Weeknight Air Fryer Harissa Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 1 small yellow onion (175g, quartered)
• 2 small tomatoes (240g, quartered)
• 1 bunch parsley (90g, torn in half)
• 6 cloves garlic (20g)
• 1 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt (230g)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (26g)
• 3 tbsp thick spicy harissa paste (45g, such as Elfassy brand)
• 0.5 cup saucy roasted red pepper harissa paste (120g, such as Mina brand)
• 0.5 lemon (zest and juice)
• 1.5 tbsp turmeric powder (10g)
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika (10g)
• 2 tsp kosher salt (7g, preferably Diamond Crystal)
• 3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1400g)
• cooking spray (for the air fryer basket)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the aromatic base: Place the quartered onion, quartered tomatoes, torn parsley, and garlic cloves into a food processor or blender. Pulse until the ingredients are finely minced and combined, but not completely liquified into a smooth puree.

2. 2

   Make the marinade: In a large mixing bowl, combine the blended vegetable mixture with the Greek yogurt, olive oil, both types of harissa paste, lemon zest, lemon juice, turmeric, smoked paprika, and kosher salt. Whisk thoroughly until the sauce is uniform in color and texture.

3. 3

   Coat the chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the bowl with the marinade. Use your hands or tongs to toss the chicken, ensuring the sauce gets under the skin and covers every surface of the meat. Because of the high flavor concentration, you can proceed immediately to cooking without marinating.

4. 4

   Prepare the air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Lightly coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

5. 5

   Cook the chicken: Place the chicken thighs in the air fryer basket in a single layer, skin-side up. Do not overcrowd the basket; cook in two batches if necessary. Air fry for 20-25 minutes.

6. 6

   Check for doneness: The chicken is done when the skin is deeply browned and charred in spots, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh near the bone.

7. 7

   Rest and serve: Remove the chicken from the air fryer and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving to ensure the juices stay within the meat.

Notes

Harissa variations: The author recommends combining a thick, spicy, dark harissa (like Elfassy) with a lighter, saucy, roasted red pepper version (like Mina). If you cannot find the saucy version, you can substitute 1/2 cup of finely minced or blended roasted red peppers.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• air-fryer
• harissa
• middle eastern
• high-protein
• easyrecipe
• mealprep