Roasted Honey Harissa Chicken Thighs

Harissa chicken thighs with dried mint and sumac roasted with red onion wedges, honey and butter to create a delicious sweet and spicy sauce.

This dish is gloriously simple to make, and it will go from your fridge to your table in right around 45 minutes.

Spicy Roasted Chicken Thighs

You can't beat a good, simple chicken dinner, and for me, that invariably means some chicken thighs.

They are loaded with great flavour, are as cheap as chips, and they are really versatile.

Whether you use them with classic European flavours like this lemon and garlic chicken thighs or look East with this chicken adobo with coconut milk recipe, or my Thai baked chicken thighs, they just take it in their stride.

This recipe, like my pomegranate chicken thighs, lamb and bean fasolia and chermoula chicken, takes its flavour influences from North Africa and Persia.

We make a simple glaze of Moroccan rose harissa paste and honey, then pour it over chicken thighs.

To turn up that flavour to 11, we season the chicken with salt, sumac and dried mint and cook it all in butter!

Equipment Used

Do I have to use rose harissa?

No, you can use a regular harissa paste if you wish. I use a brand called Belazu for this recipe. I have also made it with regular harissa made by Le Phare du Cap Bon.

Can I remove the skin from the chicken?

I prefer to leave the skin on the chicken in this recipe, but it will not get crispy! If you are counting calories or are not a fan of "gelatinous" chicken skin, then you should remove it.

Can I use fresh mint rather than dried mint?

Do not be tempted to replace the dried mint with fresh mint; the flavour is completely different.

My harissa salmon fillets, harissa pork chops and sweet potato tagine all use it, so there is no need to fear it going to waste!

What is sumac?

Sumac is a spice that comes from the dried berry of a shrub that is used in both cooking and as a seasoning on cooked food.

It is very popular in North African and Levantine cuisine and has a wonderfully tart flavour.

Serving Suggestions

The North African influences in this Moroccan spiced harissa chicken recipe make buttered couscous an obvious choice as a side dish.

I like to run a load of snipped chives through the couscous to add a fresh onion flavour to complement the roasted onion.

Another great North African option would be some simple bulgur wheat or even a tabbouleh salad.

But you need not stick to North African flavours!

The sweet and sour tones in the glaze lend themselves really well to salty potato wedges or fried potatoes. It also works particularly well with cheesy polenta chips.

If you wanted to add some lighter vegetables, this Shirazi salad would be great. It picks up on the flavours of dried mint and helps cut through the rich glaze.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Oven.
• Hob/stovetop
• 25cm or 10" frying pan (oven safe).
• 15cm or 6" saucepan.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Weighing scales and measuring spoons.
• Kitchen tongs.
• Spoons for stirring.
• Pastry brush.
• A quick-read meat thermometer (optional).