These Harissa Chicken Bowls are here for you when you need a flavor-packed dinner that is ready in 20 minutes! No marinating time needed - the chicken is ready to cook as soon as it's seasoned. Assemble your harissa chicken bowls over couscous or rice, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
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Harissa chicken
Harissa paste is seasoning paste originating from North Africa and it is VERY flavorful. Its main ingredients are roasted peppers (both sweet and hot), roasted garlic, and seasonings such as cumin and caraway. Harissa has many variations depending on where it is from, so don't come at me if your harissa has other ingredients. 🙂
Since Harissa is so flavorful, you don't need to add a lot of other ingredients to make harissa chicken. I simply add a little extra salt and pepper, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten things up, and a little olive oil. This makes for a super easy weeknight chicken recipe!
I use this medium-spice harissa in all my recipes. It's hot enough to add warmth to the dish without being spicy. It adds flavor without overpowering and makes chicken that is versatile enough to be used in many dishes (hellooo yummy leftovers!). Of course, everyone's spice tolerance is different so feel free to use another harissa if you prefer a spicy one.
Here's another one of my harissa recipes to check out so you can be sure that jar of harissa won't go to waste: Harissa Roasted Potatoes.
Recipe tips
→ Use boneless skinless chicken thighs and/or chicken tenders because both come out SO tender without needing any marinating time. If you use chicken breasts, I recommend dicing them into bite-sized pieces (so there is more harissa seasoning in each bite) and marinating in the harissa mixture for at least an hour. Remember, bite-sized pieces will cook faster than whole chicken tenders or thighs.
→ Try adding a tablespoon of honey to the harissa mixture for a sweet and spicy flavor. Honey harissa chicken is DELISH! If adding honey, you might want to reduce the heat and cook a little longer to prevent the sugars burning.
→ ALWAYS adjust the seasonings to your liking. If you harissa is very spicy, consider using less. If it's not spicy enough, add a pinch of cayenne pepper. If it's very salty, use less salt for the chicken. If it's very oily, reduce the olive oil.
→ Make it a light meal: Serve harissa chicken over salad, or over half-and-half salad and couscous or rice.
→ Make-ahead tips: all the veggies and sauces can be prepared ahead of time and stored in sealed containers in the fridge. The chicken can be marinated the night before so when it comes to putting together a quick dinner, all you have to do is cook the chicken and assemble your bowls.
→ This recipe is great with tofu, too!
More flavorful chicken thighs recipes: Sous Vide Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
For the harissa chicken:
- 1-2 pounds chicken (I use a mix of boneless skinless chicken thighs and cubed chicken tenders)
- 2-4 tablespoons Harissa paste, to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for cooking
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the bowls:
- Cooked pearl couscous or rice (use rice for a gluten-free harissa chicken dinner. My yellow garlic rice is amazing here!)
- Diced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes
- Lettuce or mixed salad greens
- Pickled red onions (or something pickled, these bowls need it!)
- Creamy garlic sauce (from my chicken kofta kebabs recipe, or add a little sour cream drizzle or garlic aioli)
- Fresh parsley leaves, diced
- See more topping ideas below
More easy 20 minute dinner bowls: Blackened Salmon Rice Bowls
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Grill pan (for those beautiful grill marks) or a non-stick pan
- Meat thermometer
More easy 20 minute dinner bowls: Cheeseburger Bowls
Instructions
If you are cooking couscous or rice, get that started now so it is ready by the time the chicken is done.
If using chicken thighs, trim off any excess fat. If using chicken breast or tenders, dice them into 2-inch pieces.
Combine all the ingredients for the chicken and mix really well to coat the chicken in the harissa mixture.
Preheat a large grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Spray a little olive oil onto the pan, then add the chicken in a single layer. Allow the chicken to cook without disturbing it for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned, then flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until fully cooked (165F). Cook time will depend on the thickness of the chicken and the heat of your pan.
Remove the chicken from the pan, let cook for 5 minutes while you chop up some veggies for the bowls. If you used chicken thighs, slice them thinly.
Assemble the bowls: place couscous or rice in a bowl or on a plate, top with chicken and any toppings you like. Drizzle with garlic sauce, garnish with chopped parsley, and enjoy!
More North African-inspired chicken recipes: Dukkah Chicken
Leftover harissa chicken
Leftover chicken can be used in pasta, on pizza, in empanadas, tucked into a pita with lettuce, tomato, and garlic sauce.
More African-inspired chicken recipes: Ethiopian Chicken Stew
Other topping ideas
- Toasted pita or naan wedges
- This cucumber tzatziki salad, which has yogurt dressing that pairs so well with harissa chicken
- Hummus (try my feta hummus!)
- Grilled or air fried zucchini
- Charred corn
- Sliced avocado
- Crumbled feta
- Any other veggies of your choice
- A dollop of harissa if you want extra spice!
More recipes using pearl couscous: Shrimp and Vegetable Couscous Salad
Air fryer instructions
Cook chicken thighs for 13-16 minutes at 350F, flipping halfway through. Cook diced chicken breast for 6-8 minutes at 350F, no need to flip. Cook time will depend on the size of your chicken and your air fryer model. Always check the temperature with a meat thermometer and cook to an internal temperature of 165F.
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Harissa Chicken Bowls (20 Minute Dinner!)
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 pounds chicken - (I use a mix of boneless skinless chicken thighs and cubed chicken tenders)
- 2-4 tablespoons Harissa paste - to taste (I use 2 tablespoons per pound)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - plus extra for cooking
- salt and pepper - to taste
- cooked pearl couscous or rice
- diced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes
- lettuce or mixed salad greens
- pickled red onions - (or dill pickles)
- creamy garlic sauce - from my chicken kofta kebabs recipe, or add a little sour cream drizzle or garlic aioli
- fresh parsley leaves - diced
Special equipment
- Grill pan or a non-stick pan
Instructions
- If you are cooking couscous or rice, get that started now so it is ready by the time the chicken is done.
- If using chicken thighs, trim off any excess fat. If using chicken breast or tenders, dice them into 2-inch pieces.
- Combine all the ingredients for the chicken and mix really well to coat the chicken in the harissa mixture.
- Preheat a large grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Spray a little olive oil onto the pan, then add the chicken in a single layer. Allow the chicken to cook without disturbing it for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned, then flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until fully cooked (165F). Cook time will depend on the thickness of the chicken and the heat of your pan.
- Remove the chicken from the heat, let cool for 5 minutes while you chop up some veggies for the bowls. If you used chicken thighs, slice them thinly.
- Assemble the bowls: place couscous or rice in a bowl or on a plate, top with chicken and any toppings you like. Drizzle with garlic sauce, garnish with chopped parsley, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.
Kate
Monday 15th of September 2025
This Harissa Chicken is quickly becoming a weeknight favorite! It's just so easy to put together and so versatile to use up whatever veggies we have in the fridge to serve in these bowls. I hope you get a chance to make it!