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Harissa Chicken Thighs with Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas

Spicy harissa chicken thighs roasted on one tray with cauliflower, chickpeas and red onion, finished with a cool lemon yogurt. Spread the tray out so the cauliflower roasts and browns rather than steams.

Dinner

50

Serves 4

A roasting tray of harissa chicken thighs with browned cauliflower, chickpeas and red onion, with a bowl of lemon yogurt and parsley

Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 600g/1lb 5oz in total)
  • 4 tbsp (about 60g) harissa paste (strengths vary; start with 3 tbsp if yours is very hot)
  • 2 cloves garlic (about 8g), crushed: 1½ cloves for the chicken, half a clove for the yogurt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil: 1 tbsp for the chicken, 1 tbsp for the vegetables
  • 1 large cauliflower (about 700g/1½lb of florets)
  • 1 x 400g (14oz) tin (can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 240g/8½oz drained)
  • 1 large red onion (about 150g/5oz), cut into wedges
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • Half a tsp salt for the vegetables, plus a pinch for the yogurt, and black pepper
  • 200g/7oz/¾ cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon), plus wedges to serve
  • 20g/a loosely packed cup of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan, 425F).
  2. In a bowl, mix the harissa, the garlic for the chicken and 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat them all over.
  3. Cut the cauliflower into florets about 4cm/1½in across, and slice the stalk too. Pat the chickpeas dry with kitchen paper (paper towels). Divide between two large roasting trays, each about 30 x 40cm/12 x 16in: toss the cauliflower, chickpeas and onion with the remaining oil, the cumin, salt and pepper. Spread everything out in a single layer.
  4. Nestle the chicken thighs among the vegetables, spread out flat. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, swapping the trays between shelves and turning the vegetables once halfway, until the cauliflower is tender and browned at the edges and the chicken is cooked through, with no pink in the middle and the juices running clear. If you have a thermometer, the thickest part should reach 75C/167F.
  5. While it roasts, mix the yogurt with the garlic for the yogurt, 1 tbsp of the lemon juice and the pinch of salt.
  6. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over the trays and scatter with the parsley. Serve with the lemon yogurt and lemon wedges.
  7. Leftovers keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat until piping hot all the way through. It is not ideal for freezing, as the roasted cauliflower turns soft.

Why it works

A serving has about 43g of protein, 7g of fibre and 427 calories. The protein comes from the chicken, the chickpeas and the yogurt. These figures are for the traybake and yogurt only; add flatbread or couscous if you want more carbohydrate, and the numbers rise accordingly.

Why thighs rather than breasts. Skinless chicken thighs have a little more fat than breast, which keeps them juicy in a hot oven and makes them much harder to overcook. With the skin removed, they are still a lean protein.

Cauliflower is the bulk of the tray. Roasting it at a high heat browns the edges and gives it a nutty flavour, so a large amount feels like a proper part of the meal rather than a side. Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, from the same family as broccoli and kale.

Why it is tagged for blood sugar. With about 22g of carbohydrate a serving, mostly from the chickpeas and onion, and plenty of protein and fibre, this is a dinner that should not push blood sugar up sharply.

About harissa. It is a North African chilli paste, and brands vary a lot in heat and salt. Check the label if you need it to be gluten-free, as most are but a few are not. For another one-tray chicken dinner, see the Greek lemon chicken traybake.