Harissa Chicken; possibly the tastiest chicken ever!

I remember the first time my daughter-in-law made Harissa Chicken for us – I was just blown away. It was absolutely delicious; the chicken is so flavoursome having been marinated in a rich, spicy, red pepper and tomato paste and it tastes like it’s straight out of the smoker.

Harissa is possibly the best loved condiment of the Middle East. It’s well-known for its spicy credentials, but it should be known for so much more than this.

A pizazz of heat comes from the spicy chilli, sweetness from the wonderful roasted red peppers, seductive smokiness thanks to the smoked paprika and the zing of a citrus blast is added to the mix, by the fresh lemon juice. Cumin brings in a slightly sweet, warming slightly nutty flavour. Whilst aniseed has a liquorice flavour that is sweet, mildly spicy, and very aromatic. Some recipes include caraway instead of aniseed, but my personal choice is aniseed.

Harissa is an Amazing Spice Blend

Harissa is a fantastic spice mix to use especially when you’re entertaining. Everyone will want to know what you’ve added to the chicken to create such amazing flavours. A real conversation if ever there was one!

You can buy ready-made Harissa Paste from shops and supermarkets but I prefer to make my own. I make it with a little less chilli than shop-bought varieties, but it still has all the other spice elements to work their magic. If you choose to use shop-bought harissa I would suggest you consider using a little less.

You will only need to use 4 tablespoons of the harissa paste. The rest can be stored in the fridge for about two weeks and used as a condiment . Alternatively it’s wonderful used in dishes such as Shakshuka and Lentil Soup. It can also be added to rice or any stews you make, and every time it’s a winner.

To add the magic to your Harissa Chicken (optional extra)

This is used if you want to add a sensational smoky flavour

• 3 pieces of charcoal the size of your thumb nail (barbeque wood chips could alternatively be used here)
• a little aluminium foil doubled over and shaped into a shallow bowl about 8cm across

How to prepare your Harissa Chicken

To make the Harissa Paste

Put all the ingredients for the harissa paste into a food processor or blender and blitz them until they form a paste.

Remember you only need 4 tablespoons of this glorious marinade for this recipe. The rest can be stored in a covered jam jar, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can be used as a condiment to perk up your meals or as a marinade for other dishes.

Now to prepare your Harissa Chicken

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the chicken portions and massage it into the meat.

Put the chicken into a large bowl and smother them in the harissa paste. Add the extra chopped garlic and grated ginger and massage them once more. Allow the chicken to marinate in the rich marinade for a couple of hours or over-night if you can, to allow the flavours to be absorbed.

Marinate for at least a couple of hours or over-night if you can

Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees

Lay the chopped onions and sliced peppers in a roasted tray along with the tomatoes.

Drizzle oil over the top of them and then turn them over, so that all the vegetables have a light coating of oil.

Pour the chicken stock over the vegetables.

Lay the chicken on top of the vegetables

Lay the marinated chicken on top of the vegetables.

Use cooking foil to cover the roasting tray and seal it, to stop it from drying out during the cooking process..

Cook your Harissa Chicken for about 40 minutes

Put the roasting tray into the oven and let your chicken cook for 40 minutes.

To check that your chicken is cooked thoroughly, insert a knife into the meat – there should be no sign of redness or blood and all the juices should run clear. If this is not the case then return the chicken to the oven for a little longer.

Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove the foil but put it to one side to be used again later.

Five minutes under the grill to turn it a beautiful golden brown

Your chicken now needs its skin to be browned and crisped up, to match its appearance with its amazing flavours.

Drizzle a very light coating of oil onto the chicken, this will assist in the browning process.

Turn your grill on to high and let it warm up for a few minutes before putting your chicken under for about 5 minutes. This should be enough time to allow it to brown slightly, and become a wonderful glowing version of its former self.

Now for the magic

Lay the aluminium foil bowl, that you made, in the roasting tray with the chicken. Pour a few drops of oil into the foil bowl.

Next, hold the charcoal with tongs above a flame and set it alight, when it starts to glow red, blow out the flame and let it smoke. Put the charcoal into the foil bowl with the oil. Quickly cover and seal the roasting tray with foil or a tight fitting lid and let your chicken bask in the smoky aromas for around 10 minutes.

How to serve your glorious Harissa Chicken

Before serving add the fresh coriander to the onions and peppers and gently mix them through.

Harissa chicken is delicious served over a bed of Egyptian Rice with Shareya. To present it, lay the vegetables with the coriander over the rice. Then, top with the glorious chicken, which will be its crowning glory.

Alternatively it’s very popular when included as part of a mezze.

This is definitely one of those meals that will make the taste buds sing for joy!

Let me know how you enjoyed it. And don’t forget to send in your photos – I love seeing them.