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Milk Street Bowtie Harissa-Spiced Pasta and Chicken with Green Beans

Harissa-Spiced Pasta and Chicken with Green Beans

4 to 6 Servings

40 minutes

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The idea for this one-pot dinner came from macroona mbakbka, which sometimes is called the national dish of Libya. Pasta made its way into Libyan cooking as a result of Italian colonization during the early to mid-20th century, and for mbakbka, it’s paired with spices, tomato and chicken (sometimes other types of meat). For our version, we use harissa, a North African spice paste, as a simple way to incorporate both chili heat and a mixture of aromatic spices. We also add green beans to round out the dish. For mild palates or if the harissa you purchase is especially spicy, use the lesser amount; for bolder heat, use the larger quantity, and offer more at the table, too.

4 to 6

Servings

Tip

Don’t worry if the chicken isn’t completely cooked after the initial browning. Simmering with the pasta and beans will fully cook the pieces. Don’t forget to bring the 3 cups of water to a boil. Adding boiling, rather than room-temperature, water to the pot shaves a few minutes off the cooking time.

40 minutes

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1-2 tablespoons harissa paste
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup tomato paste
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
1 pound medium pasta shells
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cups boiling water
½ cup finely chopped fresh mint or flat-leaf parsley
Ingredients
  • pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1-2

    tablespoons harissa paste

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 3

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1

    medium yellow onion, chopped

  • 4

    medium garlic cloves, minced

  • ¾

    teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1

    pound medium pasta shells

  • 8

    ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 3

    cups boiling water

  • ½

    cup finely chopped fresh mint or flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Harissa-Spiced Pasta and Chicken with Green Beans

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