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Tahini Chicken – Sugar Free Londoner
My tahini chicken is a tasty, easy dinner that cooks in just 30 minutes. It is chicken thighs marinated in a zesty, garlicky yogurt tahini sauce, then roasted in the oven until juicy, tender and golden.
I have a great love for the flavors Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, and one of my go-to ingredients is tahini!
Tahini is a sesame paste and as you might expect, it tastes creamy, nutty and earthy, just like sesame.
I drizzle tahini sauce over everything, from meat to roasted vegetables to keto falafel. I have even baked tahini bread.
In this chicken and tahini recipe, I am MARINATING the chicken in a yogurt tahini sauce. This makes the chicken extra juicy and tender and lets the tahini flavor shine even more.
I used a casserole dish which meant I could only fit in 6 chicken pieces. Next time I’ll make a double batch and use an entire baking tray. Yes, tahini chicken is that good!
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What’s To Love About This Recipe
Easy. This is a hand-off, one pan recipe with minimal prep. The oven does all the work.
Versatile. The tahini chicken marinade doubles up as a sauce! Also, you can serve the chicken hot with veggies of your choice, or slice it and enjoy cold stuffed in pita bread or a wrap.
Low carb and high protein. This recipe is keto friendly!
Ingredients
Let’s talk ingredients. You’ll find exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but I wanted to give you a bit of extra info right here:
Chicken – I used skinless and boneless chicken thighs. Organic is best as the meat tastes better and won’t shrink so much during cooking.
That said, the tahini marinade is so tasty that it will make even budget chicken taste great.
MARINADE
- Greek Yogurt – Full fat is best. I use the Fage brand.
- Tahini – I like the light tahini paste because it tastes milder and creamier. Stir it before using.
- Lemon juice – Adds a zesty kick. Must be fresh!
- Garlic – Again, minced fresh garlic tastes much better than garlic powder.
- Spices – I used cumin, which lends an earthy, nutty note. Za’atar is a good alternative. We also need flakey sea salt and ground black pepper.
PAN EXTRAS (add the wow effect)
- Bulb of garlic, halved – Squeeze the softened garlic cloves out before serving and mix them with the pan juices!
- Lemon, halved
- Cherry tomatoes on the vine
- Olive oil
Instructions
It is simple to make Mediterranean tahini chicken. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with ingredient amounts, timings and nutrition information.
STEP 1
Stir together the marinade ingredients until smooth.
STEP 2
Add the chicken pieces into the bowl and stir until evenly covered.
STEP 3
Spray a baking pan with olive oil. Add the chicken and optional tomatoes, garlic and lemon. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and
STEP 4
Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is tender, juicy and golden on top.
Serve topped with chopped parsley, sesame seeds and drizzle over the remaining yogurt tahini sauce.
Katrin’s Top Tips
#1 Reserve. Set aside some of the tahini marinade, so it does not come into contact with the raw chicken. We’ll use it as a sauce later.
#2 Be patient. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge. The yogurt tenderises the meat!
#3 Space them out so the chicken pieces do not touch. This way, the air can circulate and the thighs cook and brown evenly.
#4 Check For Doneness. Larger, thicker chicken thighs take longer to cook! Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer or cut into one of the thighs. The meat is done when it is white/beige and the juices run clear.
Meat Options
CHICKEN: This recipe also works with chicken breast or drumsticks (remove the skin). I would slice large breasts lengthways to make them flatter.
LAMB: The tahini yogurt sauce is equally wonderful as a marinade and / or sauce for lamb chops.
Serving Suggestion
I like to serve the thighs Mediterranean-style with a crisp green salad and the roasted tomatoes.
More low carb sides that work well:
- broccoli, green beans, zucchini, fennel, asparagus, peppers (you could add these straight into the roasting pan)
- keto tabbouleh salad or cauliflower rice
- Or, slice the chicken and serve with lettuce and tomatoes as a Mediterranean wrap in keto pita bread.
If carbs are not a concern (think hungry teenagers!), pair the dish with rice, couscous or bulgur wheat or eat sliced in a regular pita bread.
Recipe FAQs
At what temperature are chicken thighs safe to eat?
The ideal internal temperature for chicken thighs is 79C / 175F. Check with a meat thermometer at the thickest part.
Can I make tahini chicken in the air fryer?
Yes. A standard round air fryer basket will only fit 4 chicken thighs so you may need to air fry in batches. Air fry the chicken at 180C / 350F.
Can I make it in a frying pan?
Yes. I recommend cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces. This way it cooks quicker and the yogurt marinade won’t burn in the pan.
How to make the recipe dairy-free?
Use a thick dairy-free yogurt such as almond. Or, use the tahini dressing from my warm kale salad as a marinade! It does not contain yogurt at all.
Storage
FRIDGE: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
FREEZER: Tahini chicken freezes well for up to 3 months.
REHEATING: Warm in the oven, in a frying pan or in the microwave on a low power level.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
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Recipe
Mediterranean Tahini Chicken
My Mediterranean chicken tahini recipe is chicken thighs marinated in a yogurt tahini sauce and oven-roasted until tender. It’s a hands-off, family-friendly dinner that cooks in just 30 minutes.
Instructions
MARINADE
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Place all the ingredients for the marinade in a large mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Set aside ⅓ of the mixture in a small bowl to use as a sauce for later.
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Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper and add to the large mixing bowl. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
OVEN BAKE
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Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F or 180C / 350F fan and spray a baking sheet with olive oil.
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Add the marinated chicken, lemon halves, halved garlic and optional tomatoes to your prepared baking tray. Space out the chicken so it does not touch and can cook evenly.
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Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside and has a golden crust. Cooking times depend on the size of your thighs.
SERVE
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Serve with pan juices, fresh parsley, sesame seeds and drizzle with the reserved tahini sauce. Option to squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves and the juice from the roasted lemon.
Notes
2.4g net carbs per thigh (chicken and tahini sauce only). I recommend 1-2 thighs per serving, depending on appetite.
- There is enough marinade for 8 chicken pieces, if you’d like to serve 4 people. Just use a larger pan.
- The marinade tenderises the meat. Take your time to let the chicken marinate!
- Chicken thighs are perfectly cooked when the internal temperature reaches 79C / 175F.
- Option to roast vegetables at the same time – broccoli, beans, zucchini, asparagus, fennel, bell peppers.
- Leftovers stay fresh in the fridge for 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1thighCalories: 223kcalTotal Carbohydrates: 3.2gProtein: 27.8gFat: 10.7gSaturated Fat: 2.8gSodium: 264mgFiber: 0.8gSugar: 1.2g
