Recipe Of The Day: Tahini Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs can be a savior when it comes to weeknight cooking. They're budget-friendly, fast cooking and retain moisture and flavor better than chicken breast. But it's all too easy to get into a dinner rut, especially when it comes to chicken. But all it takes are a few flavorful ingredients to transform chicken thighs baked in the oven into something special. Get ready for tahini chicken thighs to enter your regular rotation.
Whether you regularly keep tahini in your pantry or you've never used the stuff, this easy, accessible recipe comes together quickly and is a great use for the Middle Eastern staple.
What is tahini?
Tahini is a plant-based sesame paste made from ground sesame seeds that is commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine. It's the other key ingredient besides chickpeas in hummus. but its nutty taste and creamy texture is a welcome addition to any number of recipes, like salad dressings, dips, marinades, granola, sweets and, of course, chicken. In this chicken thighs recipe, tahini is mixed with garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cumin and olive oil for a simple fast marinade that lends a pleasant but not overpowering flavor.
How to cook chicken thighs
There are lots of chicken thigh recipes out there and many ways to cook this cut of chicken. Chicken thighs can be baked, braised, cooked in a casserole, slow cooked, grilled and more. The recipe below calls for tossing chicken thighs in the tahini mixture and letting it marinate while the oven comes to temperature. Then the chicken thighs are baked on a sheet pan for just 25 minutes or so.
How long to cook chicken thighs
This depends on whether you are using boneless or bone-in chicken thighs and what your method of cooking and temperature is. So, rather than judging based on time alone, there's nothing more reliable than a meat thermometer to let you know when to pull the chicken from the heat.
Chicken should register as 165F on an instant read thermometer when it's done; take care to reach the thermometer into the deepest part of the thigh without touching bone. If you want to know how long to bake chicken thighs with the bone in, then it should be around 25-30 minutes at 425F.
If you want to turn this into a sheetpan dinner, simply add some veggies tossed in olive oil to the pan along with the chicken thighs. Once you've made this, quick and easy recipe, you can explore more chicken recipes for busy weeknights.
Tahini Chicken Thighs
This recipe is by Lauren Delgado and was originally published in the Orlando Sentinel
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup tahini paste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs
Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425F.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix together 1/4 cup tahini paste, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon cumin. Place 4 bone-in chicken thighs into the mixture and toss to coat. Set chicken aside until oven comes to temperature.
Step 3: Place thighs onto a baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes—use a meat thermometer to ensure thighs have come to temperature, about 165 F. Broil chicken thighs for 1 to 2 seconds, or until the thighs get a little color on them. Serve immediately.