Our Easy Harissa Chicken Recipe brings the heat, the sweet, and everything in between. It combines smoky spices, garlic, honey, and a punchy harissa marinade packed with warm spices. The result is juicy, flame-kissed spicy chicken with a bold flavor that tastes like it came off a fancy grill line, made right in your own kitchen on a regular old weeknight.
This chicken makes people think you’ve got some secret culinary training, but really, you’ve just got harissa.
Our original recipe marinade comes together in 5-10 minutes, but tastes like something you’ve been perfecting for years. The harissa sauce brings the heat and deep flavor, while garlic cloves, fresh lemon juice, and a little bit of honey round it out with a punch of brightness and just the right hint of sweetness.
Once it hits the pan, everything sticks to the chicken and builds that beautiful crust that turns good into unforgettable. It’s simple, powerful, and tastes like you knew exactly what you were doing.
Our Harissa Chicken recipe does not require hard-to-find ingredients or fancy techniques; it just requires honest flavor and a hot pan.
If you want a side that complements the bold flavor of the chicken, our Roasted Zucchini comes out bubbling with cheese and packed with golden, garlicky goodness.
Or go for our oven-roasted cauliflower, with crispy edges and warm spices that bring out the best in every bite of harissa chicken.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our Harissa Chicken recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
What is Harissa?
Harissa is a spicy chili paste from North Africa, most commonly used in Tunisian cooking. It’s made with hot chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, and warm spices like cumin, coriander, and caraway seeds. The flavor is smoky, bold, and earthy, with just enough heat to wake everything up.
You can find harissa sauce or harissa chile paste in the international aisle at most grocery stores, at Asian or Middle Eastern markets, and online. Look for labels that mention Tunisian hot chili pepper paste or North African chili paste, and check if it’s mild or spicy before using.
How to Make Harissa Chicken
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make Harissa Chicken in your home kitchen.
For best results, remove the chicken from the refrigerator half an hour before cooking to allow the meat to come to room temperature.
- Pat the breasts dry with a paper towel.
- Add the harissa sauce, half of the olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, chopped garlic, smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, and honey to a medium bowl.
- Whisk together to combine.
- Place the chicken breasts in a ziplock bag (or bowl) with the marinade and allow them to marinate for at least an hour (up to 24 hours) before using.
- Heat a cast-iron pan (or large skillet) over medium-high heat and pour in the remaining olive oil. Remove the marinated chicken and place it in a single layer in the hot pan. Cook for 7-8 minutes.
- Flip to the other side and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F using a meat thermometer.
Remove the harissa chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will give the juices time to redistribute through the meat.
Our harissa chicken is the perfect recipe for those nights you want dinner to feel special without turning your kitchen upside down.
And I guarantee after one bite, no one will say “chicken again?”
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftover harissa chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
To reheat, warm it in a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil, or use the microwave in short bursts until hot.
You can also freeze the cooked chicken for up to two months. Let it cool completely before sealing, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make harissa chicken thighs or chicken legs with this recipe. Just increase the cooking time by a few minutes to reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
The spicy flavors go well with rice. You can use brown rice, white rice, or your favorite grain. Cauliflower rice is a great option to keep the meal low-carb.
Use a mild harissa paste, or stir in some yogurt or add more honey to soften the spice. If you’re craving more heat, add some hot sauce, chili flakes, or a spicier variety of store-bought harissa.
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Harissa Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ – 2 lbs chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons harissa sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ cup honey
Instructions
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator a half hour prior to cooking to allow the meat to come to room temperature.
- Remove the chicken from the packaging and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Add the harissa sauce, half of the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, chopped garlic, smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, and honey to a medium bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Place the chicken in a ziplock bag (or bowl) with the marinade and allow it to marinate for at least an hour (up to 24 hours) before using.
- Heat a cast-iron pan (or large skillet) over medium-high heat and pour in the remaining olive oil.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and add it to the pan. Cook for 7-8 minutes.
- Flip to the other side and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Remove the harissa chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will give the juices time to redistribute through the meat.
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