Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs with Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• Juice of 1 lemon
• A couple of pinches of salt
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp dried dill
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder (helps the skin crisp)

Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce

• 4 tbsp plain thick Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• A handful of fresh dill
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Aleppo or any chili pepper
• A pinch or two of salt

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 425F.
• Pat 4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs dry and add to an oven-safe dish, without crowding. Let them come to room temperature about 30 minutes before seasoning.
• Season the chicken: drizzle with the avocado oil, dijon, lemon juice, salt, onion powder, dried dill, sweet paprika, and cayenne. Add the baking powder for crispy skin. Mix well.
• Bake at 425F for an initial 35 minutes. Remove, spoon the pan juices over the chicken, and return it for another 5 minutes.
• Make the sauce: process the Greek yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, fresh dill, onion powder, Aleppo pepper, and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust (more lemon to brighten, a splash of water to loosen).
• Plate the chicken however you like (with salad, rice, or quinoa) and serve with the sauce.

Bone-in skin-on thighs stay juicy; remove the skin after cooking if you prefer. From Arash Hashemi on Instagram.