Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken with Garlic Yogurt

Harissa is a North African chilli paste made from roasted red peppers, dried chillies, garlic, cumin, coriander, and olive oil. It originated in Tunisia and is used throughout the Maghreb region — Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco — and the broader Middle East. The flavour profile is smoky, spiced, and fruity from the peppers, with heat that varies significantly between styles and brands. Rose harissa, a Moroccan variant, includes dried rose petals and tends to be more aromatic and slightly less hot than standard Tunisian harissa. Both work in this recipe. Harissa is sold in tubes, jars, and tins in most supermarkets, usually near the Middle Eastern or international foods.

Greek yogurt has been strained to remove most of the whey, making it much thicker — the consistency of soft cream cheese. That texture works well for dips but is too heavy when spooned over roasted chicken. Regular plain yogurt (the unstrained kind) has a pourable consistency that spreads over the hot chicken and vegetables, picks up the pan juices and harissa drippings as it sits, and creates a sauce rather than a topping. If Greek yogurt is all you have, thin it with a tablespoon or two of cold water or milk until it reaches a consistency you can spoon. The flavour difference is minimal.

Boneless thighs work and cook faster — check at 25 to 30 minutes total rather than 40 to 45. The result is less crisp than bone-in because the skin is thinner and less insulated, but the flavour is comparable. Chicken breast is less suitable for this method: it cooks faster than the potatoes, dries out at 220°C if left for 40 minutes, and doesn't develop the same crust as thighs. If using breast, cut into large pieces, add them to the pan after the potatoes have had 20 minutes, and check at 20 to 25 minutes from when the breast went in.

The formula — dense vegetable that takes the full cook time, delicate vegetable added late — can use many substitutes. Instead of potatoes: sweet potato (cut smaller as it cooks faster), butternut squash, parsnips, or halved fennel. Instead of leeks: red onion cut into wedges, sliced shallots, cherry tomatoes (add for the last 10 minutes only), or courgette (add for the last 15 minutes). The harissa marinade works with all of them. One addition that improves the dish: a tin of chickpeas drained and tossed with the potatoes — they crisp at the edges and add protein.

The most reliable method: an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, should read 75°C (165°F). Visual signs: the skin should be a deep reddish-brown and crisp, not pale and soft; the juices that run from a pierced thigh should be clear, not pink; the meat near the bone should look opaque rather than translucent. Bone-in chicken thighs cooked at 220°C for 40 to 45 minutes total are reliably done — they're very forgiving compared to breast and don't dry out even if they cook a few minutes longer.