken in the bottom third of the oven.
If you’re not used to seeing that instruction, imagine dividing your oven into three horizontal sections: top, middle, and bottom.
The middle rack is commonly used for baking because it provides relatively even heat. Moving food toward the bottom of the oven exposes it to more direct heat from below.
For this chicken and vegetable bake, place your oven rack in the lower portion of the oven before you begin cooking.
Pro Tips
Don’t skip searing the chicken. Starting the chicken skin-side down in the hot skillet helps develop texture and flavor that you wouldn’t get by putting everything directly into the oven.
Give the potatoes some color too. Browning the outside of the potatoes for a few minutes before baking adds another layer of flavor.
Cut your vegetables into similar-sized pieces. This helps everything cook more evenly.
Use an oven-safe skillet if you have one. A cast-iron skillet works especially well because you can sear and bake in the same pan.
Don’t crowd everything on top of the chicken. Arrange the vegetables around the chicken and leave the chicken skin exposed and facing upward.
Use the pan juices. When serving, spoon some of the flavorful juices from the bottom of the pan over the chicken and vegetables.
What to Serve with Middle Eastern Roasted Chicken
This chicken and vegetable bake can absolutely be served as a complete meal on its own.
If you want to stretch it into a larger family meal, serve it with:
- Arabic rice or vermicelli rice
- Warm pita bread
- A simple Arabic salad
- Cucumber yogurt salad
- Pickles and olives
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this with boneless chicken?
The original recipe is made with skin-on chicken thighs, which work particularly well because they stay juicy while roasting. Changing the cut of chicken may change the cooking time, so I recommend using the chicken thighs called for in the recipe for the best results.
What is sumac?
Sumac is a deep red Middle Eastern spice with a bright, slightly tart flavor. It is commonly used throughout Middle Eastern cooking and pairs especially well with chicken, onions, salads, and roasted vegetables.
Where can I find seven spice?
Look for seven spice at an Arabic or Middle Eastern grocery store or in the international section of a well-stocked supermarket.
Can I use a baking dish instead of a cast-iron skillet?
Yes. The chicken and vegetables can be transferred to an oven-safe baking dish after they are seared.
How do I know when the carrots are done?
The carrots should be tender enough to easily pierce with a fork.
Can I make this ahead of time?
This dish is best when freshly roasted, particularly because of the chicken skin. You can, however, prepare and cut your vegetables ahead of time to make dinner prep faster.
You May Also Like
If you love easy Arabic and Middle Eastern family dinners, try:
- Mloukhiyeh with Shredded Chickenfor another comforting chicken dinner.
- Instant Pot Bamiya for an easy Arabic stew that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
- Kafta Bi Tahini for a simple baked Arabic dinner with plenty of flavor.
- Almost Musakhan when you’re craving chicken, sumac, and onions.
- Mujaddara for an easy meatless Arabic meal made with lentils and rice.
One Pan Middle Eastern Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 4 Chicken Thighs skin on
- 2 tablespoons Seven Spice found at your local Arabic store
- 2 tablespoons Sumac
- Salt to taste (I used about 1 tablespoon)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Yellow Onion cut into wedges
- 1 cup Carrots chopped
- 3 Yukon Gold potatoes cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup Chicken Stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Prepare the chicken and vegetables
- In a small bowl, mix together the seven spice, salt, sumac and garlic
- Using your hands, rub the chicken generously, back and front and all over, with the spice mixture, then set aside
- Next, toss the potatoes in the spice mixture and set aside
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet (or oven safe skillet) over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Once the oil is hot, carefully place the chicken skin-side down in an even layer, and the potatoes
- Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes, until the skin is crispy, then remove and set aside
- Cook the potatoes until crispy on the outside, about 2-3 minutes on each side
- While the chicken and potatoes are being sautéed, toss together the carrots and onions with the spice mixture.
- Remove the potatoes from the pan and add the carrots and onions, cooking for about 5 mins (or until slightly charred)
- Turn the heat off
- Using tongs or a spatula, arrange the vegetables in your large oven-safe skillet (or in an oven-safe baking dish), then nestle in the chicken, skin-side up.
- Pour in 1/4 cup chicken stock
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the bottom third of the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the carrots are tender and can be poked easy with a fork
- Serve warm
Notes
