Name: Harissa Chicken with Chickpeas (One Skillet)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon olive oil; 6 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless); 1 onion (cut into large wedges); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 Tablespoons tomato paste; 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed); 1/8-1/4 cup harissa paste (depending on how spicy you'd like the dish); 1/2 cup chicken broth; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro; Salt and pepper (to taste); 1 lemon (sliced); 6 ounces plain Greek yogurt; 1-2 Tablespoons harissa paste; 2 Tablespoons lemon juice; Salt and pepper

Jump to Recipe

This One Skillet Harissa Chicken with Chickpeas is a fuss free dish that’s easy to make at home. Spicy, fragrant harissa reduces and coats the chicken and chickpeas as they roast, and a creamy yogurt harissa sauce finishes it all off.

Harissa Chicken

Harissa has my heart lately. From Harissa Hummus to Lemon Chicken Skewers with Harissa Yogurt Sauce, harissa has been finding its way into lots of my recipes! Its warm spices and rich fragrance have defined a new style of comfort food for me.

Comfort food was traditionally defined by rich, heavy dishes, like Macaroni and Cheese, Short Ribs, or Osso Buco. But today, I’d like to think that the new comfort food is just a more healthful, mindful way of eating – eating to feel good.

This One Skillet Harissa Chicken with Chickpeas and Yogurt is my new comfort food. With the rich, spiciness of the harissa, the creamy chickpeas and the tangy yogurt, it’s an all around feel good dish that’s easy to make on a weeknight, but fancy enough to serve at a dinner party.

Ingredients for harissa chicken laid on countertop

Is Harissa Spicy?

Different brands of harissa can have varying degrees of heat. You should taste yours first and modify the amount you use from there. You may need anywhere from 1/8 cup of harissa to ¼ cup. It also depends on how spicy you like your food. I used ¼ cup, and the end result was quite spicy – the way I like it. However, if you’re sensitive to heat, I would definitely dial it down a bit, using half the amount.

I love that this dish finishes off in the oven, giving you a bit of a break before dinner. It’s the perfect time to whip up the harissa yogurt sauce, pour a glass of wine, and clean up the kitchen before digging in.

Wine Pairings for Harissa Chicken:

Sauvignon Blanc – Fresh and fruity with abundant citrus and herbal notes, it makes a great match for the tanginess and spiciness of the harissa.
A dry Rosé or Riesling would also make a great match for this dish, their bright acidity and balanced sweetness play nicely off the harissa.
If you’re looking for a red wine to pair with this dish, consider something with a light body and minimal tannins – A Grenache or Beaujolais Nouveau would work well here.

If you loved this homemade Harissa Chicken recipe I would appreciate it so much if you would give it a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

How do you define comfort food? Are you more traditional when it comes to those dishes, or have you created a “new” comfort food tradition of your own? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

More Chicken Recipes: