Braised Chicken Thighs with Harissa Bulgur Pilaf and Roasted Carrots

Prepare the vegetables: Peel the 3 carrots and cut them into 2-inch pieces, then halve lengthwise. Peel and dice the 1 yellow onion into 1/4-inch pieces. Peel and mince the 4 garlic cloves. Wash and roughly chop the 0.5 cup of fresh cilantro, keeping stems and leaves separate.

Pat the 4 skin-on chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan. Sear for 9-11 minutes without moving, until the skin is deeply golden and crispy.

Flip the chicken thighs and sear the other side for 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate; the chicken will not be fully cooked at this point.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered chicken fat. Add the carrot pieces to the pan cut-side down. Sear over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until caramelized, then flip and cook another 3 minutes. Remove carrots and set aside with the chicken.

Reduce heat to medium and add the diced 1 yellow onion to the same pan. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown.

Add the 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of harissa paste, 1.5 teaspoons of ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon of ground coriander. Stir constantly for 1 minute until the spices are fragrant and the harissa darkens slightly.

Add the 0.75 cup of medium bulgur wheat to the pan. Stir for 2-3 minutes to toast the grains in the spiced oil, allowing them to absorb the flavors.

Pour in the 1.75 cups of chicken stock and stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer.

Nestle the seared chicken thighs into the bulgur mixture, arranging them skin-side up so the crispy skin stays above the liquid. Tuck the seared carrots around the chicken pieces.

Drizzle the 1 tablespoon of honey over the chicken skin. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and braise for 20 minutes, or until the bulgur is tender, the carrots are cooked through, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Remove the lid and transfer the chicken thighs and carrots to a serving plate. Stir the chopped cilantro stems into the bulgur (reserve the leaves for garnish).

In a small bowl, whisk together the 0.25 cup of Greek yogurt with the juice of 0.5 lemon and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable.

Fluff the bulgur with a fork and taste, adjusting salt if needed. Squeeze the juice from the remaining 0.5 lemon over the bulgur.

Arrange the chicken thighs and carrots back on top of the bulgur. Drizzle the lemon yogurt sauce over everything, garnish with the reserved cilantro leaves, and serve immediately from the pan.