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Harissa Chicken with Roasted Sweet Potatoes- just 15 minutes of hands-on time, before baking on a sheet pan the oven. Smoky, earthy, and fragrantly seasoned with North African Spices. Video included.
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Here’s a quick and flavorful meal that will fill your home with deliciousness – Harissa Chicken. It can be easily made vegan by substituting tofu (or even fish!) for the chicken, which, seriously is just as good, if not better. The best thing is, it only takes 15 minutes of prep before going into the oven to bake. When it comes out, mouths will water!!! Give it a try, I think you will like it.
Earthy, smoky and just a little bit spicy, the chicken pairs deliciously well with the roasted sweet potatoes. Of course, you can add other veggies to this as well – carrots, parsnips, red bell pepper – all would work nicely.
Harissa Chicken | 60-second video
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What is Harissa?
Hailing from North Africa, harissa is a spicy chili paste, often used as a marinade or condiment for meats and vegetables. It varies greatly from region to region across Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, but most variations include chilies, earthy spices and onion and garlic blended up into a flavorful hot paste that can be used in a multitude of ways- as a marinade or chicken or other meats, or a flavorful base for curries, soups and stews.
Mildly spicy, earthy and smoky, harissa paste adds flavor to just about anything- and this version of quick harissa marinade is easy and simple — just stir it up in a bowl, no blender or food processor required!
How to make Harissa Chicken
- Make the Harissa Paste.
- Marinate the chicken.
- Place on a sheet pan and bake with the veggies.
- Serve!
Just place everything on a sheet pan and bake.
Easy, peasy!
Clean-up is simple too!
When your Harissa Chicken comes out it will be oh so flavorful!
There is an optional Green Harissa Yogurt sauce you can add to this- it’s not necessary, I don’t always make it, especially if in a hurry, but if making for a special occasion or when entertaining, I’ll whip up a small batch to serve alongside.
Leftovers make for a tasty lunch.
Give this quick Harissa Chicken with Sweet Potatoes a try this week!
More recipes you may like:
- How to Make Authentic Harissa Paste in Two Easy Ways!
- Sheet-Pan Chicken with Crispy Potatoes, Lemon and Thyme
- 25 Flavorful Sheet Pan Recipes
- Moroccan Eggs with Harissa Yogurt
- Smoky Harissa Red Pepper Dip
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries with harissa!
- Green Harissa Sauce
Harissa Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main, Chicken,
- Method: Roasted, Baked
- Cuisine: North African
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Ingredients
Harissa Chicken
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes (about 2 medium-sized) – diced into 1/2 inch cubes, unpeeled.
- 1 large red onion- sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
- 4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone-in (or substitute 1 lb boneless thighs or chicken breasts)
Garnish: Cilantro sprigs
Harissa Marinade:
- 2 garlic cloves- finely minced or crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder ( optional, or sub chili flakes )
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds ( optional, but good)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Quick Green Harissa Sauce
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 bunch Cilantro – (about 1 cup packed, tender stems ok) finely chopped
- 2–3 slices jalapeno (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F
- Stir marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Dice the sweet potatoes into ½-¾ inch cubes and place in a medium bowl with half the marinade and toss to coat. Place them in a single layer on one side of a parchment lined sheet pan.
- Cut the onion, and place next to the sweet potatoes, drizzle with a little oil if you want (or not), saving room for the chicken.
- Pat the chicken dry, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and place in the same medium bowl and add the remaining marinade, coating all sides well.
- Line the chicken up next to the onions. If using very small sheet pans, you may need to use two. Do not overlap!
- Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake 30 minutes but check after 20, rotating the pan if necessary. If using boneless thighs or breasts- they will cook faster ( feel free to remove if potatoes need more time)
- While baking, make Green Harissa Sauce, blending all the ingredients in the blender.
- Double-check that the chicken is cooked through before serving, and for extra crispy skin, broil for a few minutes at the end.
- Divide the roasted sweet potatoes among 4 bowls and top with the chicken. Garnish with cilantro and serve with the Green Harissa Yogurt Sauce.
Notes
If using boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast, it will most likely cook faster, so make sure to check after 20 minutes. If done, take off the sheet pan, and let the sweet potatoes continue cooking until fork tender.
For vegans, sub a tofu filet about 1 inch thick.
If substituting with fish, check after 10-12 minutes, depending on how thick the cut.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 thigh with 1 cup sweet potatoes
- Calories: 464
- Sugar: 5.5 g
- Sodium: 722.7 mg
- Fat: 33.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.9 g
- Fiber: 3.6 g
- Protein: 21.2 g
- Cholesterol: 111.3 mg
Keywords: harissa chicken, harissa chicken recipe, baked harissa chicken, sheet pan harissa chicken, harissa sweet potatoes
Another winner! Used fresh heat from the fall garden in harissa, added green peppers to the roasting pan and sprinkled east el hanout on all. No leftovers in this house!
★★★★★
Wonderful Lily!
We love this recipe. We probably have it atleast twice a month. We use boneless skiness chicken thighs. Got back on here to print out a copy of the recipe for a friend.
★★★★★
thanks so much!
I made harissa boneless chicken, it took exactly 20 min in the oven. It turned out amazing: tenderness, flavor
I’ve been following you for 2-3 years and none of the recipes were ever disappointing.
Thank you!!!!!
★★★★★
Awesome to hear Alla!
This has such a delicious deep flavor. I have often waxed eloquent over the flavor with friends. I have harissa in a jar, which is good too, but your balance of herbs and spices is much more tasty.
★★★★★
Thanks so much Jan! Appreciate this. Yes some jars of harissa are better than others- but I love making it from scratch.
This looks and sounds delicious. What vegetable would pair well with this?
Hey Sasha- I usually reach for what is in season. Most veggies will work here!
This dish is so delicious and easy! I tried it at a dinner party and I loved the meal so much I went home and made it the next night again!! Perfection!
★★★★★
I love that Isabelle! So glad you enjoyed.
Sylvia, you are the recipe goddess in our house! I thought two types of harissa would be too much heat and both were perfect with the yogurt in the green sauce smoothing out all the flavors. Another keeper!
★★★★★
Awesome Lily- glad this worked for you!
There is no Harissa paste in this recipe!
Hi Nicole, in this recipe we show you how to make your own harissa! Ingredients are listed in the recipe card under Harissa Marinade.
My whole family loved this. All six kids! Easy and delish. Served with naan and green beans. Pretty too!
★★★★★
Perfect, love it Jenn!
This looks delicious! How much apple cider vinegar do you recommend?
One teaspoon. 🙂
This dish as a huge hit with the family. The chicken was very tender and the marinade and harissa sauce were delicious. We served it on top of brown rice.
The harissa sauce was a bit watery despite using a full fat yogurt. So, I suspect that the selection of yogurt makes a big difference.
Definitely a repeater for us. Thank you Silvia!
★★★★★
Thanks Rob! I usually use a thick greek style yogurt for this.
Fabulous. Made exactly as instructed, including the green sauce, and used both chicken and tofu. I did put it all on a bed of beluga lentils and added a little sliced avocado. Really, really wonderful, nourishing, and easy. Thank you for this!
★★★★★
Sounds delish Lily!
Delicious and simple! Made last night and the whole fam was pleasantly surprised. Another winner. Thank you Sylvia for your wonderful recipes!!
★★★★★
thanks Nicole!
Absolutely delicious, thank you Sylvia.
Thanks Mervi! Glad you enjoyed this!
How much harissa?
Hi Carrie- you are actually making the Harissa with the spices listed. So no actually Harissa paste in this one. 🙂
Thank you. Made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious. What is the sauce consistency suppose to be. I was watery but fantastic nonetheless!
Hi Carrie- it is kind of thick and sticky. What type of chicken did you use? Skin on?
What kind of vinegar do you use? Thanks!
Cara, I used apple cider vinegar- sorry for leaving that out and I updated the recipe. 😉
Hi could I make the sauce without a blender? Mines broke but I really wanted to try this recipy today.
Thanks 🙂
Oh shoot! I don’t know how else you would get a smooth sauce without the blender. Mortar and Pestle?
I chopped it as fine as possible & gave it a bash an it was lovely 🙂 the whole recipy was amazing! I will definitely be cooking this one often. Thank you 🙂
★★★★★
Oh perfect Faye! So glad it worked without the blender!
The harissa marinade is so tasty. I think I will try it with some shredded lamb with tzatziki in wraps with the green harissa sauce.
★★★★★
I meant either with tzatziki or the green harissa sauce. 🙂
Phenomenal!! The flavors work so well together! One of the best meals I’ve had in a while. Your site is just beautiful and I’m eager to try more of your recipes! Sheet-Pan Tandoori Chicken is next! Thank you for sharing!!
★★★★★
Really wonderful flavors! I am using many of Sylvia’s recipes to introduce my two-year old twins to flavor and texture and everything is a hit with them. They especially like this recipe, even with the addition of chipotle chili power for some heat. This is quick to put together, like many recipes from this blog. I appreciate the simplicity, speed, and delicious flavors!
This recipe was amazing, thank you for sharing Sylvia!
★★★★★
I’m just learning to cook and this was so easy and delicious. It’s the first time I’ve made something that I would be happy to serve a guest.
★★★★★
Can I marinade the chicken overnight?
yes, absolutly Dee.