The marinade is two minutes of whisking — Dijon, tomato paste, lemon, garlic — and the result is juicy, caramelized chicken thighs with crispy shallots in 30 minutes.
Put 1½ - 1¾ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6-8 pieces) in a medium (about 3-quart capacity) baking dish. If your pan/dish is not nonstick, spray it with cooking spray or line with a sheet of aluminum foil for easier clean-up. Note: Your goal is for the chicken and shallots to roast in the oven while making a delicious pan sauce at the same time. If your pan is too large the juices will evaporate.
Mix the marinade
Whisk together 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, 1-2 finely chopped or grated garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and ½ teaspoon crushed red chili pepper in a medium bowl.
Assemble and bake the chicken
Pour the marinade over the chicken and turn the pieces over to coat. Scatter ¾ cup sliced shallots (about 2 medium) over the chicken, poking them in between the thighs here and there. Some of the unexposed shallots will crisp and brown, while the covered pieces will bake and soften.
You can bake the chicken immediately or cover and refrigerate the chicken and marinade up to 24 hours ahead.
Bake the chicken uncovered 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is opaque and the juices are bubbling. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Marinate the chicken overnight in the mustard mixture and bake directly from the fridge — add 5 minutes to the cook time if the chicken is cold.
Freeze the unbaked chicken in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake.
Optional: Add 1 cup of cherry tomatoes to the baking dish with the marinated chicken — they will burst and release their juice into the sauce.