One-Pot Harissa Chicken and Rice
10
- Prep Time15 mins
- Total Time45 mins
- Makes6 servings
Recipe developer Amina Al-Saigh uses two condiments she typically has on hand for this quick, weeknight-friendly favourite: Tunisian harissa and toum.
Ingredients
6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
3 3⁄4 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more if needed
1/4 cup harissa
3 tbsp toum (see tips)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cups packed chopped spinach
1 540-mL can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups long-grain white basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear and drained
4 cups chicken broth or water
To serve
Fresh lemon juice
Green salad or cabbage slaw
Plain whole-milk yogurt
Instructions
In a large bowl, season the chicken thighs with 1 1⁄4 tsp salt on both sides. Add the harissa, toum and lemon juice, and mix well to thoroughly coat the chicken. You can cover the chicken and let it marinate for 1 to 2 hrs in the refrigerator for optimal flavour or use it right away.
In a large 2-in. deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium. Add the chicken thighs, reserving any marinade, and sear them, skin-side down, for 2 to 3 min, until golden brown. Flip and sear on the other side for 2 to 3 min. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding if necessary, transferring the chicken to a plate. If there are any burned seasonings in the skillet, remove them with a spoon but keep the oil.
In the same skillet over medium heat, add the onion along with any reserved chicken marinade and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, 6 to 7 min.
Add the spinach, chickpeas and 1 tsp salt. Cook and stir until the spinach wilts, 2 to 3 min.
Add the rice and stir to combine with the chickpeas and vegetables. Add the chicken broth and the remaining 1 1⁄2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over medium. Once boiling, taste and adjust salt if necessary; broth should taste salty. (See tips.)
Add the chicken thighs back into the pan, arranging them on top of the rice. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and let cook, undisturbed, for 25 min. Remove the lid and fluff the rice using a fork.
Serve warm with lemon juice, slaw or salad, and yogurt.
Kitchen tips
Store-bought chicken broth tends to have more salt than homemade, so taste and adjust amount of salt as necessary.
Toum, a creamy garlic sauce, can be purchased in specialty grocery stores or substituted with 6 large cloves of garlic, crushed.
Recipes and images excerpted from Souk to Table by Amina Al-Saigh. Published by Rock Point, an imprint of the Quarto Group, 2024. All rights reserved.
