Saniya Jaj (Arabic Baked Chicken)

Arabic Baked Chicken Recipe! Whether you know it as Arabic roasted chicken with vegetables, or in Arabic, Saniya Jaj, this is a delicious Middle Eastern Fall off the Bone Chicken and Potato bake that comes together in minutes!

If you love the flavors of the Middle East, then you're going to love this saniya recipe with chicken! All you have to do is make a marinate of Arabic spices, oil, lemon juice, and tomato paste then rub it all over your whole chicken. Add it to a pan with veggies and roast till its done!

Saniya is a great recipe to make the night ahead and have ready to bake tomorrow. If you let your chicken sit in the Arabic spice marinade overnight, you will definitely get the most juicy flavorful fall off the bone chicken.

Do you love Arabic food and want to learn how to make delicious authentic Arabic recipes at home? Make sure to read my complete guide on Cooking Arabic Food at Home!

WHAT IS SANIYA JAJ?

Saniya jaj is basically translated to Arabic baked chicken and potatoes. A traditional saniya recipe is made with spiced and marinated chicken, onions, and vegetables. The great thing about Arabic roasted chicken aka saniya jaj, is that it is super versatile and you can make it your own!

INGREDIENTS IN ARABIC BAKED CHICKEN

Chicken saniya ingredients vary from country to country, and from household to household. This is my baked chicken recipe that my family loves, but feel free to experiment with different spices that you love and use whatever vegetables you have on hand!

• 1 whole chicken, either cut or whole make sure it is bone in and skin on!!
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 packet of sazon goya
• 2 teaspoons fresh black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon Arabic 7 Spices
• 1 large onion
• 4-5 large potatoes

HOW TO MAKE SANIYA!

My easy saniya Arabic baked chicken recipe can be whipped up in no time and left in the oven to bake while you relax. Plus, there is little clean up! Maybe even the best part about this Arabic baked chicken and vegetables recipe. Okay, let's make Saniya jaj!

Step 1: Make the marinade

The first step in a delicious roasted chicken is of course the spices that are used. I use a mix of Arabic spices and a Cajun spice blend that has my family finishing this entire chicken in one sitting!

You will notice for this baked chicken recipe, I am using a whole chicken, but in my videos sometimes I use cut up chicken. This is because I want to show you how versatile and easy this baked chicken recipe is.

You can use either a whole chicken, a whole chicken cut into pieces, or use the chicken pieces that you like (example I love dark meat from chicken thighs and chicken legs so if my husband isn't eating I would probably only make the dark meat pieces).

The one rule for this is that the chicken will have the most flavor and be the juiciest after baking when you use bone in and skin on chicken!! So don't buy those boneless skinless cuts of meat you're missing out on flavor and extra nutrients!

In a medium sized bowl, mix together all the ingredients for your saniya chicken marinade:

• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 packet of sazon goya
• 2 teaspoons fresh black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon Arabic 7 Spices

Mix well and then rub all over your chicken (or chicken pieces). You can even use all chicken legs, or all chicken thighs if you like. Keep in mind you will get the juiciest Arabic chicken recipe if you use bone in and skin on chicken. And an extra dose of healthy collagen!

Step 2: Add vegetables and bake!

You can either put your Middle Eastern spice marinated chicken in the fridge overnight up to 2 days to marinate, or bake straight away. When you're ready to bake your chicken add it to a baking dish. I like to use my Dutch oven because the lid seals tightly and makes my Arabic spiced chicken super juicy.

A lot of people I've seen make their Saniya in a big roasting tray covered with aluminum foil, but I don't like using aluminum and the lid makes a tighter seal for more steam on your roasting chicken.

Add your vegetables to your pan. I used a chopped onion, and potatoes. Other people use tomatoes, or carrots most commonly. But you can use any vegetable that you like in your Saniya bake.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours, covered. After 2 hours remove the lid or cover and roast for another 15-20 minutes till the top of your chicken is crispy.

Serve with rice, flat bread, and Arabic chopped salad. Enjoy!

Love making Arabic Food at Home? Try some of these mouth watering authentic Middle Eastern recipes!

• Shorbat Adas
• Galayet Bandora
• Fasolia with Lebanese Rice
• Chicken Kabsa
• Maqluba
• Musakhan
• Ouzi with Chicken
• Ouzi Lamb
• Dwali (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
• Sfiha
• Arabic Yellow Rice
• Jaj Mahshi (Stuffed Chicken)
• Persian Pomegranate Chicken

And no Arabic meal is complete without Arabic tea, make sure to try out my Authentic Jordanian Bedouin Tea Recipe!

If you try my Arabic Baked Chicken Recipe, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube!

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