“Life Changing” Harissa Chicken and White Beans
Harissa paste is a common Moroccan ingredient that you can find in some supermarkets and specialty stores. My version is a cheater version that anyone can easily put together. Make this paste ahead and keep it in the fridge. It’s great on potatoes, shrimp, or mixed in to your mayo!
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 whole chicken cut up to 6 pieces
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 T tomato paste
- ¼ cup harissa paste recipe below
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2-15 oz cans cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- Chopped parsley and lemon wedges to serve
Quick Harissa Paste
Makes about 1 cup
- 3 T chili powder
- 2 t. coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 roasted bell pepper
- 3 sundried tomatoes chopped
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- For the Harissa Paste: Toast the coriander and caraway seeds in a dry skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Remove to a mortar and pestle and grind to a powder. Add the powder and the remaining ingredients to a food processor or a blender and blend until you have a smooth paste. Place in a jar with a tight lid and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
- For the Chicken and Beans: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large ovenproof skillet heat the oil over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the chicken and then place it skin side down in the pan. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 5 minutes per side and then remove from the pan. Pour off all but a tablespoon of the fat and then add the onion and garlic to the skillet, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the onion begins to soften and then stir in the tomato paste. Cook for 1 more minute then stir in the chicken broth, harissa paste, beans, and the tomatoes (poke them with a knife before you put them in the pan). Nestle the chicken and the juices back into the pan and cook until a thermometer reaches 165 degrees, about 25 minutes. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges for squeezing over the dish.