Harissa-Spiced Chicken Thighs with Cucumber Salad

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Juicy chicken thighs coated in smoky harissa, served atop a refreshing cucumber salad with mint and lemon dressing. This North African-inspired chicken recipe (gluten-free), ready in about 45 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, harissa paste, olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with rice, quinoa, or a quick salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 25 min Serves 4 North African cuisine 480 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat 1.5 lbs bone-in chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Rub with 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp harissa paste, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Let sit for 15 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin-side down and sear for 5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and transfer skillet to preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) to roast for 20 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
  3. Step 3: While chicken roasts, peel and finely dice 2 medium cucumbers. Thinly slice 1/4 cup red onion and chop 1/4 cup fresh mint. Combine in a bowl with 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1/4 tsp salt.
  4. Step 4: Zest and juice 1 lemon. Whisk zest, lemon juice, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, and 1/2 tsp salt to make dressing. Toss with cucumber mixture.
  5. Step 5: Slice roasted chicken thighs and serve with cucumber salad drizzled with lemon-yogurt dressing.

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