Baked Harissa Chicken with Chickpeas
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This harissa chicken is full of smoky spices and gentle heat, and it’s simple to prepare in one baking pan. All you need to do is bake seasoned boneless, skinless chicken thighs with the sauce and add chickpeas.
It’s been a busier time than usual in my life, and I’ve been making this stick-it-in-the-oven-and-walk-away harissa chicken on a regular basis.
There’s a variation of this recipe in my cookbook, but this is my latest “tweaked” version. I smother the chicken thighs in a savory sauce blended with harissa paste, lemon, smoked paprika, cumin and garlic and sweet red onion (or shallots).
Toss in canned chickpeas when the thighs are almost cooked, and you have a one-dish dinner.
We LOVE boneless, skinless chicken thighs in our house. First of all, they’re tasty as AF. Plus, you can be sure they’ll turn out tender and juicy every time, which is not often the case with chicken breasts.
And chicken thighs go with just about any sauce or preparation you could possibly imagine throwing at them — the bolder the better! I seaon them with everything from a Korean-inspired gochjang glazed chicken to Dijon and shallots in a baked chicken casserole.
Harissa chicken cooking steps
Blend harissa, spices, garlic, lemon and olive oil. Arrange chicken and onion in a baking pan
Toss the chicken with the sauce. At this point, you can bake immediately or marinate up to 24 hours ahead. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Add chickpeas to the chicken and bake 10 more minutes.
Mediterranean ingredients
If you’ve been cooking with me for a while, you know that I have a love affair with Mediterranean food and all the flavors that go with it. lt all started after I devoured the cookbooks (and recipes) from experts on Mediterranean cooking, like Claudia Roden and Paula Wolfert.
I highly recommend any of their books if you want a deeper dive into this cuisine, which is full of seductively vibrant produce, olive oil, lemon and spices.
About harissa
Harissa is a traditional condiment in North African countries such as Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. It’s one of my favorite pantry ingredients. It can have the consistency of a paste or thick sauce, and it’s usually made with a blend of dried red peppers, dried chilies, garlic, spices and olive oil. Sometimes spices like caraway seed are in the blend, as well as tomatoes.
If you’re up for a small project, you can make harissa fairly easily at home, using my recipe for homemade harissa paste.
Adding a few tablespoons harissa as a seasoning adds amazing savory depth to food. It has such intriguing layers of flavor that are smoky, sweet and spicy, along with mild heat from the chilies.
The spice base
- Cumin: Ground cumin creates an earthy, aromatic base for the sauce.
- Smoked paprika: This spice is made with ground smoked paprika chili peppers. It adds that seductive quality to the dish that makes you want another bite.
- Harissa: The best prepared store-bought harissa to use for this recipes is one from a jar. If you only have harissa in a tube, thin it out with a tablespoon or so of water or broth to loosen up the texture.
What to serve with harissa chicken
- Short grain paella-style rice
- Couscous
- Brown rice
- Farro
- Warm flatbread
Baked Harissa Chicken with Chickpeas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)
- ½ red onion or 1 large shallot, sliced
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) harissa paste
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) grated or pressed garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- Chicken broth, optional
- 1 15-ounce (425 g) can chickpeas, drained
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 (225C) degrees
- Put the chicken in a baking dish or pan large enough to hold the chicken snugly, such as a 3-quart size. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Scatter the onion over the chicken.
- Stir the harissa, olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, lemon juice and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. If the mixture seems thick and pasty, stir in a tablespoon or two of chicken broth until it has a saucy consistency. Pour over the chicken and onion and toss around to coat.
- Bake 20 minutes. Add the chickpeas to the baking dish and flip the chicken pieces over. Continue baking 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the pan juices are bubbling.
- Sprinkle the cilantro over the chicken. Serve with cooked couscous or rice if desired.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Depending on the brand, harissa can be a thick paste or more like a pourable sauce. Add chicken stock as needed to thin it out, if needed.
- Make ahead:
- To make your life even easier, mix the harissa sauce and toss it with the chicken in your baking dish.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight or while you’re at work, then pop into the oven when you’re ready to bake.
- Leftovers: Leftover chicken can be kept refrigerated up to 5 days. Reheat, covered, at 350 for about 15 minutes. Add a bit more olive oil and some broth or water before reheating if the juices have absorbed into the chicken.
- You can find jars of harissa in most well stocked grocery stores. This is my latest favorite brand of prepared harissa that’s widely available.
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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Made according to recipe, but used bone-in and skins. Excellent.
So so easy and delicious I will be making this meal again! Pairs perfectly with rice.
Thanks Jess! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious sauce! Easy and yummy!! I made the chickpeas separately (like them crunchy) and then tossed together.
These are all the flavours I love about Middle Eastern and Levantine cuisine and I love that yours is baked and served on Large couscous
Wow this looks so great, I feel like I can taste the flavor and spices from the photos alone! My kids love chicken thighs and sometimes, to my surprise, chickpeas as well! I’ll by trying your recipe this week. Thank you!