These Hemp Crusted Chicken Thighs are so good and so easy to make. This clean eating chicken recipe is gluten free, dairy free and packed with protein. This healthy dinner recipe uses chicken thighs, savory-spiced hemp seeds and Dijon mustard baked in the oven until perfection for a simple yet delicious meal.
Welcome to my new favourite way to chicken.
Because who couldn’t use more quick, easy and DELICIOUS chicken recipes perfect for any night of the week?
With just a few simple ingredients this recipe quickly transforms kind of boring chicken thighs to fantastic and delicious chicken thighs in no time.
MAKING REAL FOOD EASY AND DELICIOUS WITH HEMP CRUSTED CHICKEN THIGHS…
I love how easy (yet so, so, so tasty!) this hemp-crusted chicken is to make while still being gluten free and dairy free. It’s all things savoury from the blend of herbs and spices used to season the hemp seeds and with just a little kick of spice from the Dijon or brown mustard.
What real food ingredients will you need to make this Hemp Seed Crusted Baked Chicken?
This ingredient list here is fairly simple and easy (especially if you have a well-stocked spice cupboard!). You will need (in no particular order) chicken thighs (bone-in and skin on preferred), hemp seeds, Dijon or brown mustards and Italian spice blend, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and salt.
What else will you need to make this clean eating recipe?
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment paper
- Spatula
- Meat Thermometer
- Shallow mixing bowl
- Paper Towel (Not necessary a kitchen tool or gadget but you want to be able to pat the chicken dry before smearing with the Dijon mustard.)
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These Hemp Crusted Chicken Thighs are so good and so easy to make. This clean eating chicken recipe is gluten free, dairy free and packed with protein. This healthy dinner recipe uses bone-in/skin-on chicken thighs, savoury-spiced hemp seeds and Dijon mustard baked in the oven until perfection for a simple yet delicious meal.
Ingredients
¼ cup hemp seeds (hulled hemp hearts)
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Italian spice blend
½teaspoon paprika
¼teaspoon unrefined salt
4 medium-sized bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
4teaspoon Dijon mustard*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a shallow bowl, combine hemp seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian spice blend, paprika and salt.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Smear a teaspoon of mustard over the skin-side of each chicken thigh until evenly coated.
- Place the mustard-coated side of the chicken into the hemp seed mixture and press firmly to coat in hemp seeds. While the chicken is upside down in the hemp mixture, lightly season the bottom side of the chicken with salt and pepper. Transfer hemp-crusted chicken to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with each chicken thigh.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (showing an internal temperature of 165F). Serve immediately with your favourite healthy side dishes.
Notes
- *I always use a generous teaspoon here.
- I love serving this beside honey balsamic brussels sprouts, creamy cauliflower soup or roasted beet quinoa salad.
HOW TO MAKE THESE OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH HEMP SEEDS…
This is seriously my new favourite way to cook chicken thighs… and really any chicken in general. It’s fancy but not too fancy for a random Tuesday and the flavours are just so good. But also fancy enough to serve to dinner guests or to make for a more special occasion.
I’m so serious when I say you HAVE to try this spiced hemp seed chicken!
I always use bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs (for this recipe and others) for many reasons: 1. Thighs are a super flavourful (and moist) cut of chicken (sure, they are not as lean as chicken breast but I’ve suffered through some dangerously dry white meat to know that chicken thighs are so worth it regardless of anything else), and 2. The bone-in, skin-on thighs are often SO MUCH CHEAPER than the average chicken breast or even boneless/skinless thigh.
I haven’t tested this boneless/skinless thighs before but I did make it with chicken breasts once before and they turned out good but the bone-in thigh will be my choice every single time.
The Dijon mustard is a must here (you could use brown mustard if that’s more familiar to you). It’s the mustard that makes the hemp seeds stick to the chicken. It also gives each bite of chicken this savoury and bright taste. As the recipe notes say, I use a generous teaspoon per chicken thigh usually (so anywhere between 1-2 teaspoons) any more than that, though, and the Dijon totally takes over everything.
The hemp seeds (just your standard hulled hemp heart, as they are also called) are seasoned with a few staple pantry spices – garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and Italian spice blend. I wouldn’t use real onions or garlic here as they would take away from the consistency of the hemp coated (and probably burn in the oven) but a simple garlic powder and onion powder combination with paprika and dried herbs and salt is just really perfect here.
The hemp crusted chicken thighs come out of the oven golden brown and just slightly crisp and are perfect beside Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, a Creamy Cauliflower Soup or a fresh quinoa salad. You could make this recipe to reheat for lunches for a couple days but please note that the hemp seed coated will get a little soft so it is best straight from the oven.
And if you liked this Hemp Crusted Chicken Thighs recipe, you will LOVE this Spinach Pesto Pasta and this Honey Roasted Vegetable Chicken Quinoa Bowl.
AND PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!
I’m Rebecca - Registered Holistic Nutritionist, recipe developer, food photographer, writer, taste-tester and the friendly face behind Always Nourished.
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