Mom’s Chicken with Turmeric Tahini, Chickpeas, and Onions

Directions

for the Turmeric Tahini Sauce

1. Combine the garlic and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Whisk the tahini, turmeric, cumin, and coriander into the garlic mixture until just combined. Don’t worry if it gets thick and grainy. Whisk in the water, 1⁄4 cup at a time, until the sauce is smooth and creamy. It should be the consistency of a creamy salad dressing, like ranch.

for the Chicken

1. Rub the chicken pieces with a generous amount of salt and pepper and put in a large zip-top plastic bag with 1 cup of the tahini sauce. Seal the bag, leaving one corner open about 1⁄2 inch. Massage the bag to coat all of the chicken pieces with sauce, then squeeze as much air as you can out of the bag and seal the bag completely. Let it marinate for 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat the oven to 425F.

3. Toss the chickpeas and half of the onion with the turmeric, cumin, and coriander on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss everything to coat. Push everything to the edges of the pan and put the chicken pieces in the center in a single layer. Bake until the onions are crisp, the chicken skin is brown, and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F when inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, about 50 minutes.

4. While the chicken is cooking, toss the remaining onion with the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

5. When the chicken is done, transfer to a serving plate along with the chickpeas and onions. Drizzle with some of the remaining 1 cup of tahini sauce and the hot sauce. Scatter the onion-lemon mixture and cilantro on top. Serve any remaining tahini sauce on the side.