Harissa chicken
& potatoes.
One sheet pan if it fits. Two if it doesn't. The lemon-garlic hummus sauce is what made my mother-in-law say, “You need to make this one again.” Approval!
Room to roast
0 of 6 done
Mix it all together
Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the chicken and sliced potatoes in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the harissa, cumin, and olive oil together, pour it over both, and toss until everything is coated. If you have time, let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes; refrigerate it if making it further ahead.
One pan or two?
Dump the chicken and potatoes onto a large rimmed sheet pan and spread them into one layer. If the pieces are crowded, divide the same mixture between two pans. Space is what gives the potatoes a chance to brown.
Roast and turn
Roast for 15 minutes, then lightly turn the potatoes and chicken together. Add sliced leek now only if you already have one. If you used two pans, swap their positions in the oven.
Check both, together
Keep roasting until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part, away from bone, and the potatoes are tender. Start checking breast sooner than thighs or drumsticks. The chicken and potatoes stay together on their pan; there is no separate finishing stage.
The breast-and-potato tradeoff
If using breast and it reaches 165°F before the potatoes are crisp, take the whole pan out rather than drying out the chicken to chase a crunchier potato. The potatoes should be tender. Next time, slice them a little thinner, leave more space on the pan, or use thighs and drumsticks, which suit the longer roast better. If the chicken is under 165°F, the whole pan keeps cooking.
Hummus sauce, then dinner
Whisk about 1 cup hummus with roughly 2 tbsp water, juice from half a lemon, grated garlic, salt, and pepper. Add water a little at a time until it spoons over the chicken without becoming watery. Plate the chicken and potatoes with arugula, add dill if you have it, and spoon over the sauce. My mother-in-law said, “You need to make this one again.”
Next time: mix and roast everything together as usual. Use a second pan only when the mixture is crowded. With breast, check temperature early and accept tender potatoes if the chicken is done; for crispier potatoes, slice them thinner or use thighs and drumsticks next time. For food safety, check chicken with a thermometer. If you want Melissa Clark’s original proportions, start here.