Lemon chicken with za’atar

As anyone who has cooked the chicken traybakes from Sami’s previous cookbooks – Ottolenghi: The Cookbook and Jerusalem – knows, the secret weapon behind so many (seemingly) effortless dinners is a make-ahead chicken dish which can just be put into the oven when needed. All the work is done in advance, which means that on the night there is little fuss, and happy feasting. It’s a complete winner every time.

Ingredients note: We tend to start with a whole chicken