My take on a favorite from Samin Nosrat’s Good Things.
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Hey Folks! Thanks so much for stopping by today. This one’s a keeper — tender chicken, golden and juicy, braised in a sauce so good you’ll chase every last drop. Sweet apricots melt into mild harissa, filling the kitchen with the kind of aroma that stops you in your tracks.
The first time I made it, I knew it was special. It’s unfussy, foolproof, and full of heart — the kind of meal that feels comforting yet tastes restaurant-fancy. My family loves it, and the leftovers make an easy encore.
🌟 Why Everyone Loves This Roasted Apricot and Harissa Chicken Dinner
Samin Nosrat, bestselling author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat and Good Things, created this recipe after friends couldn’t stop asking for it. Mild harissa brings smoky, garlicky flavor without big heat, while apricots melt into the braising juices. The chicken turns silky inside and crisp on top. It’s approachable for new cooks and a joy for seasoned ones alike. You can find mild harissa at Whole Foods or online, and store-bought works perfectly here.
✨ It’s a Tunisian‑style chicken dinner, marinated overnight in Tabil spices and mild harissa, then braised in a roasting pan with carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and sweet apricots. Tender, smoky‑sweet, and effortless — a dish that disappears fast.
🛒 Ingredients for this Tunisian‑Style Chicken Dinner
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt
- Mild harissa paste (store-bought)
- Ground coriander, turmeric, caraway, black pepper (for tebil)
- Ghee (or extra-virgin olive oil)
- Yellow onion, thinly sliced
- Carrots, cut on the diagonal
- Whole garlic cloves
- Crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh)
- Chicken stock or water
- Bay leaves
- Cilantro stems + leaves
- Dried apricots, halved
- Ground cumin
- For serving: steamed couscous, pearl couscous, or rice
🍗 How to Make Chicken Braised with Apricots and Harissa
Here’s the quick rundown:
- Blend the spices – Mix coriander, turmeric, caraway, and pepper.
- Marinate – Rub chicken with salt, mild harissa, and half the spice mix. Chill overnight.
- Sauté – Cook onions, carrots, and garlic in ghee or olive oil. Add the rest of the spices.
- Deglaze – Stir in tomatoes and stock, then pour into a baking dish.
- Layer – Nestle chicken and apricots in the sauce with herbs.
- Bake – Cover and braise until tender, then uncover to crisp the skin.
- Serve – Spoon over couscous or rice, drizzle with pan juices, and top with cilantro.
🧰 Helpful Equipment for Foolproof Results
- Large nonreactive skillet
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Parchment + foil (for a tight seal)
- Tongs and a medium mixing bowl
💡 Tips, Variations, and Make-Ahead Wins
- Go mild: Start with Mina’s mild harissa (Whole Foods carries it), then add heat at the table if you like.
- Marinade math: Harissa amounts are flexible. If your thighs are extra large (or organic and meaty), add a little more paste to coat.
- Fruit swap: Use apricots or peaches — fresh or dried, whatever you’ve got.
- Best side: Steamed couscous drinks up every drop of sauce. Pearl couscous or rice are great too.
- Freezer win: Freeze chicken + apricots + juices together. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the oven until hot; broil briefly to re-crisp the skin.
- Pan sauce fix: If the liquid doesn’t reach halfway up the chicken, add a splash of stock or water. That depth makes the braise lush.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- Pile chicken over couscous and spoon on extra sauce.
- Add a side of sautéed greens (Swiss chard or spinach) or a simple salad with house dressing.
- Offer extra mild harissa at the table so everyone can dial in their heat.
🥣 Optional Garlic & Herb Labneh Dip
Ingredients
- 1-pound labneh (or 1½ cups Fage Greek yogurt if you can’t find labneh)
- 1–2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 3–4 tablespoons finely chopped herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro, and/or mint in any combination)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
- Stir together labneh, garlic, herbs, and salt in a bowl.
- Taste and adjust (salt dissolves as it sits).
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Variations
- Cucumber & Herbed: Add 2 finely diced or coarsely grated Persian cucumbers.
- Bright & Zesty: Stir in the finely grated zest of ½–1 lemon.
- Little Heat: Mix in a spoon of Calabrian chile crisp.
How I serve it: With the chicken, warm naan, fried bread, crudités, or smeared on a platter under roasted veggies or grilled chicken. It’s an instant upgrade.
🔎 What’s Harissa, Anyway?
Harissa is a North African chili paste built on sun-dried chiles, garlic, coriander, caraway, and olive oil. It tastes smoky and savory more than fiery. That’s why mild harissa is perfect for families and spice-shy eaters. Keep a jar on hand and use it in eggs, hummus, roasted veggies, shrimp, or sandwiches.
✅ Why this Braised Chicken Belongs in Your Rotation
- Easy steps, big flavor, minimal fuss
- Crowd-pleasing and kid-friendly with mild harissa
- Flexible with fruit, sides, and spice level
- Make-ahead and freezer-friendly for weeknights
- Battle-tested: I cooked it with Samin on Zoom, and it’s truly foolproof
If your kitchen needs a fresh, cozy dinner that never lets you down, this Chicken Braised with Apricots & Harissa is the one. Try it once and you’ll see why it’s a keeper, Folks!
I first made this dish while cooking along with Samin Nosrat during a live Zoom demo and have been hooked ever since. The original recipe is from her cookbook Good Things — a collection full of warm, simple food that feels just right for every season. What you’ll find below is my home-cooked version, written in my own words and just as comforting as the first time I made it.
Chicken Braised with Apricots and Harissa
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Make the tabil spice blend by stirring together coriander, turmeric, caraway, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- The day before cooking, season the chicken generously on both sides with kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal). In a medium bowl, mash together the harissa paste and about half of the tabil. Add the chicken and use your hands to coat it evenly with the spiced harissa paste. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature before cooking.
- Adjust an oven rack to the center position and preheat to 375℉. Set a large nonreactive skillet over medium‑high heat and add the ghee. When the fat shimmers, add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Season lightly with salt and sprinkle in the remaining tabil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, glossy, and just beginning to take on color, about 10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and stir to deglaze, then let the mixture return to a boil.
- Transfer the vegetable and tomato mixture into a 9×13‑inch baking dish. Layer in the bay leaves and cilantro stems*. Arrange the chicken thighs, skin‑side down, on top of the bed of aromatics, then nestle the apricots around the chicken. The braising liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the chicken; if it falls short, add a splash of water or stock to make up the difference. Lay a piece of parchment over the chicken, then seal the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Transfer to the oven and cook until the chicken is completely tender and shows no resistance when pierced with a sharp knife, about 1½ hours.
- When the chicken is completely tender, adjust the oven rack to the highest position and increase the temperature to 425℉. Remove the foil and parchment from the pan, then flip the chicken thighs so they sit skin‑side up. As you flip the thighs, sprinkle the cumin into the braising liquid.
- Return the baking dish to the oven and cook the chicken until the liquid is nicely reduced and the skins r crisp and golden brown, 12 to 20 minutes longer.
- To serve, use tongs to gently arrange the chicken in a rimmed serving dish or shallow bowl. Discard the bay leaves and cilantro stems (if used). Discard some of the grease if desired. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the braising juices with salt as needed, then spoon the apricots and braising juices over the chicken. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed couscous or rice, garlic‑herb labneh, and flatbreads.
- Refrigerate leftover meat, apricots, and braising juices together in a covered container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to a boil before serving.
Notes
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🍽️If You Cook One More Thing, Make It One of These
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- Easy One-Pot Roast Chicken Submerged in Buttery Noodles – So Delicious!
- Beef Rendang Recipe – Slow‑Cooked Indonesian Curry Made Easy
- Braised White Beans and Greens with Parmesan
- Julia Turshen’s Braised Pork with Apricots & Green Olives
If you enjoyed this recipe and would love to see more, join me on YouTube, X, and Instagram! You can follow James T. on his page here and on Instagram, @WarpSpeedWags . Please comment, like, and share. It really helps! I would love to hear from you . And if you made this recipe, how did it go for you?
3 responses to “Chicken Braised with Apricots and Harissa”
Cook more Moroccan than Tunisian but have long realized the latter actually seems to attract more. Like the gentle spicing tho’ might reduce the garlic slightly. Love the oven baking and would probably eat with flatbreads . . . inviting . . . James T looks ready for his . . . 🙂 !
Hi Eha, Thanks for stopping by and commenting on this tasty recipe today. I left the garlic whole, so the flavor wasn’t overpowering at all. The spices are well balanced and adaptable to your liking:) Happy Sunday!
This looks delicious … Yummy …