Harissa Baked Chicken Thigh with Roasted Carrot & Couscous — 46g Protein, Under $4.50
Harissa and chicken is a combination that does something greater than either ingredient manages alone. The paste caramelises against the skin during roasting into something sticky, deeply spiced, and slightly charred at the edges that looks and tastes like serious cooking with almost no technical skill required. Paired with roasted carrots that develop a natural sweetness in the oven and fluffy couscous that catches the spiced pan drippings, this is a dinner that comes together in one oven session and one pot of boiling water. At 46 grams of protein and under four dollars and fifty cents, it is the weeknight dinner that earns its place in the permanent rotation from the first time you make it.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a small bowl, mix the harissa paste with half the olive oil. Rub this mixture all over the chicken thigh, including under the skin where possible.
- Toss the carrot batons with the remaining olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Place the chicken thigh skin-side up on one side of the baking sheet and spread the carrots on the other side.
- Roast for 28–32 minutes until the chicken skin is deeply caramelised and charred at the edges, the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), and the carrots are tender and golden.
- In the final 5 minutes of roasting, prepare the couscous: place dry couscous in a bowl, pour over the boiling water or broth, cover tightly with a plate, and leave for exactly 5 minutes.
- Uncover and fluff the couscous thoroughly with a fork. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Squeeze lemon juice over the chicken and carrots as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Plate the couscous as a base, place the chicken thigh on top, and arrange the roasted carrots alongside.
- Scatter fresh herbs over everything and add a spoonful of Greek yogurt on the side if using.
Notes
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are consistently the cheapest cut of chicken that still delivers spectacular results in the oven — the skin caramelises under harissa into something deeply impressive at a fraction of the cost of chicken breast. Carrots are one of the cheapest vegetables available year-round with almost no waste. A small tube of harissa paste costs around two to three dollars and covers many recipes, making it one of the most cost-effective flavour investments in a budget cooking pantry.
