Name: Braised Chicken With Harissa and Olives
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil; 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced; 3 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into thin wedges; 3-3½ lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 6–8); ¾ cup mild harissa, such as New York Shuk Signature Harissa; 1 tsp. Ras el Hanout, preferably New York Shuk; 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or 1 ¼ tsp. Morton Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning; 1 cup green olives, such as Castelvetrano, pitted and roughly chopped, divided; 8 garlic cloves, peeled; ½ bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped; Steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread, for serving

Chicken legs with harissa green olives garlic and onions in a pans.

Photo by Maria Midoes

Our go-to braised harissa chicken is so easy to put together and so delicious! It brings big, bold flavors to your table, which is what New York Shuk is all about. The best thing about this dish is that it’s easy to adapt and you can play around with ingredients you have on hand. For a one-pot meal, arrange a layer of potatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick, over the olive oil in the pan, then top with the onions and tomatoes. To change things up, stir in a can of chickpeas or white beans (rinsed and drained) during the last 30 minutes of cooking. No fresh tomatoes on hand? Use 3 canned whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped or cut into wedges, instead. If you like things hot and spicy, swap the Ras el Hanout for 1 teaspoon of our NY Shuk Fiery Harissa.

In North Africa the word tagine has two meanings: It’s used to describe a succulent, stew-like dish such as this one, as well as the clay vessel it’s traditionally slow-cooked in. This recipe works beautifully cooked in a traditional clay Moroccan tagine, but please note these adjustments before proceeding: Slowly heat the clay tagine using a heat diffuser; otherwise it may crack. Because a traditional tagine is more shallow, you will need to decrease the amount of liquid in the recipe. Use 1 tomato instead of 3, and omit the ¼ cup water. After cooking covered for 2 hours, remove the lid and simmer for up to 1 hour longer as needed until the sauce has reached your desired consistency.

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

3 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into thin wedges

3-3½ lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 6–8)

¾ cup mild harissa, such as New York Shuk Signature Harissa

1 tsp. Ras el Hanout, preferably New York Shuk

2 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or 1 ¼ tsp. Morton Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1 cup green olives, such as Castelvetrano, pitted and roughly chopped, divided

8 garlic cloves, peeled

½ bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread, for serving

Preparation

Step 1
Drizzle 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and scatter 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced over in an even layer. Lay 3 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into thin wedges on top. Set aside.
Step 2
Combine 3-3½ lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 6–8), ¾ cup mild harissa, 1 tsp. Ras el Hanout, and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or 1 ¼ tsp. Morton Kosher salt in a large bowl. Toss thoroughly to combine. Arrange chicken and any extra marinade in a single layer on top of the vegetables in the skillet. Scatter half of olives, 8 garlic cloves, peeled, and ½ bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped over the chicken, then pour in ¼ cup water. Cover skillet.
Step 3
Place over high heat and cook just until liquid reaches a simmer. Reduce heat as needed to maintain a simmer and cook, covered, until chicken easily falls apart with the push of a fork, about 1½ hours.
Step 4
If there is a lot of liquid left in skillet, remove lid, keep the chicken in the pan, and increase heat to high. Cook until the sauce thickens, swirling skillet occasionally to ensure it doesn’t scorch, 10–15 minutes longer.
Step 5
Remove from heat and add the remaining olives. Serve with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or fresh crusty bread to mop up the sauce.