Harissa-Spiced Chicken with Preserved Lemons

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-12 · Updated 2026-04-12

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 drafted and published.

Chicken thighs simmered in a fragrant harissa broth with preserved lemon rind, yielding tender meat with a complex, citrusy North African flavor. This Tunisian chicken recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, olive oil, and onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" 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: 35 min Serves 4 Tunisian cuisine 400 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 bone-in chicken thighs, skin-on
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp harissa paste
1 preserved lemon, quartered (rind only, rinsed)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

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Instructions

Step 1: Season 4 chicken thighs with 1/4 tsp salt. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown.
Step 2: Flip chicken and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
Step 3: Add 1 large sliced onion to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 4: Add 3 tbsp harissa paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 1 preserved lemon (rind only, rinsed) and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Return chicken to the skillet.
Step 5: Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 25 minutes until chicken is tender. Stir in 1 tsp dried oregano and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to meld flavors.