Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken Thighs and Carrots

I often find myself struggling to create chicken recipes and even incorporate it into my diet. Chicken is a great lean source of protein but I tend to find it bland and dry. I was working hard on an easy, flavorful and delicious chicken recipe when I thought to use harissa. Harissa is an African chile paste that packs a lot of heat and flavor. I combined a couple tablespoons of harissa with some honey and olive oil to create a great marinade. I opted to use chicken thighs to switch things up but the recipe would work great with chicken breast as well. You can actually buy harissa chicken thighs at Trader Joe’s (pictured below) so if you wanted to use those that would make this recipe even easier! I opted to use kale and farro as the base of this dish because it is also easy to make and offers a lot of protein and fiber. I topped the dish with pomegranate seeds for texture/sweetness and goat cheese to mellow out the spice. 

*I use the harissa on the left combined with honey and olive oil to make my own marinade! Trader Joe's does sell harissa flavored chicken thighs that you could use to make this dish even simpler. I love using Trader Joe's the 10 minute farro for this recipe but you can use any grain you want. Make sure you follow that grains directions and then add it to the kale.

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients: 

1.5 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (usually come 6 to a pack)

1lb of Carrots 

2 tbsp of Harissa

1 tbsp Honey 

2 tbsp Olive Oil 

1 8.8 oz bag of Trader Joe’s 10 Minute Farro (or your favorite grain!)

Pomegranate Seeds (I get mine from TJs but I think you can get them anywhere) 

Goat Cheese Crumbles 

4 cups of chopped Kale 

Kale & Farro Dressing:

3 tbsp Olive Oil

2 cloves minced Garlic

1 tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Lemon Zest

Juice of one Lemon

Salt to Taste 

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small bowl combine about 2 tbsp of the harissa, 1 tbsp of honey and 2 tbsp of olive oil. 

2. Place the carrots on one side of the pan and the chicken on the other. Using a brush or spoon coat the carrots and chicken with the harissa mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. 

3. While the chicken and carrots bake you can prep the base of the dish. Thoroughly wash kale and remove leaves from the stems. Chop the kale and add it to a large bowl.

4. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and add half of the dressing to the kale. Use your hands to “massage” the dressing into the kale until it turns a little darker and more tender (should only take a couple of minutes).

5. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the 10 minute farro to the pot. Cook according to directions, drain and then add to the bowl with kale and the rest of the dressing. 

6. Once the chicken and carrots are done baking it is time to plate! Divide the farro and kale mixture between plates, top with pomegranate seeds and goat cheese crumbles. Add chicken and carrots and enjoy!