Food |

During a quick weeknight grocery run, I stumbled upon boneless-skinless chicken thighs passing through the meat section. I couldn’t help but reach for the package. The chicken thighs looked so fresh and they came at a nice price! It was also exciting to reach for something different than the usual chicken breasts. I had never cooked with chicken thighs before so I started bouncing recipe ideas off my mom, coworkers, and of course, Pinterest.

A couple days later, a coworker handed me a ripped out page from a magazine she read while waiting for a doctor’s appointment. The page displayed a recipe featuring chicken thighs! But what I was even more excited about was that the dish featured a lemon-tahini sauce!

Tahini is an ingredient I have been looking forward to having in my pantry. It is a paste made from ground sesame seeds & I’ve heard it packs any recipe with a nutty punch! I first saw this ingredient while watching one of my favorite food bloggers, Molly Yeh, making homemade hummus. She recommends splurging on a nice brand of tahini to ensure the best flavor! Needless to say, I was inspired and couldn’t wait to recreate this recipe. The recipe page was ripped out from the magazine Better Homes & Garden.

The end result was AMAZING! I love that the whole recipe was cooked in the same skillet which really provided a well rounded depth of flavor. The tart citrusy lemons + nutty tahini blended perfectly with some chicken broth and skillet juices to make the dreamiest sauce. I served mine with half of a baked sweet potato to help soak up all that dreamy sauce! This dish was husband approved!

Below are the ingredients & the directions according to how I made them. You can find the original recipe here. I skipped out on the dried thyme although I wish I hadn’t! I can only imagine how an herb like thyme would have elevated the dish. From start to finish this dish took me about 45 minutes.

Ingredients

• 5 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1+ Tbsp salt
• 2 tsp. crushed dried thyme
• 2-3 tsp paprika
• 8 oz fresh green beans trimmed + halved.
• 4 shallots quartered
• 1 1/4 c chicken broth
• 1/3 c tahini
• 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest

Directions

1. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and thyme. Rub the seasonings in with hands on both sides. Heat 2 Tbsp+ of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Once the pan is real hot, add the chicken thighs and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Each side should be well browned. Remove chicken from skillet and transfer to a plate.
2. Keep the skillet at a medium heat and add in the green beans and shallots, and some salt to taste. Cook about 3-4 minutes until the beans have softened and the shallots have browned. Return the chicken + juices from the plate and add one cup of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, & then simmer uncovered for about 7 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 170ºF.
3. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the chicken and vegetables to a plate again. Turn the heat down to a low-medium. Whisk tahini, lemon juice, and the remaining 1/4 c chicken broth with the juices in the skillet. Whisk to combine until all the ingredients have blended into a consistent texture (less than a minute). Return the chicken, vegetables, and juices back to the skillet. Let the sauce marry with the chicken and vegetable for about 2 minutes, zest a lemon over the top and serve!

Tips & Recommendations

• Use cast iron! If you love cooking with cast iron like me, this dish will provide a tremendous amount of flavor to season your skillet!
• Tahini tends to have some oil separation at the top. Mix thoroughly before adding to the skillet. Keep stored in a dry, cool place away from extreme heat.
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is cooked to 170ºF.

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How did it go?

Leave a comment below about your experience with this recipe!