m+ plate: Harissa Chicken with Potato Wedges, Roasted Lemons & Spring Onions
If you’re after a weeknight dinner or lazy lunch that feels like more than the sum of its parts, this easy traybake from Melissa Hemsley is one to have saved. Chicken thighs are marinated in a fragrant harissa yoghurt mix, then roasted over chunky potato wedges with spring onions and caramelised lemon. It’s one of those low effort, high flavour dishes you’ll want have on repeat and the leftovers are just as good the next day, folded into a salad or in a sandwich.
Ingredients
Serves 2
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 600g)
400g potatoes, cut into wedges
3 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch of spring onions, roughly chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
Chopped cucumber and herb salad (parsley, coriander, dill or mint), to serve
For the harissa yoghurt marinade:
2 tbsp+ rose harissa paste, to taste
2 tbsp yoghurt
Zest of 1 lemon
Method
For the sauce, simply mix the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and toss to coat the chicken.
Preheat the oven to fan 200°C/gas mark 7.
Put the potatoes into your largest roasting tray and cut the lemon you zested for the sauce into 4 wedges and add them too.
Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, toss well, then spread out evenly.
Lay the chicken thighs on top, then drizzle with the final tablespoon of olive oil.
Roast for 20 minutes, then add the spring onions, toss to coat in the oily cooking juices and return to the oven for another 10–15 minutes until the chicken and potatoes are golden and tender.
Serve straight from the roasting tray with the herby cucumber salad and the roasted lemon wedges for squeezing over.
Real Healthy by bestselling author and private chef Melissa Hemsley is a go-to guide for quick, veg-packed meals that are big on flavour and low on fuss.
With chapters on batch cooking, traybakes and 30-minute dinners, plus smart tips for avoiding ultra-processed food, it’s everyday cooking made easy.
Get your copy here.