Easy Baked Harissa Chicken Recipe

Jessica Morone

October 14, 2023 at 6:45 AM·5 min read

cooked chicken thighs in pan - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Recipe developer Jessica Morone tells us that she really enjoys Middle Eastern cooking, enthusing, "I can't get enough of all the spices and flavors used in it." One of these seasonings is harissa, which is a condiment that comes from the North African country of Tunisia (so technically not the Middle East, although it is popular in this region as well). Harissa paste is usually made of dried red chile peppers ground up with garlic, citrus, olive oil, and spices which may include caraway, coriander, and cumin. While you can make your own harissa paste, here, Morone is going with the storebought kind. As she says of this condiment, "I just love its spicy, smoky flavor."

Morone tells us that this harissa chicken recipe is really pretty easy to make. In fact, she sums it up for us in a single sentence: "You just mix up a quick marinade, let the chicken sit in it for a half hour, and then bake it." Even with the time out for marinating, you can have this chicken dish on the table in just over an hour and the actual hands-on work involved is minimal. The combination of sweet, spicy, and tangy tastes, however, results in a maximum level of flavor.

Step 1: Assemble The Ingredients For The Easy Baked Harissa Chicken

ingredients for harissa chicken - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Morone makes this dish with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. For the marinade, she uses harissa paste, honey, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Step 2: Mix Up The Marinade

red marinade in clear bowl - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

In a small bowl, whisk together the harissa paste, honey, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Step 3: Marinate The Chicken

chicken thighs in red marinade - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Add the chicken thighs to a large bowl. Pour the harissa mixture over the chicken, coating the pieces. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Heat Up The Oven

oven showing 400 F - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Step 5: Put The Chicken In A Pan

raw chicken thighs in pan - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer in a cast iron skillet or baking pan. Pour any remaining marinade on top of the chicken pieces.

Step 6: Bake The Chicken

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into a thigh reads 165 F.

Step 7: Serve The Chicken

Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired, then serve hot.

What Are Some Ways To Serve This Harissa Chicken?

chicken with couscous and vegetables - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

As this chicken dish is pretty easy to prepare and doesn't take that much time to make, Morone tells us, "It's a great weeknight meal." While she also feels that it "goes with pretty much everything," she says she likes to serve it with couscous, calling this side, "one of my favorite things in general." You could also serve it with rice or potatoes if you wish, plus any vegetables you have on hand.

As for the leftovers, Morone advises, "You should also slice up this chicken and serve it on top of a salad or a grain bowl." Another idea would be to chop it up and make it into a kind of spicy chicken salad, perhaps something along the lines of a Middle Eastern (or North African) spin on the curry-seasoned coronation chicken that was invented to mark the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II's ascent to the throne.

How Can This Harissa Chicken Be Stored?

This dish makes 4 servings, assuming each person consumes 8 ounces of chicken, so it's likely you will have leftovers if you're dining solo. Morone says that the leftover chicken should be good for 3 days in the refrigerator if kept in an airtight container such as a ziplock-type bag or a lidded storage tub. You could separate the chicken into serving portions if you want to be efficient, although Morone admits, "I just keep all the leftovers together."

If you won't be eating all of the chicken in just 3 days' time, you can, of course, freeze it for a much longer time. Morone suggests that it can be frozen for 3 months, but you don't need to throw it out if you leave it in a bit longer. As the USDA points out, any such limitations on freezing times refer only to possible degradation in food quality after the elapsed time. As they assure us, frozen meats and other foods will stay edible forever, or at least as long as the freezer is able to maintain a temperature of 0 F.