Moroccan Harissa Chicken with Roasted Red Onions and Chickpeas

Ok, first off...The lighting fixture went out in my kitchen a couple of days ago, and I have been waiting on a new one that has been ordered. Cooking in the dark is a little bit of a pain, so please excuse the crappay photos.

Anywho, I bought some local whole chicken legs that were on sale. This recipe would work well with a white fish (such as tilapia), salmon, pork, or big chunks of vegetables (like eggplant, squash, potatoes). Harissa is a North African paste made from Piri Piri chili peppers, tomatoes, and paprika. It has a wonderful sweet and(very) spicy flavor. I bought a prepared bottle of Harissa from Whole Foods Market and altered it a little.

What you will need:

2 1/2 pounds chicken legs (about 4)

1/3c prepared Harissa paste
1/4c plain Greek Yogurt

1T lemon juice

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained*

1 red onion, diced very large

1t olive oil

Salt and Pepper-to taste

Preheat the oven to 425. Mix Harissa, yogurt, and lemon juice together. Pour over chicken legs and marinate for 1 hour at room temperature (yes, it's ok). In a bowl, add the chickpeas and red onion. Drizzle olive oil, toss, and season with salt and pepper. In an even layer, place chickpeas and onions in a baking dish (one large enough to eventually put the chicken in). Roast for 10 mins. Remove from oven and lay chicken legs on top of the chickpeas and onions, skin side up. Put back in the oven and continue to cook for 40 mins.

My fiance and I loved this. The yogurt toned down the heat a little, the lemon brightened, and the chickpeas had a slight chew and were packed with flavor. Honestly, I will probably roast chickpeas as a snack in the future.

I served it with wild rice that I cooked according to package, then added 1t onion powder, 1t garlic powder, a pinch of ginger, and 1/2c of raisins. I also sauteed some zucchini.