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Stout Harissa Chicken Thighs

Ingredients
  

For the Harissa Paste:

  • 8 dried guajillo chiles stem and seeds removed, broken into pieces
  • 2 dried ancho chilies stem and seeds removed, broken into pieces
  • 1 cup room temperature stout or porter
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 3 cloves garlic grated with a microplane
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin

For the Chicken:

  • 6 chicken thighs bone in, skin on
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • ½ white onion chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 can 14.5 wt oz diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup stout beer
  • 2 tbs chopped flat leaf parsley

Instructions
 

Make the Harissa:

  • In a small bowl add the guajillo chilies and ancho chilies. Pour the beer and the water over the chilies. Use a heavy object such as a coffee mug to make sure the chilies are submerged. Allow to sit at room temperature for one hour. Drain the chilies reserving 2 tablespoon soaking liquid.
  • Add the chilies, 2 tablespoons soaking liquid, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, coriander, caraway and cumin to a food processor. Process until the mixture is a paste. Harissa can be made up to a week ahead of time and the flavors develop over time. Make at least one day ahead if possible, store in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use.

Make the chicken:

  • Salt and pepper the chicken on all sides.
  • Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet until very hot, add the chicken, skin side down. Cook until skin has browned, turn over and brown on the other side. Remove from pan (chicken will not be cooked through).
  • Add the onions, cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the beer, scraping to deglaze the pan. Stir in 1/3 cup harissa and tomatoes. Add the chicken back in the pan, skin side up.
  • Roast at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove from oven, preheat the broiler.
  • Place pan under the broiler until skin has crisped, about 2 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, sprinkle with parsley prior to serving.