Tahini-Rubbed Chicken With Chickpeas & Dates

 

The Stuff:

• 2 tablespoons tahini, well stirred
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 tablespoons Never Not Eating Shawarma Spice
• 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters or thighs
• Kosher salt plus freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoons hot water (either from tap or heated)
• 1 large lemon, very thinly sliced and cut into half moons (seeds removed)
• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Never Not Eating Chraime
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 8 Medjool dates, pitted and halved
• 3/4 cup whole-milk yogurt
• 1 tablespoon tahini, well stirred
• Never Not Eating Sumac S&P
• 1 tablespoon Never Not Eating Za’atar for garnish

The Method:

1. Heat oven to 425°F.
2. For the tahini-rubbed chicken: In a small bowl, mix together tahini, olive oil, honey, and shawarma spice until smooth and well integrated.
3. Blot chicken dry with paper towels. Rub tahini marinade all over chicken and under the skin. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. (Make-ahead tip: the marinated chicken can be refrigerated up to 8 hours in advance.)
4. In a small bowl, stir together honey and hot water until dissolved. Soak lemon slices until ready to use (this step softens the lemons and ensures they get nicely caramelized).
5. In a 12- or 14-inch ovenproof skillet, add sliced onions, half of lemon slices (drained of their soaking water), and chickpeas. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top, and season with a few pinches of kosher salt and Chraime. Arrange chicken on top, and nestle remaining lemon slices around (not on top of) the chicken.
6. Roast chicken for 20 minutes. Remove skillet from the oven, and nestle dates around the chicken. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until the chicken is 165°F in the thickest parts.
7. Run the skillet under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp-up the chicken skin (don’t walk away; the chicken will brown quickly!). Out of the oven, lift up the chicken and sprinkle Za’atar onto the saucy onions and chickpeas.
8. Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt, tahini, a pinch or two of Sumac S&P.
9. Serve warm chicken (cut-up or left whole) and dates with the saucy chickpeas and onions, with yogurt sauce and flatbread on the side.