Do you ever see a recipe from across the room and think… “That’s it. That’s the recipe that’s gonna make me happy for the rest of my Tuesday night.”
This was it, and it was a very happy Tuesday night.
I am a big fan of this dinner not only because it involves crispy chicken thighs (hi, hello dark meat, I’ve missed you) – but also because I have never made a dish with fennel and leeks. The greens I stick to are usually beans and broccoli, so this was an excellent excuse to try something new. I assumed leeks were something only fancy people in yoga pants bought at Whole Foods, but HOT TAKE, THEY’RE NOT ANYMORE! This jean-clad Aldi lover is horning in on your fancy vegetable territory.
Also, did I mention crispy chicken thighs? With the skin. on. And. And! An excuse to use more harissa. (See also: chicken meatballs to die for.) Not every night can be a diet-friendly night, so why not enjoy the crispier side of life?
In terms of difficulty, I’d call this moderate. I definitely had to read through the instructions more than once to make sure I knew what I was doing (and even then, didn’t get it 100% right – see notes…). I was also very lucky to have my favorite sous-chef help with the chopping and prep. (Hi, Kaz!)
I’ll definitely be making this recipe again, courtesy of Bon Appétit. Shocking, right? I’m still obsessed with BA, but if you have other go-to food sources, I want to hear them!
Crispy Chicken Thighs with Harissa
From Bon Appétit
Ingredients
4 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs. total)
Kosher salt
6 ounces very small potatoes, halved if wider than 1 inch
1 tablespoon mild harissa paste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium leeks, halved lengthwise, cleaned, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced, preferably with a mandoline, divided, fronds reserved for serving
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Season chicken with salt and place, skin side down, in a medium cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet. Arrange potatoes around chicken. Heat skillet over medium and cook, without moving chicken but turning potatoes occasionally, until chicken skin is browned, crisp, and releases with just a bit of coaxing from a spatula, 14–16 minutes.
Transfer chicken skin side up and potatoes to a plate, leaving as much fat in skillet as possible. Let skillet cool slightly, then add harissa. Return skillet to medium heat and cook harissa, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and sizzling, about 30 seconds. Pour off harissa schmaltz into a small bowl; set aside.
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium. Add leeks, garlic, and three-quarters of sliced fennel and cook, covered but stirring occasionally, until softened, 8–10 minutes. Return chicken skin side up and potatoes to skillet. Transfer to oven and roast until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 10–12 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss 1 Tbsp. lemon juice and remaining sliced fennel and 1 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl; season with salt. Add remaining 2 Tbsp. lemon juice to reserved harissa schmaltz and stir to combine; season with salt.
Transfer chicken and potatoes to a platter. Top with fennel salad, then fennel fronds. Drizzle with harissa dressing.
Notes
The chicken thighs I used were on the larger side and left no room for the potatoes. (Really rude, tbh.) Rather than try to fit everything at once, I put the potatoes on a separate sheet pan in the oven and left them in there for about 20 minutes.
This recipe calls for a tbsp. olive oil when you put the leeks and other veggies in the skillet. Next time I may skip this step and leave just enough oil from the chicken instead. I didn’t think the meal was oily overall, but I do think it wouldn’t hurt to cut down on oil a bit next time.
Embarrassing confession: I completely skipped over the “fennel salad” step and threw all of my fennel in with the leeks and garlic. It still turned out great, but next time I may read the instructions a bit more carefully. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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