Spicy Sheet-Pan Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Kale

These chicken thighs are coated with a quick Harissa-yogurt marinade that keeps them juicy. Sweet potatoes and onions roast along with the chicken on a sheet pan, along with sliced kale (something new to me!) I can vouch for the ease and deliciousness of everything but the kale which I was missing; but broccoli florets were a fine substitute. While it’s roasting away you are directed to make an herb oil with cumin, cilantro or parsley and lime juice and zest; which is drizzled over the vegetables and chicken at serving time. Lots of flavor here! I do think next time I will remove the skin from the chicken as the marinade keeps it from crisping up and the meat would absorb the marinade better without it. Credit for this recipe goes to Yasmin Fahr, a food writer and author of Keeping It Simple.

1 Tbs. harissa

1/4 cup full fat Greek or Skyr yogurt

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs(about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds)

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 medium sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 2 cups)

1 bunch lacinato or curly kale, stemmed and cut or torn into 1-inch ribbons

1 small red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges

3 Tbs. plus 1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley or cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

1 lime, zested and juiced

In a large shallow mixing bowl, combine the harissa and yogurt. Pat the chicken dry, then season all over with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the yogurt mixture, gently rubbing until fully coated, and set aside for 15 minutes. (You could leave them in the fridge for up to 24 hours at this point.)

Heat the oven to 450 degrees and place a rack in the lower third and one 6 inches from the broiler. On a sheet pan, toss the sweet potato, kale and onion with 3 Tbs. oil. Season with cumin, salt and pepper, massaging the kale as you do. Clear 4 spaces for the chicken pieces, then place them skin-side up on the pan. (It may look messy and crowded, but the kale will shrink down as it cooks.)

Roast on the lower rack, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring the vegetables once halfway and rotating the tray, until the chicken skin is crispy and the juices run clear, the squash is tender and the kale is crispy. If the vegetables are done, but the chicken skin is not as crispy as you wish, remove the vegetables from the sheet pan and place just the chicken under the broiler for another 1 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile combine parsley/cilantro, lime zest, and 1/2 lime juice with remaining 1/4 cup oil and red pepper flakes if desired. Add salt and pepper and additional lime juice to taste. Drizzle over chicken and vegetables. Serves 2 to 4.