This Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken is going to be your new favorite weeknight recipe! Juicy harissa-marinated chicken thighs roast with cauliflower and chickpeas until golden brown, then finish with a cooling, creamy tahini yogurt sauce and fresh herbs. Everything comes together on one sheet pan and bakes in under an hour!
Boldly Spiced Harissa Chicken, Made Simple Enough for Any Day of the Week
Just because sheet pan dinners are easy doesn’t mean they have to be boring – and this recipe is proof! All it takes is one boldly flavored seasoning like harissa.
This North African red chili paste does all the heavy lifting here. Made from dry red chilies and warm spices, its smoky, spicy, and garlicky flavor pairs beautifully with juicy chicken thighs and simple veggies like cauliflower and chickpeas. The chicken soaks up a simple harissa marinade, the veggies are tossed in spices, and the whole dish is drizzled with a tahini yogurt sauce to balance out the big, bold flavor.
I love making this sheet pan dinner in the fall when the temperature starts to drop, and I need a kick of heat to warm me up. It’s an all-in-one meal that doesn’t compromise on flavor or texture and leaves you with lots of leftovers!
Key Ingredients
Chicken: I highly recommend using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe! The bone adds tons of flavor and keeps the meat juicy, and the skin crisps up beautifully in the oven for a little extra texture. You can use boneless, skinless thighs if you prefer, but you may need to adjust the baking time so they don’t overcook. I don’t recommend using chicken breasts because they will dry out very easily.
Harissa Chicken Marinade: The chicken soaks up a simple marinade made with olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, cumin, and harissa paste. Using a high-quality harissa is key since it’s the star of this recipe! I find the most flavorful harissa brands have red chilies as one of the first ingredients, not tomato paste.
Veggies: Cauliflower florets, red onion, and canned chickpeas easily soak up the harissa flavor as they roast alongside the chicken. I also like to season the veggies with a blend of Dijon mustard, paprika, cumin, garlic, tahini, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. The spices, depth from the sesame tahini, and tang from the mustard and vinegar complement the harissa really well.
How to Make Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken and Veggies
Prep the chicken and veggies separately, then this recipe comes together on one sheet for the ultimate easy weeknight dinner meal!
Step 1: Marinate the chicken thighs. If you’re in a rush, you can let the chicken marinate for about 30 minutes, but ideally, the longer the better! I like to marinate overnight for maximum flavor.
Step 2: Bake on the sheet pan. Start by baking only the harissa chicken for 10 minutes, then add the seasoned cauliflower, onion, and chickpeas and pop back in the oven for 30 minutes. The meat takes longer to cook, so this allows the chicken to be juicy without scorching the vegetables. Be sure to give the veggies a quick toss every so often to help them evenly brown.
I LOVE these leftovers, and this recipe makes lots! The harissa chicken and veggies reheat really well for an easy weekday lunch, so I highly recommend roasting the sheet pan in advance for easy meal prep.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is a true all-in-one meal you can eat right off the sheet pan! I serve it with fresh dill and mint to balance the smoky harissa with a little freshness, plus a dollop of creamy tahini yogurt sauce to help cool down your palate. It’s also great served over rice or quinoa, but on a busy weeknight it’s honestly not needed!
I hope you give this Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken Thighs and Veggies a try! If you do, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.
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Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken Thighs and Veggies
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, North African
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken is going to be your new favorite weeknight recipe! Juicy harissa-marinated chicken thighs roast with cauliflower and chickpeas until golden brown, then finish with a cooling, creamy tahini yogurt sauce and fresh herbs. Everything comes together on one sheet pan and bakes in under an hour!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup harissa
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- dill, for serving
- mint, for serving
- sliced scallion, for serving
For the Veggies
- 1 large red onion, diced into large chunks
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 – 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
For Serving
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Add the harissa, salt, pepper, spices, lemon juice, lemon zest, and olive oil to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined. Next, add the chicken thighs and toss until the chicken is well coated in the marinade. Cover and set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- After the chicken has marinated place it on a large sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Roast at 425 degrees, on the middle rack of your oven, for 10 minutes.
- Prep the veggies: While chicken is cooking, add the veggies, chickpeas, garlic, spices, dijon mustard, tahini, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Toss until everything is combined and the veggies are coated.
- After the chicken thighs have roasted for 10 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven and scatter the prepped veggies in an even layer around the chicken. Try to place the cauliflower cut side down to ensure it browns well.
- Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast for another 25-30 minutes, tossing the veggies every 7-10 minutes or so to prevent them from becoming too brown. Once the veggies are tender and the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Drizzle the tahini yogurt sauce over the chicken and veggies on the sheet pan and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve with more sauce and enjoy!
Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Eat Love Eat
So easy to make and absolutely delicious!
I made these chicken thighs tonight and the marinade was perfect!!! They came out so juicy & tender even though I left them in a little too long and the flavor was perfect. Definitely going into the rotation!
Full of flavor – loved this recipe!
This was delicious! We had it over couscous. Will definitely be making this again.
Wow, wow, wow!! These are SO tasty. I only had boneless skinless thighs in the fridge, so I skipped the initial 10 minute roast of the chicken and put everything in at once and it worked really well. Do yourself a favor and make this recipe!
Soooo good! Followed this to a tee and served it as a salad over lettuce. The tahini yogurt sauce was probably my favorite part – I could eat that with a spoon! Really enjoyed it and hope to make it a regular!
This turned out so good! Easy to put together, flavorful, and filling, this is a hearty meal that warms the soul! Will be adding this to my regular dinner rotation!
This was excellent! What a great combination of veggies and proteins, and such a good and unique flavor. We really enjoyed it! Thank you!
So happy you loved it, Kaydence!!
Just made this and it was delicious! I went a little overboard with the veggies but it still turned out perfect. Great flavor on everything, I will definitely be making it again.