Middle Eastern · main

Harissa-Roasted Chicken Thighs

Harissa-Roasted Chicken Thighs reads richness 6.3, citrus 5.8 and sourness 5.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 1 hr 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 6.3 · Citrus 5.8 · Sourness 5.7 · Sweetness 5.2 · Umami 4.9 · Fruity 4.7 · Floral 4.1 · Salinity 3.9 · Allium 3.6 · Nutty 3.4 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Smoke 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.2 · Earthy 2.1 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Bitterness 1.3

What's in it (13)

• boneless chicken — 10886 g
• salt — 5 g
• sesame seed paste — 54 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• honey — 44 g
• garlic — 9 g
• tomato paste — 15 g
• cumin — 5 g
• smoked paprika — 5 g
• lemon — 65 g
• red onion — 110 g
• plain yogurt — 118 g
• cilantro — 7 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 15 min (40 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 150.2 kcal, 29.4 g protein, 3.3 g fat, 0.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season all over, working some of the salt under the skin with your fingers, then set aside at room temperature.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the harissa paste, olive oil, honey, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, and lemon zest and juice until smooth and glossy.
3. Add the chicken to the bowl and turn to coat thoroughly, working some marinade under the loosened skin. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
4. Heat the oven to 425°F. Scatter the red onion wedges over a rimmed sheet pan and nestle the chicken thighs on top, skin-side up, shaking off only the thickest clumps of marinade so a thin coating stays on to caramelize.
5. Roast until the skin is deeply browned in spots and the onions have started to soften, about 20 minutes.
6. Brush the chicken with any marinade left in the bowl, then continue roasting until the skin is deeply caramelized and a thermometer inserted into the thickest thigh reads 165°F, another 15-18 minutes.
7. Transfer the chicken to a plate and rest 5 minutes before serving; leave the onions in the pan to stay warm.
8. Stir the yogurt with a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Plate the chicken over the roasted onions, spoon over any juices from the pan, dollop with the yogurt, and scatter with cilantro.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Harissa Roasted Chicken and Potatoes — Middle Eastern
• Harissa Butter Roast Chicken — Middle Eastern
• Crispy Harissa Chicken Thighs with Couscous — Middle Eastern
• Harissa Chickpea Stew with Spinach — Middle Eastern
• Chicken Karaage — Japanese

Keep reading: what richness, citrus, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.