Pan-Seared Chicken with Harissa, Dates and Citrus

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

35 min

Servings

4 people

Recipe adapted from Cooking NY Times.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 navel oranges

• ¼ cup harissa

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the flat side of a knife

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 8 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2½ to 3 pounds)

• Kosher salt 

• 6 whole shallots, quartered lengthwise

• 1 cup pitted medjool dates, halved

• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces

• 1 cup chicken stock, store-bought or homemade

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• ¼ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt

• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill (optional)

MAKING THE DISH

Directions

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.