Chicken with Prunes, Potatoes, Cauliflower & Harissa
Serves 4·Added 5 May 2026 by Tom Melhuish
Main
Ingredients
| 2 1/2 | tablespoons | harissa |
| 1 | teaspoon | ground turmeric |
| 1 | teaspoon | ground ginger |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | ground cinnamon |
| 1 | teaspoon | ground cumin |
| 4 | cloves | garlic(finely grated) |
| 1 | tablespoon | soft light brown sugar |
| sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper | ||
| 2 | tablespoons | extra virgin olive oil |
| 400 | g | small waxy potatoes(scrubbed) |
| 2 | onions(sliced) | |
| 375 | g | cauliflower florets(about 1/2 large head) |
| 12 | moist prunes(more is fine) | |
| 300 | ml | chicken stock(1/2 pint) |
| 2 | preserved lemons(plus 1 1/2 tablespoons brine from the jar) | |
| 8 | good-sized skin-on bone-in chicken thighs(excess skin neatly trimmed) | |
| 3 | tablespoons | roughly chopped coriander leaves |
| Pistachio relish(optional, to serve) | ||
| Greek yogurt(to serve) |
Method
1.Preheat the oven to 190°C fan (400°F), Gas Mark 6.
2.In a bowl, mix together the harissa, spices, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper and olive oil.
3.Cut the potatoes – there's no need to peel them – into 2mm (1/16in) slices and put them into a shallow 30cm (12in) casserole with the onions. Add the cauliflower and prunes. Take one-third of the harissa mixture and toss it with this. Add the chicken stock and place over a medium heat until the mixture is simmering.
4.Remove the flesh from the preserved lemons – keep the rind for scattering on top – chop it, then add it to the rest of the harissa mixture, along with the brine from the jar. Mix the chicken thighs with this mixture, rubbing it all over. Set the chicken on top of the simmering vegetables, skin side up. Season the chicken skin and put the dish into the oven.
5.Cook for 45 minutes, taking the dish out and scooping the cooking juices up over the chicken a couple of times. You should end up with dark golden chicken and tender vegetables.
6.Cut the preserved lemon rind into shreds and throw it over the dish along with the coriander. This is good with a nut relish, made with pistachios or walnuts. Serve with Greek yogurt.
Recipe Notes
AI · may be inaccurate
Substitutions
- prunes → dried apricots or pitted dates (personal preference)
Tips
This dish is quite sweet because of the prunes, so it does need the preserved lemon to cut through that. You can serve a grain on the side. A bowl of Greek yogurt – you can grate some garlic into it or leave it as it is – is excellent, though.
Comments
Sign in to leave a comment.