Harissa Chicken with Labneh

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5 from 2 votes

Juicy, tender Harissa Chicken thighs with creamy, herby labneh and roasted vegetables. It's deliciously simple.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Chicken

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Servings: servings

Author: Margie Nomura

Ingredients

For the chicken:

1 lemon
1 1/2 tbsp harissa paste
4 large chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red onion peeled and cut into 8 wedges
2 jarred red peppers
2 tbsp olive oil

For the labneh:

4 tbsp labneh heaped
4 chives finely chopped

To plate:

4 jarred roasted red peppers cut into strips
4 chives finely chopped
2 scallions (spring onions) finely chopped
0.5 oz toasted Marcona almonds

To serve:

Warm crusty bread
Fully-prepared mixed leaf salad and/or tenderstem broccoli

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 428°F (220°C/200°C fan).
Start by zesting the lemon. Divide the zest in half and pop into 2 small bowls. Cut the lemon into slices.
Add the harissa paste to one of the bowls and mix well.
Pop the chicken thighs into a large bowl and add the lemon-harissa mix. Season with salt and pepper. Give it a good stir to coat the chicken (you could use your hands, but I don’t recommend that with harissa, as it can really stain!).
Pop the onion wedges and chopped red peppers into a roasting pan and lay the lemon slices on top. Using tongs, place the chicken thighs on top, skin-side up. Drizzle the whole tray generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt - paying particular attention to the chicken skin (the salt will help it go crispy).
Roast in the oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until the chicken is crispy and cooked through. Give the onions a good stir after 20 minutes, basting with the pan juices, to prevent them from coloring too quickly (you don’t want them to burn and become bitter). If any look like they might, carefully tuck them under the chicken thighs.
Meanwhile, prepare the labneh: Place the labneh in a bowl, add the chives and remaining lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and mix well to combine. Set aside.
To serve: Spread the labneh onto a plate. Top with the sliced roasted red peppers, followed by the roasted onions and lemon slices. Add the crispy chicken thighs, then drizzle over the delicious harissa chicken juices from the pan. Sprinkle with freshly chopped chives, scallions, and toasted Marcona almonds.

Notes

Make-ahead and storage

To store: Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Make ahead: You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance and then roast when ready to eat.

More quick tips

Chicken breast: Get the onion and pepper mixture in the oven first for 15 minutes to give them a head start, and while they are cooking, the chicken breasts can be marinating. Then add the chicken breasts and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. If you want it to get a little color and be a little crispy, pop it under the broiler for the last 3 minutes. But watch that the onions don’t burn!

Serving suggestions: I love serving this harissa chicken with a crisp green salad or crunchy blanched (or roasted) tenderstem broccoli and some warm crusty bread for mopping up all the juices. Alternatively, it is delicious served with all sorts of rice, couscous, or bulgur wheat salads.

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