Tunisian Chicken Recipe with Squash, Harissa, and Olives

This Tunisian Harissa Chicken & Olive Skillet with Squash is a warm and cozy one-pan meal that carries the gorgeous North African flavors of harissa, cinnamon, cumin, dates, and olives. A true stunner, perfect for a family dinner or for entertaining.

Author: Lauren McDuffie
Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 acorn squash
2 to 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper, as needed
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cumin
Olive oil, for cooking
2 diced shallots or 1 cup diced onion
1 lemon, thinly sliced
5 or 6 pitted dates, halved
6 ounces pitted green olives
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 cup harissa sauce (found in the international foods aisle)
1/2 cup chicken broth (or water is fine)

Serving Suggestion: cous cous or rice

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle position.
Begin by pre-roasting the squash. When the oven is pre-heated, place the squash directly on the rack and roast for 30 minutes. Cool slightly, if needed for handling, and then trim, slice, and seed.
Meanwhile, prepare the chicken and sauce. Combine the smoked paprika, cinnamon, and cumin in a small bowl and coat the chicken with it. Season also with salt and pepper to taste.
Place a large oven-proof skillet over med-high heat and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, cook the chicken on both sides until browned; about 3 to 4 minutes per side. (TIP: I cover with a splatter screen to prevent the sputtering from getting out of the pan).
Transfer the browned chicken to a plate or platter for now. Reduce the heat to medium. Add a little more oil, if needed, and add the shallot/onion, sliced lemon, dates, olives, and smashed garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the harissa sauce and chicken broth (or water) and stir to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Slide the chicken into the pan and top with the squash. Brush the squash with a little olive oil and place the skillet into the oven and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, just to finish cooking the chicken and to further soften the squash.

Notes

To get a little more color on the squash, if you want, you can remove it from the pan and broil it for about 4 to 5 minutes after removing the cooked chicken from the oven. Totally optional, but sometimes I do that …

Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2020/10/20/tunisian-chicken-recipe/