Oven-Baked Chicken with Roasted Red Onion Citrus Tahini Sauce and Spiced Parsley Rice

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Pat the chicken thighs dry and place them in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the lemon zest, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, the sweet paprika, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the chicken. Mix well to coat every piece.

3. 3

   Place the red onion wedges and the 2 whole garlic cloves on a sheet pan or baking dish. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken on top, skin side up.

4. 4

   Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 220 °C / 425 °F, until the chicken is deeply golden and cooked through. For extra color, broil for 2 to 3 additional minutes, watching closely.

5. 5

   While the chicken bakes, prepare the rice. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the drained basmati rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to lightly toast it.

6. 6

   Add the chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and a little black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to very low heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

7. 7

   Remove the tray from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate. Move the roasted red onion and the roasted peeled garlic to a blender or food processor.

8. 8

   Add the tahini, honey, the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, hot water, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. If needed, add 1 more tablespoon water to adjust the texture.

9. 9

   Fluff the rice with a fork and fold in the remaining chopped parsley.

10. 10

    Serve a bed of spiced parsley rice, top with the baked chicken, and finish with the warm roasted red onion tahini sauce. Add a little more black pepper to taste.