Harissa Chicken Bowls

These Harissa Chicken Bowls are bold, fresh, a little spicy, and totally satisfying, aka the kind of meal that feels exciting without being complicated. This is one of those recipes you’ll find yourself making every single week!

I’m not exaggerating when I say that once you try harissa chicken, it’s really hard to go back. The mix of smoky heat, sweetness, and citrus just works, and it makes even a simple chicken bowl feel special and intentional!

These bowls are inspired by the Cava harissa chicken bowls, which is a Mediterranean style restaurant in the United States. It’s so much more budget-friendly, and if you don’t have access to Cava, you can easily make them at home! They’re fresh, colorful, and filling without feeling heavy, which is basically everything I want in a lunch or dinner bowl.

What is harissa?

Harissa is a North African chili paste condiment made from dried spicy red peppers or chilies, garlic, olive oil, and warm spices like cumin and coriander. The flavor is smoky, spicy, and deeply savory. Spice levels can vary by brand, but it’s more about flavor than pure heat.

Why You’ll Love This Harissa Chicken Bowl Recipe

• Big flavor with minimal effort. The harissa honey marinade does all the heavy lifting, so you get a bold flavor without a long ingredient list or complicated steps.
• Perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and fresh. Honey and lemon mellow out the heat on the chicken, while the mint lemon yogurt sauce cools everything down in the best way!
• Great for meal prep. The chicken, grains, and toppings all hold up well, making this an ideal make-ahead lunch or dinner option.
• Customizable. You can switch up the grains, veggies, or toppings based on what you have, and it still works beautifully.

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Juicy, flavorful, and forgiving if slightly overcooked.
• Olive oil: Helps the marinade coat the chicken and promotes browning.
• Honey: Balances the heat of the harissa with a touch of sweetness!
• Fresh lemon juice: Adds brightness.
• Harissa paste: Use your favorite jarred harissa paste! Spice level will vary by brand.
• Garlic: Adds depth and savoriness to the marinade.
• Ground cumin & coriander: Warm spices that complement the harissa.
• Smoked paprika: Adds subtle smokiness without extra heat.
• Plain yogurt: The base for the cooling mint lemon sauce.
• Fresh mint: Keeps the sauce light and refreshing.
• Grains & bowl toppings: To serve the bowls, choose a grain like rice or couscous, then top them off with tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, and feta cheese! Really any toppings that go with Mediterranean flavors will work well.

Variations & Substitutions

• Swap chicken thighs for chicken breast, adjusting cook time to avoid drying out.
• Use Greek yogurt for a thicker, tangier sauce.
• Replace mint with parsley or cilantro if that’s what you have.
• Make it vegetarian by using roasted chickpeas or cauliflower tossed in the same harissa marinade.
• Try brown rice or cauliflower rice for a different grain base!
• Use only lettuce and greens (replace the grain base) for a chicken harissa salad.

Tips for Success

• Don’t skip the rest time for the chicken. Letting the chicken rest before slicing keeps it juicy and prevents all the flavorful juices from running out.
• Taste your harissa before using it. Some brands are spicier than others, so adjust the amount if you’re sensitive to heat!
• Cook the chicken in a single layer. Overcrowding the pan will cause the chicken to steam instead of brown, which means less flavor.
• Season your grains lightly. A pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil go a long way in making the grains flavorful.

Harissa Chicken Bowl Topping Ideas

The topping options for harissa honey chicken bowls are endless! Here are some of my favorites:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Sliced cucumber
• Shredded romaine lettuce
• Pickled red onions, or make it Ecuadorian style with cebollas encurtidas
• Kalamata olives
• Crumbled feta cheese
• Fresh herbs
• Crispy chickpeas
• Hummus
• Roasted vegetables
• Toasted nuts or seeds
• Pita bread or pita chips

Storage Suggestions

Store the cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The yogurt sauce and pickled red onions can be made 2 to 3 days in advance and kept refrigerated. For meal prep, store components separately and assemble just before eating for the best texture.

Honey Harissa Chicken Bowl FAQs

Are harissa chicken bowls very spicy?

They’re more flavorful than fiery, but spice levels depend on the harissa paste you use. If you’re sensitive to heat, start with a smaller amount and add more as needed.

Can I grill the harissa chicken instead?

Yes, grilling works great and adds extra smokiness. Just grill over medium-high heat until the chicken reaches 165°F and has nice char marks.

What’s the best grain for harissa honey chicken bowls?

Pearl couscous is especially good because it soaks up the sauce while keeping a nice texture, but rice, quinoa, farro, regular couscous, or even orzo pasta all work well. Choose whatever fits your texture preference or what you already have cooked!

Harissa Chicken Bowls

Recipe for homemade Harissa Chicken bowls, made with harissa honey marinated chicken thighs, a lemon mint yogurt sauce, grains (rice, couscous, quinoa), cherry tomatoes, pickled onions, cucumber, lettuce, olives, feta cheese and herbs.

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Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main dish

Cuisine: African fusion, International, North American

Keyword: Chicken Bowl, Harissa, Honey Harissa Chicken, Yogurt sauce

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Marinating time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the honey harissa marinated chicken thighs:

• 1½ lb 700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons harissa paste
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil for cooking or more if needed

For the mint lemon yogurt sauce:

• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the chicken bowls:

• Your choice of grains: Cooked pearl couscous rice, quinoa, farro, or orzo work great
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sliced cucumber
• Shredded romaine lettuce
• Pickled red onions
• Kalamata olives
• Crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, lemon juice, harissa, garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and salt.
  
• Add chicken thighs and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
  
• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade (no need to wipe it off) and arrange the thighs in a single layer.
  
• Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. The chicken should reach 165°F / 74°C at the thickest part.
  
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
  
• Stir together all ingredients for the mint-lemon yogurt sauce.
  
• Divide the grains between the bowls. Arrange the harissa chicken pieces, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, romaine lettuce, pickled red onions, and olives over the grains. Sprinkle with crumbled feta, drizzle with the yogurt sauce, and serve.
  

Notes

• You can make quick vinegar pickled red onions by tossing thinly sliced red onions with apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar), a pinch of salt, and a small pinch of sugar. Let sit for 10-15 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients. You can also make my Ecuadorian style lime marinated cebollas encurtidas.
• Some pearl couscous packages recommend adding olive oil during cooking. If yours doesn’t, toss the warm couscous with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil and a light pinch of salt before assembling the bowls. This keeps the grains from clumping.
• The cooked chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• The pickled red onions and yogurt sauce can be made up to 2-3 days in advance and kept refrigerated.

Photos of the step by step preparation process for Honey Harissa Chicken bowls with mint yogurt sauce:

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