Pan-Seared Chicken With Harissa, Dates and Citrus

Updated Feb. 13, 2023

Pan-Seared Chicken With Harissa, Dates and Citrus
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(2,228)
Comments
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Juicy, pan-seared chicken thighs in a  saucy mix of peppery harissa, sour citrus and sweet caramelized dates will make this dish the star of your weeknight meals. For even more flavor, marinate the chicken for as long as you can, anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours. Dollops of creamy yogurt will mellow any heat, and a shower of fresh herbs will add a subtle fragrance. Serve with the pan drippings spooned generously over steamed rice or fluffy couscous, or alongside some warm crusty bread for dipping. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1 to 2navel oranges 
  • ¼cup harissa
  • 1tablespoon honey
  • 1teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the flat side of a knife
  • 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2½ to 3 pounds)
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 6whole shallots, quartered lengthwise
  • 1cup pitted medjool dates, halved 
  • 1bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • 1cup chicken stock, store-bought or homemade
  • 2tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • ¼cup labne or full-fat plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼cup chopped fresh dill
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

919 calories; 52 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 26 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 75 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 56 grams sugars; 43 grams protein; 1534 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Remove the peel from both oranges in strips using a vegetable peeler and reserve. Squeeze 1 cup of juice from the oranges.

  2. Step 2

    Make the marinade in a large bowl by whisking together the harissa, honey, cumin, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¼ cup orange juice. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season both sides generously with salt. Add the chicken to the marinade and coat evenly with the marinade. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the chicken for up to 24 hours.

  3. Step 3

    Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, dates and reserved orange peel. Season lightly with salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are browned in spots and the dates are caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions and cook to soften slightly, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a plate and set aside.

  4. Step 4

    Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and place the chicken pieces skin-side down in the skillet, still over medium heat drizzle any marinade left in the bowl over the chicken pieces. Cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces to cook the other side until just seared, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and remaining ¾ cup orange juice, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

  5. Step 5

    Cook until the liquid is reduced by half and the chicken is cooked through and tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Return the shallot mixture to the skillet, stirring to disperse and coat with the broth. Add the lime juice and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes to soften the shallots. Remove from the heat and taste to see if you need to add more salt. Top with dots of yogurt and sprinkle with the dill.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,228 user ratings
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Comments

Made this for dinner last night and it was a big hit. One issue: although I opted to use two navel oranges for the peel (which add a lot to the dish), I needed FOUR oranges to get a full cup of juice — and it was rather difficult to squeeze the juice out of them. You might want to consider buying a small bottle of orange juice instead of trying to get a full cup of juice from your navel oranges.

Is this dry or wet harissa? I have some of both.

Question with disclaimers: Recognizing 'harissa' is in the title, and is the main ingredient for flavor - I cannot eat peppers. The recipe otherwise looks delicious. Is there any substitute anyone can recommend for the harissa, even though (please be kind - it is sad enough to always have to edit peppers out of recipes or discard the recipe altogether) it is central to the flavors here?

Prepped as recommended. Marinated overnight. I agree that peel from one orange is probably sufficient. I used Valencia oranges as navel oranges were not available. I also appreciated the suggestion of using a pint of orange juice—I used it to supplement what came out of the the two oranges. I let it simmer for about 45 mins and it was good to go. Added the shallot mixture in about 10 mins from done.

Fantastic dinner that was very forgiving on my impatience. I had to move my undercooked chicken pieces into the oven to finish cooking and it still turned out amazing. Definitely take your time with this dish and the bone in chicken.

Why pat the chicken dry before salting, only to wet it again moments later in the marinade?

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