This dish is inspired by many things - Autumn in the Ozarks, the Appleseeds Teaching Farm in Fayetteville, and seasonal ingredients that are best harvested this time of year…mainly beets. I love a slow roasted and long braised chicken, and even though this recipe tastes like it took hours to prepare, once the actual cooking begins, you can have a beautiful Fall chicken dinner in less than an hour. We like it served with mashed sweet potatoes, but it’s also divine with jasmine rice, couscous, and polenta.

I’ll be serving a version of this dish at the Annual Farm Dinner at the Appleseeds Teaching Farm on October 12th in Fayetteville - if you haven’t already, grab your tickets at the link below - thump thump!

seared thighs with HARISSA, DATES, AND BEETS

Serves: 4 | Prep, Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours (up to 24 hours)

Ingredients

2 navel oranges

¼ cup harissa

2 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoon ground cumin

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Kosher salt

4 whole shallots, halved lengthwise

1 cup pitted medjool dates

4 beets, roasted and quartered

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup apple cider

¼ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

TECHNIQUE

Remove the peel from the oranges in strips using a vegetable peeler and set aside. Squeeze all the juice from the oranges and set aside

Create the marinade in a large bowl by whisking together the harissa, honey, cumin, garlic, rosemary, 1 tablespoon olive oil and all of the squeezed orange juice. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season both sides generously with salt. Add the chicken to the marinade and coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate the chicken for up to 24 hours…but two hours is ample time.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, dates, beets, and reserved orange peel. Season with salt and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the shallots are and dates are caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the green onions and cook until weepy or about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and place the chicken pieces skin-side down in the skillet, cover the sizzling chicken with any of the reserved marinade. Cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces to cook the other side until just seared, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and apple cider, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half and the chicken is cooked through and tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Return the beet and date mixture to the skillet, stirring to coat the chicken thighs. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste. Top with dollops of yogurt and sprinkle with the dill. dig IN!