Zaatar garlic-butter chicken and risoni with zucchini

Name: Zaatar garlic-butter chicken and risoni with zucchini
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 2-3 tbsp olive oil; 4-6 chicken marylands, skin on; 1 tbsp zaatar; 1½ cups risoni; 1 cup grated halloumi; handful of cavolo nero leaves, roughly chopped; 2¼ cups chicken stock; 6-8 baby zucchini* (with their flowers, optional)

Katrina Meynink

November 21, 2023

Spring chicken traybake with baby zucchini nestled in risoni.Katrina Meynink

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4-6

What I love about this, other than its one-dish-and-done nature, is the adaptability of the greens. Nestle in whatever is plentiful and in-season and this is a cost-effective dinnertime win. Also: don’t skimp on the garlic butter part. It takes this dish to glory.

Ingredients

2-3 tbsp olive oil
4-6 chicken marylands, skin on
1 tbsp zaatar
1½ cups risoni
1 cup grated halloumi
handful of cavolo nero leaves, roughly chopped
2¼ cups chicken stock
6-8 baby zucchini* (with their flowers, optional)

Zaatar garlic butter

3 garlic cloves, sliced
½ tbsp zaatar
40g butter
coarsely torn soft herbs to serve, such as tarragon, mint, flat-leaf parsley

Method

Step 1
Preheat oven to 190C fan-forced (210C conventional).
Step 2
Drizzle the olive oil in the base of a large roasting dish. Add the chicken marylands, skin side up, and give them a good swish in the oil. Scatter over the zaatar. Pop in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
Step 3
Combine the risoni, grated haloumi and cavolo nero in a bowl. When the chicken has had its initial cook, add the risoni mixture into the tray, around the pieces of chicken. Pour over the chicken stock, being careful to avoid getting it on the chicken skin. Arrange the zucchini, or whatever seasonal greens you’re using, on top of the risoni, and return the tray to the oven for a further 30 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Step 4
Add the garlic butter ingredients to a saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, swirling regularly to prevent the spices from burning, until the butter has melted and the garlic is golden.
Step 5
Pour the butter over the top of the chicken. Scatter with herbs, season generously with salt and pepper, and serve.