Harissa Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomatoes is an easy baked chicken recipe that is filled with flavor and spice! Tender juicy chicken with a spicy harissa paste are baked with tomatoes and olives for a warm and comforting dish easy enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough for company!
What is Harissa Paste?
If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you know that I love harissa paste! If you’ve never used harissa paste you are in for a treat.
Harissa paste is a spicy red chili paste used in North African and Middle Eastern Cuisine. You can kind of think of it as the sriracha sauce of that region.
It is made of a combination of hot chile peppers, garlic, oil, vinegar, tomatoes and spices. Some common spices used in it are cumin, coriander, caraway and mint. Rose petals are also found in a lot of the versions.
Each region can have a similar, but different recipe, so I like to try different varieties of harissa paste. Some are hotter and on some the spices are more prominent. They are all a little bit different and you might find that you like one a little more than another.
I used to order it from Amazon exclusively, but lately some of the regular grocery stores has started carrying it in the International food aisle.
Ingredients to Make Harissa Baked Chicken Thighs
There are two parts to the this recipe. The first part is the harissa baked chicken thighs and the second part is the fresh and tangy gremolata that is sprinkled on at serving.
- Harissa Paste – try different varieties to find the one that you like best. They can very in heat level and spiciness.
- Brown Sugar.
- Chicken Stock – I use homemade, but canned will be fine.
- Olives – a mix is nice, but all of one kind will also work. I use pitted because I don’t want people to bite into pits.
- Garlic cloves.
- Tomato Paste – after ending up wasting a lot in the cans, I’ve switched to using the tubes. Especially for recipes that don’t use that much.
- Tomatoes – any kind will work, roma are my favorites.
- Chicken thighs – bone in, skin on. Can use boneless, skinless, but reduce the initial cooking time.
How to Make Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 350.
Place the chicken, garlic and olives in a baking dish. They can fit snugly.
In a small bowl, combine the harissa paste, brown sugar and chicken stock.
Pour the harissa mixture over the chicken. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for one hour.
Remove from the oven. Turn the oven heat up to 400 and uncover the chicken.
Cut the roma tomatoes into halves or fourths and add them to the chicken. Roast for an additional 30 minutes.
Top with the gremolata for serving.
How to Make a Gremolata
This recipe is finished with a sprinkling of a gremolata. A gremolata is basically a dressing made with parsley, lemon and garlic. This version includes cilantro.
To make the gremolata, chop the parsley and the cilantro and add to a bowl. I like to finely chop mine. Mince the garlic and add to the bowl. Add the 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the bowl and stir to combine.
These baked chicken thighs are soooo good! The harissa and brown sugar creates a sweet and spicy glaze on the crispy skin. The olives and tomatoes cook in the rich red sauce. Topped with a fresh and tangy gremolata.
I served it with couscous and it was unanimously declared the best dinner ever!
More Harissa Recipes:
If you have any leftover harissa paste, be sure and try these other yummy recipes using harissa paste.
- Harissa Roasted Squash
- Harissa and Yogurt Baked Chicken
- Harissa Beef Skewers
- Harissa Lamb and Spinach Pizza
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Harissa Chicken Thighs With Olives
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs bone in and trimmed
- 8 cloves garlic unpeeled (mine were peeled)
- 1 cup olives mixed
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- salt and cracked black pepper
- 14 oz roma tomatoes preferably on the vine
Gremolata
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest shredded
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Make the gremolata by combining the ingredients in a bowl, and then set aside.
- Place the chicken, garlic and olives in a large baking dish. Combine the harissa, sugar, and stock and spoon over the chicken, garlic and olives. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cover tightly with foil and roast for one hour.
- Increase the temperature to 400. Uncover and add the tomatoes and roast for an additional 30 minutes. Serve with the gremolata.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2014 (found in an old Donna Hay magazine) and has been updated or 2019.
Very excited to try this in about half an hour, love all of the ingredients. One question, was the tomato paste supposed to be mixed in with harissa paste? It was listed in the ingredients but not in the steps.
Oh my gosh, thank you for catching that!! Yes the tomato paste gets mixed together with the harissa paste and the other ingredients.
No problem, it will be sans tomato paste tonight but will throw it in next time. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Using the bone-in chicken thighs makes the dish so much more decadent. I love the combination of salty and spicy too!
A flavor-packed one-pan wonder that I’m excited to put in the regular rotation. So much yum, and can’t believe how easy it is to make.
I love spicy dishes and this one is right up my alley! Perfect winter meal for the weeknights…this looks out of this world!
This Harissa Chicken is absolutely divine. All of the fresh flavors bake wonderfully together and the skin crisp up perfectly . This is a new family favorite for sure.
I adore harissa. This dish sounds so incredibly comforting and I am adding it to my menu plan this week! Will remind me of my travels <3
I have been looking for recipes with harrissa and finally i found your recipe that suits my requirement perfectly 🙂
This recipe looks so delicious, I’m craving it right now! Perfect for a comforting meal and do easy to make!)
I got so hungry just by looking at these photos! Your chicken looks cooked to perfection, and I can only imagine how great it tastes with all these wonderful spices added!
A one-pan chicken dinner that’s full of flavor, yes please! The Gremolata is a great topping for it too.
What an impressive recipe! The harissa adds such incredible flavor, and it couldn’t be easier to make. I’m definitely making this again!
I just pinned your Harissa Chicken with Olives, I can almost taste this delicious chicken! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday,we are so happy to have you join us. Have a wonderful week and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Sydney has a substantial population of peoples from the Middle East and Africa. These flavours have been popular for some time.
Can this be done in a slow cooker?
Yes, but it wouldn’t get the nice roasted skin.
I love Harissa – your chicken with tomatoes and olives looks amazing. I, too am a big fan of Donna Hay! Cant wait to try this recipe.
Your Harissa Chicken with Olives look fantastic! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
This looks incredible! Pinned. Lou Lou Girls
Pinned.
This dish looks fantastic, Pam, and I love your photography. I have wanted to make this for a long time and you’ve inspired me to do so – and now I’ve got a great recipe too! Visiting from Miz Helen’s party today. Hope you’re having a great week 🙂
I’ll take your regular tomatoes any day! At least they are the right size for one bite! This chicken looks really good.