Harissa is a hot chili paste that is a combination of Serrano chilies, roasted red peppers, garlic and other warming spices. If you eat it alone, it is on the hot side of the equation however, if you use it to marinate meats like chicken, or add a tablespoon to sauces or pan juices, it enhances the flavor in the most brilliant way. You can make Harissa from scratch, but nowadays it’s available online or in finer grocery stores, so my recommendation is to just buy it.
Chicken thighs are something that I adore because they are rich in chicken taste, easy to cook and very economical. In fact, I’ll take a roasted skin-on chicken thigh over a chicken breast any day of the week – they just hit the comfort food spot inside me.
Incorporating chicken and potatoes in the same recipe makes total sense because they have similar cooking times in the oven, not to mention they taste great together. Adding some earthy mushrooms like Shiitakes doesn’t hurt either because they soak-up the flavors of the pan juices, not to mention a little spice from the Harissa.
This dish is by no means hot or “spicy” – it’s just savory beyond belief. The entire skillet is done start to finish within 30 minutes, except for a few hours of marinating, which you can do ahead of time. I think this is a pretty nice one-pan wonder and it’s great to serve during the week, or on the weekends when you may have a few guests stopping by.
Ingredients
4-6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
3 1/2 tablespoons Harissa, divided
12 fingerling potatoes, large ones – cut in half
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup fresh basil or parsley
olive oil
salt & pepper
(Serves 4)
To Prepare:
- In a large casserole dish, add 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons Harissa, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine. Dip chicken thighs into marinade and arrange flat in dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large iron skillet, add 2 teaspoons oil and place over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin-side-down and sear for 3 minutes. Flip chicken over and add potatoes to pan. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Place skillet in oven to roast for 25 minutes. Remove skillet from oven and place chicken thighs on plate, set aside. Make a well in center of pan and add remaining Harissa, stir to combine with pan juices.
- Add shiitakes and shallots and stir to incorporate with potatoes. Cook mushroom mixture for 4 minutes. Add chicken back into pan, coating with sauce. Cook for 2 minutes and turn off heat. Sprinkle with fresh basil. Enjoy!
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