Recipe: Honey Harissa Chicken and Chickpeas

Christine Gallary
Christine GallarySenior Recipe Editor at The Kitchn
I grew up in a Chinese food-loving family, eating my first restaurant meals in Oakland's vibrant Chinatown. My love of food but lack of cooking experience led to me Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, where I graduated with a Diplôme de Cuisine in French cooking. After culinary school, I learned how to test and edit recipes in test kitchens at Cook's Illustrated and CHOW, falling in love with the process of rigorously testing recipes to make sure they were foolproof for the home cook. I've worked with thousands of recipes over the past 15 years, including developing recipes for the James Beard-award winning Mister Jiu's in Chinatown cookbook. Living in the delicious diversity of San Francisco, I never get tired of finding new ingredients or cuisines to try. My favorite type is Cantonese home cooking — I'm on a quest to recreate the dishes my grandmother used to make. All the food I test at home is eagerly tasted and enjoyed by my husband, Hayden, and daughter, Sophie, while our little dog, Mochi, looks wistfully on.
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updated Oct 8, 2020
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Honey and harissa flavor this one-dish meal of saucy chickpeas and golden-brown chicken

Serves4 to 6

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(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Can I share with you my current favorite flavor combination? Put harissa paste, a spicy chile paste, and honey together and pow! You get an instant punch of complex, sweet-spicy flavor.

This easy baked chicken dish takes full advantage of this dynamite duo, with harissa and honey flavoring a base of chickpeas and tomatoes as well as serving as a seasoning for chicken thighs.

Everything gets thrown into a baking dish and, 40 minutes later, out comes crispy-skinned chicken over saucy legumes. Spoon everything over couscous or just toss together a green salad to go alongside — you really can’t go wrong with either one for an easy dinner.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Since harissa has such a strong, pungent flavor, there’s no need to chop up onions or garlic in this dish. Start by tossing two cans of chickpeas and a can of drained diced tomatoes directly in the baking dish with harissa and honey, then nestle bone-in chicken thighs rubbed with more harissa and honey right on top.

Putting it in a hot oven produces saucy vegetables and burnished chicken that requires no searing or browning beforehand. Increase or decrease the amount of harissa depending on the level of spiciness you like, and have fun with garnishes: I like sliced, toasted almonds for some crunch and some cilantro for some freshness, but I think some parsley or lemon zest would also be a nice touch too.

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Honey Harissa Chicken and Chickpeas

Honey and harissa flavor this one-dish meal of saucy chickpeas and golden-brown chicken

Serves 4 to 6

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans

    chickpeas, drained and rinsed

  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can

    diced tomatoes, drained

  • 3 tablespoons

    harissa paste, divided

  • 3 tablespoons

    honey, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

  • 8

    bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds total)

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • Garnish options: Sliced toasted almonds, fresh cilantro, finely grated fresh lemon zest

  • Cooked couscous, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F.

  2. Place the chickpeas, drained tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the harissa, 2 tablespoons of the honey, and salt in a 9x13-inch baking dish and stir to combine.

  3. Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon harissa and 1 tablespoon honey together in a small bowl. Generously season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, then rub all over with the harissa and honey mixture. Place the chicken skin-side up on the chickpea mixture.

  4. Roast until the chicken is golden-brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Garnish with almonds, cilantro, or lemon zest, and serve over couscous if desired.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The dish can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated before roasting for up to 1 day. Uncover before roasting and add 5 to 10 minutes roasting time.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Filed in:
beans
Canned Goods
Chicken
Dairy-Free
dinner
easy