Three cheers for spring! Warm weather is in sight, I swear! At least the days are longer to help speed by those last few snows we’re forecasted to get. We’re almost there! I can taste the rosé. Boston comes alive in late spring and summer—I can’t wait to see those sailboats back out on the Charles!

And the best sign that signals the end of winter is the emergence of fresh herbs everywhere. While pesto and other herby sauces are some of the best ways to take advantage, my favorite has quickly become this sheet pan gem from Melissa.

Sheet pan dinners are kind of the best—you just throw everything in the oven on one pan, let it go, and then reap the easy rewards. And this one puts herbs front and center on the top of the whole thing. Add in crisped leeks, spicy chicken, and garlicky yogurt, and you get the perfect dinner plan. Hello spring!

Of course, we haven’t even gotten to the science bit yet! Dinner and food nerding out? Yes please!

For the science I’m throwing it back to some food safety terrors about washing your chicken. Remember this roast chicken? (also a very impressive and delicious dinner plan!) Let’s get into some scary microbes.

Salmonella. Campylobacter. These don’t sound very fun, do they? Definitely not. Both of these scary-big words are the genus names of foodborne pathogenic bacteria that are extremely prevalent on poultry. Basically that means that both of these guys are part of a class of microbes that leave you struggling in the bathroom for hours after eating that questionable forkful of food.

Salmonella (almost always species enterica) causes Salmonellosis which leads to rather unpleasant gastrointestinal problems. That is just a nice way of saying vomiting and diarrhea. It can show up in as little as 8 hours and last for as long as 3 days. And guess what? Salmonellosis is the leading cause of foodborne disease-related death in the US! Pretty bad.

Now let’s talk about Campylobacter (affectionately called Campy). Campylobacter(usually species jejuni or coli) causes Campylobacterosis which also shows itself in the form of tummy troubles. Though Campylobacterosis is less deadly than Salmonellosis, it causes its fair share of illness. It shows up around 2 days after consumption, so get ready for that Debbie downer of a surprise. Together, Salmonella and Campylobacter cause around 2 million foodborne illnesses in the US annually!

So now that you’re a bit freaked out, let’s scare you even more. When you go to wash that raw chicken fresh from the package, you need to stop right there. Don’t touch that faucet. Campylobacter and Salmonella are present in huge quantities on your raw chicken. When you spray water onto that chicken, you could potentially be spreading whatever is on that chicken up to three feet away from your sink. This is not chicken juice that you think you’re controlling. You won’t be able to see the damage you’re doing. Even worse? Salmonella and Campylobacter grow extremely well in warm temperatures commonly found in your kitchen. That means your kitchen is a minefield of illness. What happens when you set an apple down on your countertop the next day? Take a bite at your own risk.

Yep now you’re terrified. Or you think I’m crazy and paranoid. The best rule of thumb to live by is to pat your chicken dry, transfer it straight to your cooking vessel, and cook it to 165⁰F. Easy as that.

Okay I’m done scaring you.

Let’s eat! And cross our fingers for sunnier skies. What are you most excited for once the weather turns warm?!

Harissa Chicken Sheet Pan Meal with Leeks, Potatoes, and Fresh Herbs

Adapted from Dinner

Serves 3-4

Print Recipe

1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast

1 ¼ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 x ½-inch chunks

3 teaspoons kosher salt, separated

¾ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, separated

2 tablespoons harissa

½ teaspoon ground cumin

4 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, separated

2 leeks, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise, rinsed, and thinly sliced into half-moons

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

⅓ cup plain yogurt, or Greek yogurt thinned with a bit of milk

1 small garlic clove

1 cup mixed fresh herbs—I used basil, mint, and cilantro. I’ve used parsley and dill as well that worked well!

Fresh lemon juice

1. Combine the chicken and potatoes in a large bowl. If your chicken breasts are really thick, cut them in half height-wise. Season them with 2 ½ teaspoons of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. In a small bowl whisk together the harissa, cumin, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Pour this mixture over the chicken and potatoes and toss to combine. Lit stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. While the chicken and potatoes rest, combine the leeks, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the remaining olive oil.
3. Heat the oven to 425° Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the chicken and potatoes in a single layer on the parchment. Roast for 20 minutes on the middle rack in your oven.
4. Toss the potatoes slightly and scatter the prepared leeks over the baking sheet. Roast until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 20 minutes longer. When finished, remove from the oven.
5. While the chicken cooks, place the yogurt in a small bowl. Grate the garlic clove over the yogurt and season with the remaining salt and pepper.
6. Spoon the yogurt over the chicken and vegetables in the baking sheet. Scatter the herbs over the yogurt and drizzle with fresh lemon juice as desired (I use juice from half a lemon). Serve!