Harissa Baked Chicken

One pot dinners are THE BEST DINNERS! It sounds like most people I know switch out the cooking duty and the cleaning duty with their partner or kids - but isn’t it still delightful when only one pan is used?

This is like a sheet pan dinner, only it’s a pot dinner. Is that a thing? Sheet pan dinners have been a hit because you pop it in the oven and walk away. Same-zies here. The chicken gets browned the sauces, vegetables and rice gets added and boom. You’re off the hook for the next 25 minutes to do homework, etc.

The secret here is harissa paste. I’m a major fan of anything that can be added and it brings literally ALL of the flavor. If it saves me time, I’m in. When you pair it with the green olives and fresh vegetables it’s suddenly an epic weeknight dinner. It’s also an amazing Sunday night dinner idea.

Harissa Baked Chicken & Rice

Serves 4

4 lb bone-in split fryer chicken

4 tbs olive oil

2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks

½  cup chopped Green Olives

1 onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

¼ cup Harissa paste

1 cup rice

2 ¼ cups chicken stock

1 can undrained garbanzo beans

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat.  Add 2 tbs olive oil and brown the chicken, skin side down.

STEP 2

When the chicken is browned on the skin, remove from the pan and set aside.

STEP 3

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and cook onions and bell pepper until soft.  Stir in harissa to coat.

STEP 4

Pour in rice, top with chicken, stock, tomatoes, garbanzo beans and olives.  Cover and pop into the oven.

STEP 5

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 when inserted. 

 How to pull it off

1.     Preheat the oven and start chopping vegetables.

2.     Brown the chicken.

3.     While the chicken is browning, measure out the rice and chicken stock.

4.     Add the harissa, vegetables, stock, olives, and beans.

5.     Cover and pop into the oven.

6.     Set the table and pour a glass of wine.

7.     Serve hot straight from the pot!

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Grapefruit Rose Seltzer

The perfect inspired mocktail for a harrisa dinner.