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Instant Pot Chicken Harira

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on July 20, 2022

Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 6

Instant Pot Chicken Harira

Ingredients

2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch saffron threads, crumbled10 cups chicken broth 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into ¾-inch pieces⅓ cup minced fresh cilantro ¼ cup harissa, plus extra for serving

Before You Begin

Large green or brown lentils work well in this recipe; do not use lentilles du puy (French green lentils). We like to use our Harissa for this recipe, but store-bought will also work well here.

Instructions

  1.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot until just smoking. Place chicken skin side down in pot and cook until well browned on first side, about 5 minutes; transfer to plate. Turn off Instant Pot.
  2.  Add flour, ginger, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and saffron to fat left in pot and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Stir in lentils, then nestle chicken skin side up into lentil mixture and add any accumulated juices.
  3.  Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 8 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; discard skin and bones.
  4.  Meanwhile, continue to cook lentils using highest sauté function until just tender, about 5 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot. Stir in chicken and any juices and tomatoes, and let sit until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and harissa, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing extra harissa separately.
Instant Pot Chicken Harira
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Sally Staub.

Instant Pot Chicken Harira

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch saffron threads, crumbled
10 cups chicken broth
1 cup dried brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into ¾-inch pieces
⅓ cup minced fresh cilantro
¼ cup harissa, plus extra for serving

Ingredients

2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch saffron threads, crumbled
10 cups chicken broth
1 cup dried brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into ¾-inch pieces
⅓ cup minced fresh cilantro
¼ cup harissa, plus extra for serving

Ingredients

2 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch saffron threads, crumbled
10 cups chicken broth
1 cup dried brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into ¾-inch pieces
⅓ cup minced fresh cilantro
¼ cup harissa, plus extra for serving

Why This Recipe Works

Flour provided some thickening power. Plum tomatoes stirred in at the end added traditional tomato flavor and freshness, while harissa gave us some heat and rounded out the depth of flavor.

Before You Begin

Large green or brown lentils work well in this recipe; do not use lentilles du puy (French green lentils). We like to use our Harissa for this recipe, but store-bought will also work well here.

Instructions

  1.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot until just smoking. Place chicken skin side down in pot and cook until well browned on first side, about 5 minutes; transfer to plate. Turn off Instant Pot.
  2.  Add flour, ginger, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and saffron to fat left in pot and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Stir in lentils, then nestle chicken skin side up into lentil mixture and add any accumulated juices.
  3.  Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 8 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; discard skin and bones.
  4.  Meanwhile, continue to cook lentils using highest sauté function until just tender, about 5 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot. Stir in chicken and any juices and tomatoes, and let sit until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and harissa, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing extra harissa separately.

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