Give plain grilled chicken a kick with this spiced up recipe for Grilled Harissa Chicken! Juicy chicken thighs are marinated in harissa paste, honey, and garlic and then grilled to perfection.
Enjoy these tasty grilled chicken thighs just as they are with your favorite sides, or turn them into rice bowls that are just as amazing as the ones they serve at Cava, with basmati rice, hummus, and feta cheese.
What is Harissa?
Harissa is a smoky and spicy North African chili paste made from hot peppers blended with olive oil, garlic, coriander, and cumin. Heat levels vary by pepper type. You will find it in everyday cooking across Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Morocco.
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Harissa Paste: Mild or hot, both work. Trader Joe’s Tunisian version is kind of kid-friendly, but a North-African brand brings more heat. Swap in chipotle paste if you can’t find harissa.
- Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic whenever possible. The flavor is so much better than jarred garlic.
How To Make Grilled Harissa Chicken
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Grilled Harissa Chicken Recipe
Recipe Video
Equipment
- Outdoor grill or grill pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs excess fat trimmed
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional Toppings:
- Basmati rice
- Arugula
- Diced avocado
- Cucumber tomato salad
- Grilled corn
- Pickled onions
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Hummus
- Pita chips
Instructions
- Add chicken thighs to a bowl or a ziptop bag. Add harissa paste, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix until well-coated.
- Seal the bag or cover the bowl, place in the fridge, and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, then clean and oil the grill grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade, place it on the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F/74°C with an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove from the grill onto a clean dish, allow to cool for 5 minutes, then slice and serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes:
- Make Rice Bowls: Add the cooked chicken to a bowl of rice and then add any or all of the toppings listed here. The exact amounts of toppings can vary depending on how hungry you are!
- If you’d like grilled corn, add fresh corn cobs to the grill along with the chicken. Cook until they are lightly charred.
- Bake the chicken. If you’d rather not light up your outdoor grill, you can absolutely cook chicken thighs in the oven! Simply bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes.
- To Store: Keep leftover grilled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze cooked chicken for up to 3 months. Cold pieces work well in sandwiches, flatbread wraps, or salads.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Want to try something a bit different? Check out my recipes for Huli Huli Chicken, Honey Lime Chicken, Grilled Chili Lime Chicken, and Cilantro Lime Chicken next!
Copycat Cava Harissa Chicken Bowl
Build a Cava-style bowl by spooning grilled harissa chicken over warm basmati rice, then add arugula, diced avocado, a quick cucumber-tomato salad, and kernels of corn charred on the grill beside the chicken. Finish with pickled red onions, a sprinkle of crumbled feta, a dollop of hummus, and a handful of crisp pita chips.
Recipe Tips
- Marinate overnight if you can. Give the chicken extra time in the marinade to make it extra delicious! 2 hours is the absolute minimum amount of time, but 8 or 12 hours is even better.
- Make grilled corn. This is a wonderful side dish with Harissa chicken, or you can cut the corn off the cob to add to rice bowls. Simply add the corn (or any veggies you like) to the grill along with the chicken.
- Bake the chicken. If you’d rather not light up your outdoor grill, you can absolutely cook chicken thighs in the oven! Follow the instructions in my baked boneless chicken thighs recipe for all the details, or simply bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer. You will know that the chicken is fully cooked because it will read 165°F/74°C on the inside.
What To Serve With Harissa Chicken
If you’d rather not make rice bowls with this chicken, you can serve it with any of your favorite sides! Try a few of these summertime favorites that will pair wonderfully with spicy chicken:
To offset the spiciness, try serving Harissa chicken drizzled with plain greek yogurt.
Need more rice bowl ideas? Try my Teriyaki Chicken Bowls or Korean Beef Bowl recipe.
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