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Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken with Carrots

Name: Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken with Carrots
Prep time: 48 min
Total time: 1 h 8 min
Cuisine: North African
Ingredients: boneless chicken — 6804 g; carrots — 680 g; red onion — 110 g; extra-virgin olive oil — 54 g; tomato paste — 30 g; smoked paprika — 15 g; cumin — 10 g; coriander — 1 g; cayenne pepper — 50 g; garlic — 12 g; lemon zest — 130 g; salt — 7 g; freshly ground black pepper — 3 g; cilantro — 15 g

Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken with Carrots reads umami 5.4, citrus 5.3 and richness 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a North African main, about 1 hr 8 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 5.8 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 4.1 / 10
Sour & Bright — 6.0 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 4.0 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.7 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 5.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.4 · Citrus 5.3 · Richness 5.2 · Heat 4.2 · Salinity 3.9 · Allium 3.7 · Sweetness 3.4 · Smoke 3.3 · Herbaceous 2.9 · Warm Spice 2.9 · Earthy 2.5 · Sourness 2.4 · Bitterness 2.2 · Floral 2.2 · Fruity 2.2 · Nutty 1.5

What's in it (14)

boneless chicken — 6804 g
carrots — 680 g
red onion — 110 g
extra-virgin olive oil — 54 g
tomato paste — 30 g
smoked paprika — 15 g
cumin — 10 g
coriander — 1 g
cayenne pepper — 50 g
garlic — 12 g
lemon zest — 130 g
salt — 7 g
freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
cilantro — 15 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 8 min (48 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 137.5 kcal, 26.4 g protein, 2.9 g fat, 1.6 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (8 steps)

Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic, lemon zest and juice, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper to make a thick harissa-style paste.
Spoon about a third of the paste into a small bowl and set it aside for the vegetables. Add the chicken thighs to the large bowl and rub the remaining paste all over the chicken and under the skin; let sit at room temperature while you prep the vegetables, at least 15 minutes.
On a rimmed half-sheet pan, toss the carrots and red onion with the reserved paste, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; spread in a single layer.
Push the vegetables to make room and nestle the chicken thighs skin side up directly on the pan among the vegetables, leaving space around each piece so the skin can crisp.
Roast until the chicken skin is deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest thigh reads 165 F and the carrots are fork-tender, 35 to 38 minutes.
For extra-crisp skin, switch the oven to broil and broil until the skin is deeply blistered and lacquered, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn.
Let the chicken rest on the pan for 5 minutes.
Scatter with the chopped cilantro and serve directly from the pan with lemon wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Grilled Harissa Lamb Skewers — North African
Quesabirria Tacos with Consommé Dip — Mexican
Skillet Chicken Fajita Bowl — Tex-Mex
Coyote Quesadilla — Tex-Mex
Ground Chicken Shawarma Lettuce Wraps — Middle Eastern

Keep reading: what umami, citrus, richness 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.