Moroccan Lamb Chili with Chickpeas and Harissa

Name: Moroccan Lamb Chili with Chickpeas and Harissa
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ pounds (680 g) ground lamb, cold from the fridge, broken into chunks; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) large yellow onion, finely diced; 2 medium (160 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice; 5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 1 tablespoon (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 2 tablespoons (14 g) ras el hanout; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin; 2 teaspoons (5 g) smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon (1½ g) ground cinnamon; 3 tablespoons (48 g) tomato paste; 3 tablespoons (50 g) harissa paste, plus more to taste; 28 ounce can (794 g) canned crushed tomatoes; 1½ cups (360 ml) low-sodium chicken or lamb broth; 2 cans (15 oz each) (850 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed; ½ cup (80 g) dried apricots, chopped into ¼-inch pieces; 1½ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1 large (100 g) lemon, zested, then juiced (about 3 tablespoons / 45 ml juice); ½ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, packed; ¼ cup (6 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; ¾ cup (180 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; ¼ cup (28 g) sliced almonds, toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until golden (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deeply spiced stovetop chili built on browned ground lamb, warm ras el hanout, fiery harissa, tender chickpeas and sweet apricots, finished with lemon, fresh herbs and cool yogurt.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: About 8 cups (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds (680 g) ground lamb, cold from the fridge, broken into chunks
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) large yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium (160 g) medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 tablespoon (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tablespoons (14 g) ras el hanout
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
2 teaspoons (5 g) smoked paprika
½ teaspoon (1.5 g) ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons (48 g) tomato paste
3 tablespoons (50 g) harissa paste, plus more to taste
28 ounce can (794 g) canned crushed tomatoes
1½ cups (360 ml) low-sodium chicken or lamb broth
2 cans (15 oz each) (850 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup (80 g) dried apricots, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
1½ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
To finish
1 large (100 g) lemon, zested, then juiced (about 3 tablespoons / 45 ml juice)
½ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, packed
¼ cup (6 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
To serve
¾ cup (180 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
¼ cup (28 g) sliced almonds, toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until golden (optional)

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or stovetop casserole with lid
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Microplane or fine grater
Heatproof bowl for excess fat
Colander

Steps

Before you start

Harissa brands vary hugely in heat and saltiness. Start with the lower amount given and add more at the end.
Chop all vegetables before you turn on the heat; the aromatics go in quickly after the lamb is browned.
Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas well to remove the canning liquid, which can taste tinny.
Ground lamb is fatty. You will spoon off excess fat in step 2, so have a small heatproof bowl ready.

1
Brown the lamb
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
- Add the lamb in an even layer, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt, and let it sit undisturbed for 3 minutes.
- Break it into ½-inch pieces with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes more.
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Ready when: No pink remains and the lamb has deep brown, crisp-edged bits on the pot bottom.
Tip: Don't stir too early; the browning is where much of the flavor comes from.
2
Drain excess fat
- Tilt the pot and spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of rendered fat into a heatproof bowl.
- Discard the fat once cooled; never pour it down the drain.
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Ready when: About 2 tablespoons of glossy fat remain in the pot.
Tip: Leave some fat; it carries the spices' flavor.
3
Soften the vegetables
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add the onion and carrots with ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, for 6–7 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with lightly golden edges, and the pot bottom looks mostly clean.
Tip: If the bottom starts to scorch, add a splash of broth.
4
Bloom spices and paste
- Add the garlic, ginger, ras el hanout, cumin, smoked paprika and cinnamon.
- Stir constantly for 45 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and harissa and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, pressing the paste against the pot.
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Ready when: The mixture smells intensely fragrant and the tomato paste darkens to brick red.
Tip: Don't let the garlic or spices burn; lower the heat if anything smells acrid.
5
Add liquids and simmer
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, broth, chickpeas, apricots and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
- Scrape up any bits from the bottom and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce to low, partially cover with the lid, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Chili is thick and glossy, with a few bubbles breaking slowly, and the apricots are soft.
Tip: If it gets too thick, stir in ¼ cup (60 ml) water.
6
Thicken if needed
- Remove the lid and simmer 5–10 minutes more if the chili is thinner than you like.
- Use the back of the spoon to mash about ¼ of the chickpeas against the side of the pot to add body.
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Ready when: A spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that closes slowly.
7
Brighten and season
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, cilantro and mint.
- Taste and add more salt, or an extra teaspoon of harissa, as needed.
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Ready when: The flavor is balanced: rich and spicy with a bright, tangy finish.
Tip: Add lemon off the heat so the herbs stay vivid.
8
Rest and serve
- Let the chili rest, covered, for 5 minutes so the flavors settle.
- Ladle into bowls and top each with a dollop of yogurt and toasted almonds, if using.
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Ready when: Chili is steaming hot throughout.
Tip: The yogurt cools the heat, so serve extra on the side.

Good to know

Tips

Brown the lamb in two batches if your pot is smaller than 5 quarts; crowding steams the meat instead of browning it.
Taste harissa before measuring: if yours is very hot, begin with 2 tablespoons and add more at the end.
For a thicker chili, mash more chickpeas or simmer uncovered a few extra minutes.
Serve with warm flatbread, couscous or rice to soak up the sauce.

Make ahead

The chili tastes even better made 1–2 days ahead. Cool, refrigerate in a covered container, and reheat gently, adding a splash of water or broth. Add the lemon juice and fresh herbs after reheating.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months (freeze without yogurt and herbs). Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), adding water if needed.

Substitutions

ground lamb → ground beef or ground turkey. Beef (80/20) works well; with turkey, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil since it is leaner.
ras el hanout → 1 tablespoon ground coriander plus 1 teaspoon each ground turmeric, ground ginger and allspice. Approximates the warm, floral blend; add a pinch of black pepper.
dried apricots → chopped pitted dates or golden raisins. Use the same amount; dates give a deeper sweetness.
plain whole-milk Greek yogurt → labneh or dairy-free coconut yogurt. Labneh is thicker and tangier; use the same amount.