Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken with Potatoes, Leeks & Herby Yogurt

As someone who loves to cook, but doesn’t love doing dishes / spending hours in the kitchen, I’m all about sheet-pan dinners (ie, when a protein and side dish can cook together at the same time on a sheet pan and voila! you’ve got dinner and only one pan to clean). This recipe, which is adapted from Food52, is hands down one of my go-to sheet pan meals. It’s packed with bright Mediterranean flavors, takes only a few minutes to prep, cooks for about 45 minutes in the oven, and makes for a fabulous weeknight meal that also feels special enough for a weekend dinner party.

SHEET PAN HARISSA CHICKEN WITH POTATOES, LEEKS & HERBY YOGURT

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5-2 lbs pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

  • 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1” chunks

  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 tablespoons harissa

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

  • 2-3 leeks, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise, rinsed, and thinly sliced into half-moons

  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon, divided

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

  • 1 small garlic clove

  • 1/2 cup chopped soft fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, mint, and/or cilantro leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F.

  2. Combine the chicken and potatoes in a large bowl. Season them with 2½ teaspoons of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the harissa, cumin, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Pour this mixture over the chicken and potatoes, and toss to combine.

  3. Arrange the chicken and potatoes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes.

  4. While the chicken and potatoes are roasting, combine the leeks, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium bowl.

  5. After the chicken and potatoes have been cooking for 20 minutes, use a spatula to toss the potatoes lightly, then scatter the leeks over the baking sheet. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and everything is golden and slightly crisped, 20 to 25 minutes longer.

  6. While the chicken cooks, put the yogurt in a small bowl. Grate the garlic clove over the yogurt, add a handful of your chopped herbs and season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and juice of your lemon. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

  7. To serve, you can spoon the yogurt over the chicken and veggies in the baking sheet, or you can transfer everything to serving platters/bowls. Scatter remaining herbs over everything, add a pinch (or two) of flakey sea salt, and drizzle with additional olive oil and/or lemon juice and enjoy!