Sumac Chicken With Carrots (Printable)

Fragrant Middle Eastern roasted chicken with sumac-spiced carrots and chickpeas for a wholesome gluten-free dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

→ Vegetables & Legumes

02 - 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
03 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
04 - 1 red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Spices & Seasonings

06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 tsp ground sumac
08 - 1 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 tsp ground coriander
11 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
12 - 1 tsp kosher salt

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
14 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Position rack in the center of the oven.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, ground sumac, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk until a smooth paste forms.
03 - Add the chicken thighs to the spice mixture, turning and massaging the marinade over each piece until evenly and thoroughly coated.
04 - Scatter the sliced carrots, drained chickpeas, red onion, and minced garlic across the bottom of a roasting pan or large baking dish. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, season with a pinch of salt, and toss to coat evenly.
05 - Place the seasoned chicken thighs skin-side up on top of the vegetable mixture, spacing them evenly apart to allow proper browning.
06 - Roast for 40 to 45 minutes until the chicken skin is deeply golden and crisp, the internal temperature reaches 165°F, and the carrots are fork-tender.
07 - Remove from the oven, scatter chopped fresh parsley over the dish, and serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks on one pan so cleanup is almost nothing, which matters more than people admit.
  • The sumac gives you this bright, almost lemony punch without any actual citrus in the spice blend itself.
  • Chickpeas roast up crispy on the outside while staying creamy inside, and they soak up chicken fat like tiny sponges.
02 -
  • Do not flip the chicken while it roasts because the skin needs uninterrupted contact with dry heat to crisp properly.
  • If you marinate the chicken in the spice paste for even 30 minutes, the flavor penetrates noticeably deeper into the meat.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels before applying the spice paste because moisture is the enemy of crispy skin.
  • Let the roasted chicken rest for five minutes before serving so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the pan.

Go Back