Harissa chicken with leeks, potatoes, and yogurt from Dinner: Changing the Game (page 51) by Melissa Clark

View complete recipe

Ingredients

ground cumin
Buy Now
- The Spice House - United States
lemons
Show all ingredients...

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

Anjackson1003 on June 02, 2026

A really easy recipe to make and tasted great for a simple sheet pan dinner. We got organic golden potatoes which are a bit smaller so they were tedious to peel. They had sprouted a bit so we had to peel them otherwise I would’ve left skin on. Reheated well in the air fryer the next day.
Plumberful on May 24, 2026

This is always delicious and it’s easy to make, since it all cooks together on a sheet pan. I do not bother to peel the Yukon Gold potatoes, no need in my opinion. Also, I subbed finely chopped homemade preserved lemon, for the lemon zest. Don’t skip the garlicky yogurt sauce!
EmilyR on March 31, 2026

After literally years of seeing this recipe ranked so high I finally was able to make it. I also think there needs to be a “you might also appreciate this” link, because I can think of two dishes that are adjacent to this - one is the BA sheet pan harissa meatballs with feta and the other is the Smitten Kitchen street cart chicken. All excellent and packed with flavors. High 5 if you try them all! In my excitement I nearly forgot… I used preserved lemon in lieu of the zest and salt, and instead of milk to liquify the yogurt it got some kefir, because my gut will thank me. What is with 3 servings, too? That seems weird… I just doubled this so tomorrow future me can thank past me.
barbara_c2lnl9 on March 28, 2026

This is so good that it’s now part of our regular rotation of go-to recipes.
amanda_ejt6ss on March 16, 2026

Really good. Made with boneless skinless chicken thighs. Doubled the sauce and put the lemon juice in the yogurt sauce. Used the mild harissa so topped with more.
william_twih48 on March 03, 2026

Very tasty but a little salty. Admittedly i didn’t add the potatoes to this recipe as I wanted a different side. That’s possibly why it was salty but even when preparing I thought the amount salt recommended to add was a little aggressive. That said, it was still really good dish and the leeks are a nice touch.
halfchefc on March 01, 2026

2nd time making this. Subbed with sweet potato this time and it is just such a good, solid recipe.
AndieEats on September 21, 2025

The chicken needs to be marinated in the sauce for at least a few hours beforehand. We had 8 thighs, a little under double the weight the recipe calls for, and used double the amount of marinade. Chopped up the potatoes and had that sit in another 1/2 portion of marinade while I processed the leeks. Split into two trays to bake sheet made sure the potatoes and leeks didn't cover up any of the chicken - would probably do the chicken and veg in separate trays next time because it got pretty wet by the end. And consider roasting the potato for longer and the leeks for shorter. We needed way more yogurt sauce.
apw2020 on July 23, 2025

One of the top recipes of all time. Genius.
halfchefc on July 23, 2025

On rotation for sure. Used dill and mint & adding lime juice to the yogurt. This was spicy, tangy, and juicy. Loved it!
ozzzzzz22 on February 14, 2025

Deserves the hype - this is a great recipe. What surprised me the first time I made it is that you basically end up with a super herby, chickeny potato salad once it's on your plate. Out of the oven it looks like roast chicken with leeks and potatoes, but when you add the yogurt sauce, herbs, and lemon it all combines into a savoury, tangy, spicy, sweet, herbaceous sort of potato salad and it's just amazing. My advice is do not skimp on the sauce or the herbs - use plenty of both! I also use the basic formula for the yogurt sauce (grating a raw garlic clove into greek yogurt and then adding salt and lemon juice) all the time now for other dishes.
Jiminy on January 27, 2025

Quick, easy, tasty!
dosojosazules on January 20, 2025

Absolutely fantastic. Potatoes were perfect, leeks slightly charred but not all of them so added smoky flavor to the dish. Yogurt benefited from one additional grated garlic clove to give it the zing I was after. Will put this dish into regular rotation. Husband loved, even three year old daughter liked it
Happykikkers on October 29, 2024

We loved this. Only complaint from my husband was that he needed more yoghurt! I added the whole amount of harissa and it wasn’t too spicy for us. My potatoes were pre-cooked so they were crispy on the outside and creamy inside. Only used chicken thighs and topped with parsley. After about 7 minutes I turned down the (fan) oven to 190c. After adding the leeks I turned it down further to 160c. Next time I’ll start on 200c and see from there.
JimCampbell on September 13, 2024

I am going to say it's good. I think it has a higher ceiling, but it was good for a first try and pushed us outside of our normal comfort zone. Cu-do's to the notes. Less salt, control the spice by cutting the harissa in half. Adding Brussels sprouts is a nice touch. I added Spanish Dulce paprika to amp things up a bit in light of cutting the harissa in half. Things I would do differently next time; Use rose harissa to up the harissa flavor without upping the harissa spice. Add more Spanish Dulce paprika. Let the chicken and potatoes sit for an hour or so at room temperature to absorb the marinade more. Add lemon zest to the yogurt mix. Go light on the lemon and yogurt mix drizzled at he end and serve more the on the side (wife's suggestion) so folks can set the amount of each they prefer. Overall.....we'll make it again.
sarahawker on August 16, 2024

This was immensely satisfying and easy. Absolutely delicious.
fprincess on April 12, 2024

I used chicken thighs, harissa from Trader Joe's, cilantro, parsley, and mint for the herbs. It was delicious and very tasty! Minor modifications I would do next time: cut the potatoes smaller (recipe said 1.5 inch and they were just cooked; smaller cubes would have cooked more thoroughly), cook the chicken a bit longer (it was cooked but not crisp), use slightly less harissa (it was spicy!), and make more of the garlic yogurt because it is delicious!
sbackman on March 25, 2024

This is very good, but 40 minutes at 425 degrees was a bit too much and dried out the chicken. I would do 15 minutes with the chicken and potatoes and then another 15 with the leeks. Next time I will cut the leeks into rounds instead of half moons so they’re more prominent in the dish. The flavors are excellent and oh so easy.
SpatulaCity on March 13, 2024

Yum yum yum! Believe the hype! We used half the amount of Harissa (Trader Joes brand) because we’re wimps but it was the right amount for us. When the chicken was done after 40 minutes I removed it from the pan and broiled the potatoes and leeks to get some charred bits. I added a squeeze of lemon juice to the garlic yogurt sauce, and for our herbs used dill, mint and basil. Amazing! It was a tad too salty so I’d reduce that next time. Absolutely a five star recipe
GaryCooks on December 20, 2023

A knockout flavor! Very tasty (although possibly a little salty, but maybe the salt is needed to balance the harissa). The chicken skin was slightly crispy, potatoes were done (soft, but very slightly crisp on the outside). I used parsley and mint for herbs. I didn’t have a lemon so I left out any reference to it. The first couple bites seem overwhelming (but in a good way), but you get used to it, and enjoy it, as you continue eating.
Kduncan on October 15, 2023

Always a good quick dish to make.
Babycarrot on April 23, 2023

This was so good! Echoing what others have written. I threw some sumac on top for good measure. I only had 1.3 lbs of chicken thighs would increase that next time for additional meals. Might also increase the cook time but just a smidge so the skin and potatoes get a bit crispier next time but all in all great recipe.
DKennedy on March 08, 2023

I made this without potatoes and added chickpeas. I used a mild harissa I made out of the Casablanca book.
meggan on December 06, 2022

I sprinkled with cilantro. Great flave.
jenmacgregor18 on November 10, 2022

Wow. I made it ahead and packed for lunch. It's so good, I was chowing down for a bit before I remembered to add the yogurt sauce. And then it was even better. I'm sure it's fantastic straight out of the oven with the crispy skin. It's probably my oven- or I overcrowded the pan, but I had to cook an additional 20 minutes at 440 for the chicken and potatoes to be done. I used Mina harissa - half mild & half medium. Perfect level of heat for us.
jenburkholder on October 16, 2022

So good. So easy. My son would have preferred the potatoes crispy and rooted around on the pan for the few that were. I loved them all. Used a very large sheet to keep everything separate so they wouldn't steam. Only herb was cilantro. Delicious.
Lepa on October 09, 2022

Not much to add to other reviews. This is a great recipe. The potatoes and leeks were especially amazing. The timing worked perfectly here- no underdone potatoes! I used rose harissa and it was not too spicy, even for my ten year old.
jhallen on August 08, 2022

This is fantastic and easy. Yogurt and herbs really make it. I’ve also made it with salmon but added it later with the leeks, which worked well.
bernalgirl on February 27, 2022

As good as everyone says. I used rose harissa, which is more mild as my children love the flavor but not the spice. The yogurt and herbs take it over the top. I added halved Brussels sprouts at the halfway point and they cooked beautifully, making for a very easy dinner.
Rachaelsb on January 15, 2022

Easy, flavorful, great for quick dinner and leftovers.
snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

Clearly this is a community favorite, for good reason. It's easy, and the flavors are bold and delicious. I do cut down on the oil because it can be a bit much (the first time I made this as written, I had terrible heartburn after). The yogurt sauce really pulls it all together but my creamy-sauce-hating husband enjoys it just fine without.
Rinshin on August 09, 2021

Simple and quick. We liked it fine, but not outstanding. The crisped up potatoes with harissa and olive oil topped with garlic yogurt sauce was very good. The chicken needed more taste permeated into flesh and it was bit dry. Best to make several small slits into chicken for developing flavor and use probe to pull out chicken when 165F reached to prevent overcooking.
dc151 on May 25, 2021

The vegetarian in the family flew the coop today, and while I'll miss her terribly, the first thing I did was find a one pot dish for all the veggies cooked together with the meat! I was not disappointed. Fabulous dish. I did cut back on the salt as suggested by many others, and doubled the recipe, using two pans, but otherwise followed the directions. I had to cook it a bit longer as the potatoes were not quite done- easily fixed next time by smaller pieces. I used cilantro, parsley and mint. Will definitely make again!
WaterPenny on February 18, 2021

Love this flavour combination and how easy it comes together! Definitely go easy on the salt however. I pulled back at least a 1/2 tsp, maybe more. Also, the recipe only serves 3 so keep that in mind if you’re wanting leftovers, which we always do.
hirsheys on February 14, 2021

I made for David and Steff and we liked it fine, though the skin of the drumsticks didn’t crisp. Would be better with boneless skinless thighs, we thought. Yogurt and herbs (I used dill and cilantro) an absolute must. Don’t include marinating liquid when transferring to pan.
Coastal_Cook on January 16, 2021

Way too much salt - will try just a tsp of salt on the chicken and potatoes next time.
DFarnham on December 30, 2020

Definitely worthy as the cover recipe for the book! This is a stellar, easy and satisfying dish. We have made it many, many times exactly as written. A great sheet-pan dinner to impress company, and you won't have to work too hard!
Kap802 on May 09, 2020

Biggest change I make is add carrots in addition to potatoes. The carrots work so well I forget they aren’t in the original recipe!
meggan on March 18, 2020

I am lazy so I just threw the leek mixture in with everything else. That was fine.
Sparkles75 on June 21, 2019

Easy to prepare with fantastic payoff. I halved harissa as feeding to young kids and that was a good call. Made with sweet potato instead of white potato and was a big hit.
hbakke on May 09, 2019

Delicious! Used basil, mint, cilantro, and dill for the herbs.
KarinaFrancis on April 13, 2019

It’s all been said, but I’ll echo the comments of others, simple and crazy delicious. The herbs just take over the top. I tried it a second time but used a Pyrex dish and was disappointed, stick with a sheet tray
vickster on March 27, 2019

All the raves about this recipe are true. It is easy, quick, and absolutely delicious! The harissa give such a wonderful flavor, and is complemented by the yogurt sauce as a finisher.
robertofwine on February 04, 2019

Fantastic and our go-to for a one-pan meal. Have served it to company who wanted more, more, more. We love the harissa on this, and the crema balances the spice nicely. Try this, highly recommended!
Astrid5555 on January 06, 2019

No idea why I waited so long to cook this recipe, absolutely fabulous! Husband immediately declared this to be his new favorite chicken dish. I halved the spices to make it kid-friendly and it worked. New family hit!
rionafaith on September 24, 2018

Good basic sheet pan meal. I would use more harissa next time -- or maybe mine was just old and losing flavor. I topped with arugula instead of herbs and it was a delicious addition. UPDATE 9/2020 -- Made this again, just as good as I remembered but I still think it could use more harissa. Would try 3-4T next time. Also, leeks were very expensive at the store this week so I subbed a few scallions instead and it was just fine! I also forgot to buy yogurt and it was great without.
MmeFleiss on June 26, 2018

I’ll be honest that I thought this was blah the first time I made this in my smaller electric oven. Everything just steamed. This time around I decided to make it in my larger gas oven with a much larger sheet pan and it was great—barely any excess moisture in the end. I followed the recommendations here and cooked it for an extra ten minutes before adding the leeks.
annmartina on June 12, 2018

As with other Melissa Clark recipes, this one is so much more than the sum of its parts. I mixed butternut squash with the potatoes. Don't be afraid of the harissa
chawkins on April 13, 2018

Super delicious and quite easy. I used 3 thighs and 3 drumsticks that came to about two and a half pounds. I did not increase the marinade. I also cut down the amount of salt to half. Used cilantro as the herb.
Tatiana131 on March 23, 2018

Fabulous recipe. Well seasoned, and contains just enough salt and heat to be addictive. The layers of flavors are astonishing. I cooked the chicken for about 10 minutes longer for each round pre and post leeks. The yogurt sauce and herbs really round out the flavors, I used parsley, cilantro and dill.
TippyCanoe on March 09, 2018

I had no leeks, so used sweet onions. Absolutely delicious. The harissa I used was quite spicy, and we loved the dish as it was written.
sarahj22 on January 09, 2018

This was easy and enjoyable but after reading so many rave reviews I was expecting a little bit more. The harissa spice was slightly too subtle for my taste and the potatoes didn't crisp up as much as I would have liked. (I think this was due to the liquid from the leeks.) If making again I'd probably add extra harissa and allow the potatoes to brown a little more before adding the leeks. It's a nice dish for very little effort but it didn't exactly wow me.
tui on November 06, 2017

Very nice. The harissa I used gave just the right amount of bite to the chicken and potatoes. I made it for three, as the recipe says, and it was just the right amount - with a dessert of strawberries to follow. Mine even looked just like the photo!
milgwimper on October 01, 2017

Fabulous recipe, and easy to prep. The chicken was crisp and juicy, the potatoes were melting and delicious. The leeks were crispy and silky at the same time. I loved the addition of the yogurt and fresh herbs to add freshness. We used dill, parsley, and mint. We used mild Harissa as we had people who cannot handle spice. It was delicious, and it has been added to our rotation.
sosayi on August 24, 2017

As with everyone, I loved this recipe! Changes: I used a large paella pan and cooked this on a charcoal grill. It worked perfectly and the smoky flavors really enhanced the dish. I also added half lemons to roast with the rest, and then squeezed the juice over at the end. I also doubled the yogurt sauce. Like others, I enjoyed the combo of dill and cilantro for the herbs and also used some Aleppo pepper to top it. I'll be making this again and again.
averythingcooks on August 12, 2017

And yet another comment on this recipe! Simply delicious !! etc etc.....but here is my "change" (my fault - not the recipe!). I wanted to use boneless skinless thighs (really all I ever have in the freezer in addition to boneless breasts and whole chickens )...... so I marinated the thighs and potatoes as instructed THEN pulled all the potatoes out of the bowl onto to my pan and roasted them for the first 20 minutes; then put the chicken and rest of juices from the bowl onto the pan and roasted for 20 more minutes; then lastly added the leeks for maybe 10- 15 minutes. It was simply delicious - and don't underestimate the garlicky yogurt ! Next time,I think I'll add some red pepper chunks and grape tomatoes to the pan before the leeks just to veg it up a bit more - and oh yes there WILL be many next times ,
Jane on August 11, 2017

I've been meaning to make this for a while having read all the rave reviews from members. Wow, I wish I had not waited so long. I didn't even make it with my preferred combination - thighs and dill - but even with drumsticks and parsley/mint this was a great recipe. This will be repeated often.
Baxter850 on July 24, 2017

Great dish. Would increase to 3 tbls harissa and double the yogurt sauce next time.
mgmcewen on June 28, 2017

Great recipe, really fulfills the book's promise for a single dish meal unlike a lot of the other recipes.
Frogcake on June 22, 2017

The flavours of this quick sheet pan dinner are absolutely delicious. I agree with all of the previous reviewers. I served this with home-made bread to sop up the tasty juices. Lovely. Could eat this all week.
Dcampos on June 19, 2017

I added trimmed sweet baby peppers with the leeks, used cut up whole chicken, doubled the paste mixture, and sprinkled Aleppo on the final dish. Yum!
TrishaCP on June 12, 2017

Beyond delicious. I used cilantro and dill as my herbs and the dill was particularly appealing here. We used two bone-in, skin-on breasts and it was perfect for us. I would use less oil if cooking dark meat in the future- with the breast there was just enough to get everything crispy without greasiness. I upped the harissa to three tablespoons (Mina brand-my first time using) and was happy with that choice.
stef on June 09, 2017

Didn't have harrisa so I used a Korean chilli paste. Otherwise followed the recipe. We loved it. Comfort food
RosieB on June 05, 2017

This was so easy and so delicious. I used a good quality Harissa and Dutch cream potatoes with a whole chicken which I jointed. The chicken and the potatoes went crispy and the Harissa flavour was perfect. I loved the lemony leeks. Definitely make again.
Zosia on May 31, 2017

I haven't much to add except to repeat what others have said about how good this is. I doubled the recipe and had to divide the ingredients between 2 pans, chicken on one, potatoes and leeks on the second. I increased the flavourings accordingly but used only 2tbsp olive olive on the potatoes and leeks alone and just made sure to baste the chicken a few times with its own juices. Very easy to put together but with the fresh herbs and yogurt sauce somehow giving the impression of effort.
paulabee on May 21, 2017

Delicious! will absolutely make this again. I used chicken thighs and subbed regular onions cut in large chunks for leeks, which I didn't have on hand (this worked well but might try the leeks next time; I imagine either would be good!). Used the dill and parsley combo, and had some extra harissa on the side for dipping. Phenomenal recipe.
ksg518 on April 30, 2017

I know this recipe doesn't really need any more praise but this is fabulous. I made it pretty much as written with chicken thighs and fingerling potatoes. My harissa isn't overly spicy and I might increase the amount the next time. I used dill and parsley and thought they were the perfect herb combination for this dish.
raybun on April 26, 2017

I used chicken legs, small new potatoes and all the herbs mentioned except the dill. We loved this, and I will add more harissa next time. Can't wait to receive the book, influenced by all the glowing reviews and notes I've been reading on EYB.
L.Nightshade on April 26, 2017

I subbed out most of the potato with turnip and rutabaga, cutting the rutabaga a bit smaller than the others as I thought it would take longer to cook. We got organic, free range thighs, which were huge. (I wonder if chickens are self conscious about their thunder thighs.) I left them in a few minutes longer for the first cook, and added the leeks for the last 20 minutes. I had run out of my favored harissa, and also out of our homemade harissa, so I used Mustapha’s. It’s got a nice kick that comes in after the first taste. This looked so good, even while cooking (through my new, big oven window!), and smelled good too. Everything was cooked perfectly, and went so well with the herbs and garlicky yogurt. I noted that the photo in the book has something sprinkled on it but nothing mentioned in the recipe. I sprinkled around a little Aleppo pepper.
westminstr on April 17, 2017

Like others, I really liked this dish. I used arugula (lots) instead of herbs. I cooked longer (about an hour total) to solve the flabby skin problem, and I thought it was a touch too salty. Small quibbles, this had great flavor. 2/25: hadn’t made in a few years but it holds up! The potatoes & leeks were great. I made one tray as written & one with chickpeas instead of chicken.
Delys77 on April 10, 2017

This was just delicious! The heat from the whole foods harissa was just right and the timing worked out pretty well. I might add about 5 minutes to the initial 20 minute cooking. We doubled everything and this was good for about 5 servings. Add a bit of milk and lemon juice to the yogurt to achieve pourability.
BethNH on April 08, 2017

I increased the ingredients as follows : My package of 4 thighs weighed just over 2 lbs. and I upped the potatoes to 2 lbs. also. I used the same amount of marinade which seemed perfectly fine. I cooked the thighs for 25 minutes, added the leeks and moved the pan nearer the top of the oven for 10 minutes, and then moved it back down for the last 10 minutes after the skin got crispy. We all liked this dish but none of us loved it. My 17 year old said he'd give it a 6 or 7. It was tasty but not overly spicy (I understand the TJ's harissa is moderately spicy). The potatoes were lovely and the chicken was nicely cooked. I'm not sure that the leeks added anything and at a price of $4 I would have been just as happy with onions. I felt that I should have added a vegetable to round out the meal. I'll make it again and I know we'd all enjoy it but I obviously didn't love it as much as some.
amandacooks on April 07, 2017

This was really, really good. My favorite recipe from this book so far. I used around 2 lbs of bone-in chicken thighs (no drumsticks) and it was just more than enough for 2 adults and one toddler. I'm really glad I chose dill as one of the herbs...I don't think it would have been as good without the dill.
bwhip on April 03, 2017

Oh man, this was REALLY good! I doubled the recipe so we'd have leftovers, and it worked out fine on a single rimmed sheet pan. We loved the flavors. The yogurt sauce and herbs were the perfect balance for the wonderful harissa flavor on the chicken and potatoes. This one's a keeper.
mrshalf on March 30, 2017

Soo great. I moved the pan closer to broiler and felt the potatoes turned out perfect. Loved the use of thighs over breasts but was a bit oily after roasting. The Garuda spice is a new one to me and we all ended up loving it! The leeks almost disappeared after cooking so maybe next time I'll be brave and add the amount the recipe calls for. A keeper. Liked by old traditional eaters who don't like new tangled food and young skeptics who turn up their noses at too many veggies at my table.
FJT on March 29, 2017

We really liked the flavours, but I had been expecting the potatoes to crisp up and was very disappointed to find my sheet pan was swimming in liquid after 25 mins of baking. I got rid of most of the liquid and put it back in the oven for another 15 mins before adding the leeks ... only to find even more liquid when I went to add them. There was no way anything other than the chicken skin was ever going to become "golden and slightly crisp". This is a mis-match between expectation and reality rather than a fail. We happily ate it, but I can't bring myself to rave quite as much as others have about this recipe!
pandasaurusrex on March 29, 2017

As amazing as everyone says it is. Hot, addictive flavor cooled by tart yogurt. I found the amount perfect for 2 hungry adults -- wouldn't have seemed like enough for 3 without a side dish. I agree with clcorbi on both upping the potatoes (to ~2lbs) and on adding 10-15 min to the roast time before adding the leeks. Next time I'll be careful not to smother the potatoes with the leeks which results in slight steaming. I used the Les Moulins Mahjoub brand of harissa (Tunisian).
clcorbi on March 24, 2017

Echoing the positive reviews below, we loved this recipe. It looked absolutely gorgeous on the pan, and tasted even better. I upped the amount of chicken used to 1.75lb, because that was what I had, but next time I'd rather do less chicken and more veggies--the potatoes were my favorite part! I'd be interested in trying this recipe with shallots, too, which I prefer to leeks. The garlic yogurt is so good here. I used a mixture of cilantro and parsley as a garnish, but would love to try this with dill sometime. I also increased the roasting time by about 10 minutes before adding the leeks, because the chicken was still looking a bit flabby. I'd maybe even go a little longer next time, because we love really crispy chicken skin. This will definitely be repeated--make this recipe ASAP.
stockholm28 on March 23, 2017

This might be my favorite sheet pan supper yet. Potatoes and chicken thighs are tossed in a mixture of harissa, cumin, and olive oil and roasted on a sheet pan. The leeks are added about half way through cooking. The chicken and potatoes have some nice kick from the harissa which is tamed by a yogurt garlic sauce and complemented by fresh herbs. This will definitely be repeated.
joanhuguet on March 22, 2017

This was just wonderful in every way, and so easy. Nicely browned, with everything cooked perfectly. I found the garlic yogurt unnecessary for the chicken, but fantastic with the potatoes. I used Trader Joe's harissa, which made for a moderately spicy dish.