Grilled Tahini-Honey Chicken Thighs

Name: Grilled Tahini-Honey Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 large lemons, halved; 1/4 cup tahini; 2 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking; 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs; Salt; 1 or 2 sprigs parsley or cilantro leaves and tender stems, gently torn or chopped; Sumac (optional), for garnishing

By Yasmin Fahr

Updated June 20, 2024

Grilled Tahini-Honey Chicken Thighs — Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Total Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 5(176)
Notes: Read community notes

Simple and impactful, this pantry marinade made from lemon, honey, tahini and olive oil gives chicken a subtle nutty flavor and imparts a gorgeous color — and caramelization — thanks to the honey’s sugar content. You can cook this chicken one of three ways: on the grill, in the oven or a skillet; all options lead to sensational results. Flavorful but versatile, this chicken pairs with almost anything. You could serve a refreshing green salad or grilled vegetables on the side, or tuck the chicken into a toasted pita with avocado, cucumbers and crumbled feta. Sprinkling sumac on the cooked chicken or adding it to the sauce will add extra depth and citrusy notes.

Learn: How to Grill

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

2large lemons, halved
¼cup tahini
2tablespoons honey
2tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking
2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt
1 or 2sprigs parsley or cilantro leaves and tender stems, gently torn or chopped
Sumac (optional), for garnishing

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Into a large bowl, juice 1 lemon, then whisk together with the tahini, honey and olive oil until smooth. Transfer half the mixture to a small serving bowl. Season the chicken all over with salt and add to the large bowl; toss to coat.
Step 2
To grill the chicken, set a grill to medium-high. (If you’d like to cook the chicken in the oven or a skillet, see Tip.) Generously oil the grates, then add the chicken and cook until the bottom is charred, 5 to 8 minutes. Use tongs to turn over the thighs and continue to grill until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes depending on the size of the chicken pieces; turn thighs over again if necessary. Move thighs to a cooler part of the grill if browning too quickly.
Step 3
Remove chicken from grill and let cool 1 to 2 minutes. Taste the reserved sauce and season as needed with salt, and loosen the consistency by adding half the lemon juice or a tablespoon of water. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the chicken, drizzle with the sauce or serve on the side, and garnish with the parsley and sumac, if using.

Tip

This chicken recipe can be cooked on the grill, in the oven or on the stovetop. If you’d like to roast the chicken, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and add 1 tablespoon of oil, spreading to coat. Add the chicken in a single layer and roast until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes depending on the size of the thighs. If you’d like to cook the chicken on the stovetop, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Decrease heat to medium, and, working in two batches, sauté the chicken until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the thighs, flipping after 7 to minutes when they easily release from the pan.

Ratings

5 out of 5

176 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Ana Z1 week ago

I used chicken breasts and followed the oven instructions and it was divine. At the end, I did broil it for 5 minutes, just to get a bit of color. Try the mixture before you add the chicken, I ended up adding a bit more tahini because my lemon was super juicy.

Nancy1 week ago

Made it tonight and it was excellent! Delicious flavors, came together quickly and easily. I had parsley so used that instead of the cilantro alternative, and I had to forgo the optional Sumac since I didn't have any on hand. Might try with those options in future, but just for fun, not because this recipe needs tweaking...it's perfect. Will definitely be making this again soon! Only trouble was it was so tasty that there were no leftovers! ;-) Thank you Yasmin Fahr

Ian2 weeks ago

Very tasty. The recipe works well as is, without any modification. I could be tempted to add a little ground coriander but I have not tried this.

Dennisa21 week ago

This OK; not brilliant. It begs for some additional spice: pepper, coriander or cumin, maybe a combination of the three. The cilantro really perks it up and I would chop it and sprinkle liberally rather than use the suggested sprigs/leaves the next time.

Kevin W1 week ago

Simple and delicious. A go to recipe for backyard grilling. A sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds would be a nice addition.

melimiami5 days ago

Has anyone tried adding garlic to the marinade?

SueC13 hours ago

Delicious and tender as is, but will probably sprinkle sesame seeds over top next time. The extra sauce is also delicious over salmon, grilled vegetables, and boiled potatoes. Basically, we poured it over everything on our plates, and we loved it.

TB14 hours ago

With a dash of cayenne pepper in the marinade, this was perfection!

Susan13 hours ago

Za’atar spice blend! Perfect additioin

MoeInSydney18 hours ago

My kids (4 &1) demolished this. I think cumin, coriander, garlic or chilli could all be welcome additions. Lots of scope for punchy side dishes to serve alongside - we did roasted carrots on garlic labneh.

me22 hours ago

Great the day we made it, but not so good for left overs.

AnnaSeltz2 days ago

We made this recently and found the final product to be a bit dull and lacking in flavor. We added cumin and coriander but I think it could have used a lot more and garlic as well. The chicken came out very tender, but not standout in flavor.

Lauri2 days ago

I made this for the 4th of July using bone-in thighs and drumsticks. I didn't reserve any sauce to pour on after grilling because we were having a bbq so I thought the extra sauce would be too messy. The chicken came out very juicy and tender but without the reserve sauce drizzled over the chicken, we couldn't taste the tahini.

luvs2cook3 days ago

Delicious chicken dish. Easy to make with tons of flavor. I served it for 4th of July as the main and all my guests asked for the recipe. I made it in the oven and then put it under the broiler for some char. I would definitely cook it on the grill next time if weather permits. Served with grilled vegetables, Ming Thai's Asian slaw, and a delicious California rose of Zinfandel and Sangiovese. Perfect complement.

SP4 days ago

No marinating time?

George C5 days ago

Made this recipe for a crowd, one of whom has a seriously low salt diet. Doubled the recipe, left out the salt, and had to give it to everyone who ate it. Folks were putting the extra sauce on everything. A terrific recipe; thanks, Yasmine!

kelly f5 days ago

I chose to marinate chicken breasts in the sauce for a few hours and it turned out amazing!

melimiami5 days ago

Has anyone tried adding garlic to the marinade?

Christopher5 days ago

The flavor on the chicken itself comes out decent, but the sauce (obviously) make it sing. Great, easy dish and will definitely be making it again.

Aimee5 days ago

Has anyone tried this with pork chops? Curious as I have some on hand.

Dibsy1 week ago

Do you marinate the chicken in the sauce or just dip it in?

Don5 days ago

See step 1. Add chicken to sauce in large bowl.