A little spicy, a little sweet, super tender, and incredibly easy to make–this harissa honey chicken is amazing and delicious! And perfect for meal prep. Inspired by Cava’s honey harissa chicken recipe, you’ll be shocked at how quick this is to make at home!

harissa honey chicken in a bowl over. rice and salad

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What does harissa taste like?

Harissa is a North African chili paste or spice blend, typically made from a combination of roasted red peppers, hot chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices. Every brand will have a slightly different flavor profile, for this recipe, I used Mina’s harissa paste, which can be purchased at Whole Foods, Walmart, or Amazon.

What is the closest spice to harissa? Since Harissa is a spice blend, there really is no great substitute for it. That said, if you’re in a super pinch, you can try a combo of smoked paprika and chili powder, then add a dash of cumin and coriander.
Is harissa mild or spicy? Harissa varies in spice levels depending on the product you purchase; generally speaking, it ranges from medium spicy to very spicy. Your product will typically label the spice level–Mina’s comes in both mild and spicy.

harissa chicken recipe in a bowl with rice and greens

Ingredient Notes

Honey harissa chicken comes together with a few simple marinade ingredients, plus chicken. Here’s what to collect and a few things to consider:

The chicken: We love chicken thighs for this harissa honey chicken, they’re higher in fat than breasts so they have more flavor and stay tender and juicy when roasted.
The marinade: First and foremost we’ll need harissa paste and honey. Then we’ll add a few other ingredients that are already in the harissa paste to enhance their flavor even more: olive oil, lemon zest, cumin, paprika, and garlic.

Tweaks + Substitutions

Although we love this harissa honey chicken as is, there are so many ways to make it unique to your cravings. To name a few:

This marinade is amazing on so many things: Try using chicken breasts, heck, you can even try this recipe with grilled shrimp, baked salmon, or roasted vegetables (just know bake times will vary).
Cut back on the carbs by substituting honey with your favorite of the keto sweeteners, my go-to is typically Swerve or Lakanto.
Adjust the spice level by adding some chilli powder, or purchasing a different spice level of harissa paste.

harissa chicken recipe best paste to use

How to Make Harissa Honey Chicken

This harissa chicken recipe is my kind of recipe, as it comes together in a matter of minutes, and just needs a simple bake in the oven…

Combine marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
Add the chicken.
Marinate for 1-2 hours.
Spread chicken onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven.

harissa honey chicken marinade ingredients

How to Serve Harissa Honey Chicken

This incredibly delicious harissa chicken recipe is versatile and easy to dish up however you desire. Some of my favorite ways include:

Make harissa honey chicken bowls, with rice, cauliflower fried rice, broccoli rice, or your favorite grains. Be sure to add in some veggies, like mixed greens, roasted cauliflower, pickled onions, and corn.
Or tacos with my kale slaw and avocado slices.
OR! A delicious chicken salad, with avocado, pickled onions, and corn.

Storing + Reheating

Store leftover honey harissa chicken in the fridge in an airtight container, and reheat in the microwave before serving–chicken thighs don’t dry out easily so this is the perfect recipe to reheat without compromising flavor and texture.

honey harissa chicken in a bowl with rice

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