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Close up overhead shot of a harissa chicken bowl with veggies and sauce
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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.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main dish
Cuisine African fusion, International, North American
Keyword Chicken Bowl, Harissa, Honey Harissa Chicken, Yogurt sauce
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 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.
    Ingredients for honey harissa marinade in a glass bowl
  • Add chicken thighs and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
    A large bowl full of chicken thighs in a honey harissa marinade
  • 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.
    Raw harissa marinated chicken thighs cooking in a skillet
  • Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. The chicken should reach 165°F / 74°C at the thickest part.
    Honey harissa marinated chicken thighs cooking in a skillet
  • Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
    Honey harissa marinated chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces on a cutting board
  • Stir together all ingredients for the mint-lemon yogurt sauce.
    Yogurt, lemon, olive oil, mint in a small bowl
  • 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.
    Overhead shot of a honey harissa chicken bowl with vegetables and mint lemon yogurt sauce.

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.