Harissa and Honey Chicken Thighs

This recipe is really all about the harissa, which is smoky, sweet and spicy and makes ordinary things, including sandwiches, eggs, slices of pizza, grilled steak or shrimp, even store-bought hummus, so much better. A big batch will keep for a while in the refrigerator. If it spoils before you’ve used it up, the problem is you, not the harissa.

If you’ve made the harissa in advance, this chicken recipe couldn’t be simpler: Slather the thighs until coated, grill them until just cooked through, drizzle with honey (which balances out the smoke and spice), then return the chicken to the grill and cook until caramelized. If you haven’t made the harissa in advance, it doesn’t add a tremendous amount of time to the prep, and you can char the red bell pepper on the grill instead of roasting it in the oven. Serves 4 to 6 1 red bell pepper, fresh or roasted and from a jar 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds (or 2 teaspoons ground cumin) 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (or 1¼ teaspoons ground coriander) 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (or 1¼ teaspoons ground caraway) 4 cloves garlic, peeled 1 to 2 tablespoons cayenne 1 tablespoon smoked sweet Spanish paprika 2 teaspoons kosher salt ¼ cup tomato paste ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions: Over a gas flame (or under the broiler or on the grill), char the fresh red pepper on all sides until the skin is blackened. Transfer to a paper or plastic bag, loosely seal the bag, and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, stem and seed the pepper. (If you’re using a roasted red pepper from a jar, skip this step.) If you are using whole spices, in a small frying pan over medium-high heat, combine the cumin, coriander and caraway seeds and toast until lightly browned and aromatic and a wisp of smoke rises from the pan, about 1 minute. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, add the garlic, and pound to a paste. Add to the bowl of a food processor. (If you’re using ground spices, you can smash the garlic to a paste with the side of your knife, then add it and the ground spices to the food processor.) Add 1 tablespoon of the cayenne, the paprika, and the salt to the food processor. Add the peeled red pepper and the tomato paste and process until smooth. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and season with additional cayenne. The harissa can be made ahead, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken with ½ cup of the harissa (save the remaining harissa for another use, of which there are dozens) and mix until the chicken is coated.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill for direct, medium-high-heat grilling. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through and browned on both sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with honey. Return the chicken pieces to the grill, and grill, turning once, until the honey caramelizes, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve.