Masala Chicken Thighs

Recipe By: Divya Pahwa

masala chicken thighs

This dish brings together the spices I grew up with and the recipes I learned in my Desi home. It also pulls in elements I learned in my formal home economics classes in Canada, such as how to pound meat! The warming spices include turmeric, fennel, cumin, and ginger, and these are a perfect complement to the spicy garlic and the cold temperatures of the winter months. Serve it with basmati rice or a simple salad. I served it with roasted romanesco, dill, and some chicken liver pate.


Servings: 1

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs (preferably organic, pasture-raised)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 2 teaspoons each of: ground cumin, ground coriander, ground fennel, ginger powder, turmeric, and oregano
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Pound chicken thighs until they are about 1/4-inch thick.
  3. Place the flattened chicken thighs in medium bowl and add olive oil, ghee, all dried spices, and garlic. Combine until each chicken thigh is completed coated with oil and spices.
  4. Let sit for 15 minutes. (If you’d like to marinate longer, place coated chicken thighs in fridge and marinate up to 24 hours.)
  5. Lay the chicken thighs flat on baking tray, and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Recipe Notes

Gluten-free