What I love about Baked Tandoori Chicken Thighs with Cilantro Rice
These Baked Tandoori Chicken Thighs with Cilantro Rice are incredibly flavourful! To begin with, the chicken thighs are prepared using a homemade Tandoori spice blend, which infuses them with bold, aromatic flavours. Then, they are baked in the oven until they achieve an ultra-crispy texture.
As a result, this has become one of my absolute favourite recipes for crispy oven-baked chicken thighs! Consequently, this dish is sure to become a regular on our weekly menu. In short, all I can say is: wow! Moreover, the skin on these oven-baked chicken thighs turns irresistibly crispy and delicious, while the meat remains exceptionally juicy and tender.
For a complete meal, serve them alongside cilantro lime rice, a zesty spicy yogurt sauce, and a crisp green salad. Together, these elements create the perfect weeknight dinner. Best of all, everything is remarkably easy to prepare and can be ready in under an hour! Additionally, if you’re looking for leftovers, simply double the recipe. By doing so, you’ll have plenty for delicious lunches throughout the week.
Recipe Notes
A few things to keep in mind:
- Chicken thighs – You will need 8 or 9 skin-ON, bone-IN chicken thighs. The bones help to give the meat that beautiful flavour and the skin is what gets crispy!
- Rice – You can use white or brown basmati rice for this recipe.
- Cilantro – Fresh cilantro is what makes this rice delicious! Though I like to use a lot of cilantro, you can adjust to your preference. 1/4 cup is the perfect amount, I find.
- Greek yogurt – You will need plain, full-fat greek yogurt for this recipe. It makes the most perfect, thick and creamy base for the spicy yogurt.
FAQ:
Yes, although you will surely miss out on the delicious crispy chicken skin! You can bake boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts at 400F for 22-25 minutes. Check with a thermometer until they reach an internal temperature for 165F.
Yes. Just cook according to the package directions.
Yes — you can cook the rice ahead and reheat it when you’re ready to serve. You could also make the spicy yogurt ahead and store it covered, in the fridge. For the chicken, you could coat it with the spice mix ahead of time, but it’s best to bake it right before serving for best results.
I like to serve the chicken and rice with a crisp green salad to balance flavours and add some freshness.
Baked Tandoori Chicken Thighs with Cilantro Rice
Equipment
- 1 8" x 12" Baking Dish
- 1 Small Saucepan
Ingredients
For the chicken thighs:
- 8 organic bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil for cooking
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
For the cilantro rice:
- 1 cup brown basmati rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil for cooking
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped, plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
For the spicy yogurt:
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare a 12" x 8" baking dish. Add the chicken thighs to the dish and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, cumin, coriander, ginger, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, salt and pepper until combined. Brush the spices all over the chicken thighs until they are fully coated on top.
- Bake the chicken thighs in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until cooked through.
- Make the rice: in a small saucepan over high heat, combine the rice, water, avocado oil and a pinch of salt. Bring the mix to a boil and then turn down the heat to low, cover the pot and let cook for 20 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed.
- When the rice is done, stir in the cilantro, salt and lime juice until combined. Set aside.
- Make the spicy yogurt: In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, garlic, paprika, lime juice and salt and pepper until combined.
- Dish the rice out into bowls and top with baked chicken thighs, spicy yogurt and more cilantro. Serve with a green salad if desired and enjoy!
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