Syrian Roast Chicken With Lemon & Garlic Recipe
Make the chicken that's given a mother-daughter duo a cult following
Every Friday at Comal, Denver's food incubator for aspiring immigrant restaurateurs, you'll find a Middle Eastern feast being prepared by Iraqi-Syrian refugees Vian Alnidawi and Sara Nassr. Their spread includes everything from shakriyeh, a lamb yogurt stew, to this traditional roast chicken, where the crispy meat rests on a bed of potatoes and onions before being brushed with lemon and garlic. It's the kind of Syrian home cooking that's helping the mother-daughter duo make a name for themselves among locals and big-name chefs alike.
To learn more, read "Coming Home."
Recipe adapted from Vian Alnidawi and Sara Nassr, Comal Heritage Food Incubator, Denver, CO
Jaj Bl Hamed w Tum (Baked Chicken with Lemon & Garlic)
Learn how to make jaj bl hamed w tum, a Syrian dish of roast chicken legs smothered in lemon and garlic with potatoes and onions.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, cut in in half, julienned
- 2 large russet potatoes, cut into wedges
- 4 chicken legs
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 5 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 lemons, juiced, roughly ⅓ cup of juice
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, toss the onions, potatoes and chicken legs with the salt and 5 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Arrange the onion and potato pieces evenly across a deep baking tray, then place the chicken legs on top. Bake for 1 hour.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the grated garlic, lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven; the chicken should be brown and crispy. Spread the lemon-garlic mixture on top, then return the tray to the oven for 8 minutes.
- Divide the legs among 4 plates and serve.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 1,116 |
| Total Fat | 78.8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 18.4 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.2 g |
| Cholesterol | 319.9 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 40.4 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.8 g |
| Total Sugars | 3.1 g |
| Sodium | 1,424.1 mg |
| Protein | 61.1 g |
