lemon harissa chicken thighs

last updated on October 30, 2026

These lemon harissa chicken thighs are the perfect weeknight meal. The chicken thighs are nice and crispy, then cooked with harissa, white beans, dates, and lemon. It is slightly spicy and bursting with flavors.

This recipe is part of my new series all about chicken! I admittedly have been afraid of raw chicken for most of my life. I think it stemmed from an experience I had when I was younger — one night when I was probably about 13, I was in charge of making dinner for my older brothers. Of course I made a chicken dish, but read the instructions wrong and set the oven to way LOWER than it was supposed to be. So, when I took the chicken out of the oven, we cut into it and it was RAW. I was traumatized and largely avoided raw chicken for years.

I recently decided I want to get really good at cooking chicken, so I decided to make a series out of it and share all my recipes with you! First up is these lemon harissa chicken thighs that I am obsessed with. This recipe took 4-5 renditions before it was just right, so we have eaten it a lot recently, and I’m still not sick of it, which is the ultimate test. So basically this can be put on your weekly rotation right away!

ingredients needed for lemon harissa chicken thighs

• 4 chicken thighs, (bone-in, skin-on) about 1.5-2 lbs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 4 dates pitted
• 1 tbsp perserved lemon or lemon juice
• 1 tbsp harissa
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 14 oz can white beans
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

the secret to crispy chicken thighs

There are a few ways to get crispy chicken thighs, but this method is one of my favorites. You’ll start by adding some olive oil to a cast iron skillet over high heat (you can also start with no oil and put the chicken thighs in the pan when it is cold). When the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Let them cook for 5-6 minutes until the skin is crispy and brown.

Don’t worry about cooking the other side of the chicken, as you’ll finish it off in the oven. But once that skin is nice and crispy, it will stay crispy while it finishes cooking in the oven!

what to serve with lemon harissa chicken thighs

I suggest serving this dish with a warm grain! Here are a few of my favorites:

• brown rice
• warm pita bread
• farro
• quinoa

other recipes you will love

• caramelized onion braised short ribs
• baked harissa chicken meatballs
• miso cacio e pepe
• salmon red curry

lemon harissa chicken thighs

5 from 3 votes

[category] Main Course

[published] May 6, 2023

[PREP] 10 minutes mins

[COOK] 30 minutes mins

[TOTAL] 40 minutes mins

Print recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs, (bone-in, skin-on) about 1.5-2 lbs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 4 dates pitted
• 1 tbsp perserved lemon or lemon juice
• 1 tbsp harissa
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 14 oz can white beans
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Add olive oil to a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
2. When the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs to the pan, skin side down. Let the chicken thighs cook until the skin is golden brown, about 4-7 minutes. While the chicken thighs are browning, dice the onion and mince the garlic. When the skin is brown, transfer the thighs to a plate and set aside.
3. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the diced onion to the pan (with the rendered chicken fat). Cook down for 3-4 minutes then add the garlic and cook 1 additional minute.
4. Dice the dates into small pieces, about 1/4" squares. If using preserved lemon, cut into small pieces. Add the dates and preserved lemon (or lemon juice) to the pan. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add harissa, cinnamon, paprika, white beans, and chicken broth. Stir until combined.
6. Add the chicken thighs back to the pan, skin side up, placing them on top of the beans. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the internal temp of the chicken is 165F.
7. Remove from the oven and serve with rice, bread, or on it's own! Enjoy!