Description
Whole30 mediterranean chicken bowls with creamy tahini sauce strike the perfect balance of incredibly flavorful + easy to make! Made with seasoned chicken thighs, a smooth + creamy tahini sauce, and a bright tomato salad with herbs and olives! Whole30, paleo, gluten free, and dairy free.
Ingredients
Scale
For the chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs – a little more than a pound
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil for cooking the chicken
For the tahini sauce
- 3/4 cup tahini
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove of garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup water + more if needed
For the tomato salad
- 1 pint – about 2 cups worth of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
To garnish
- A handful of your favorite olives
- Fresh herbs
- Lemon wedges
- Cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a big bowl add the chicken thighs along with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and dried oregano. Toss everything together to coat the chicken, and set aside in the refrigerator to marinate briefly while you make the tahini and tomato salad. At this point you could also it marinate the chicken longer – for several hours or up to overnight.
- In a medium sized bowl add tahini, grated or chopped garlic, lemon juice, and salt and stir until well combined. The color and texture of the tahini will change and it will get a little thicker and less opaque. Add water, a little at a time, and continue to stir to incorporate it into the tahini mixture. The final texture should be creamy but still quite thick – about the consistency of a very smooth hummus. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a little more lemon juice or salt if needed. Set aside.
- In another medium sized bowl toss together the cut cherry tomatoes, chopped parsley, red wine vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Taste and add a little more salt and pepper if needed and set aside.
- Grab your marinated chicken thighs and heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil over medium high heat in a skillet large enough to fit them all. When the oil is shimmering and hot, add chicken thighs smooth side down and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are nicely browned and easily release from the bottom of the pan. Flip each piece and cook another 5 minutes or so on the other side, or until cooked through. If you want to be sure, use a meat thermometer – the internal temperature of chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the meat.
- Add a generous spoonful of the tahini sauce to one side of a bowl and swoop with the back of a spoon. Top with sliced chicken, add a big spoonful of the tomato salad, and finish with a few olives. Garnish each bowl with a few extra fresh herbs, lemon wedges, and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: mediterranean