This irresistible Honey Harissa Chicken is sweet, spicy and so tender. Made with simple, flavorful ingredients and baked to perfection, this chicken is the perfect meal to get you out of your weekday dinner rut.
Can you believe this Honey Harissa Chicken is paleo-friendly and gluten-free? This chicken is so dang flavorful, fall-apart tender, and toes the line perfectly between sweet and spicy. It is certainly going to be one of your new favorites!
What is Harissa?
Harissa is a spicy and smokey chili pepper paste that is common in North African and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is made from dried chiles, roasted red peppers, citrus, garlic, olive oil, and spices like smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, and caraway seeds. Ingredients will vary slightly based on the region.
Try making my easy and irresistible Harissa to use in this recipe!
What You Will Love About This Honey Harissa Chicken
- Rich Flavors - Oh my gosh, the robust flavor of the harissa paired with sweet and sticky honey is the best flavor combination!
- High Protein - In one serving of this Honey Harissa Chicken you get 42 grams of protein!
- Easy to Make - With only 7 ingredients and very little active time, this recipe can make you appear like a kitchen pro with little effort.
Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions
Chicken Thighs - I used boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe. You can absolutely use bone-in chicken thighs. Please note that they may take a little longer to cook because they will not lay as flat. Make sure the internal temperature reads 165 F.
Harissa Paste - I used my simple harissa sauce recipe that can be found here. Feel free to use store-bought harissa paste or another recipe that you love, but a rich, thick sauce will work best here.
Honey - I don't recommend substituting the honey in this recipe for another sweetener. Honey has the perfect flavor and consistency for this sweet and sticky sauce. If you have an allergy to honey and need an alternative, agave or maple syrup may work but I did not test these alternatives.
Apple Cider Vinegar - ACV adds a little tanginess to the sauce. Other types of neutral-flavored vinegars may be used, like white vinegar or white balsamic.
How to Make Honey Harissa Chicken
Making this sweet and spicy Honey Harissa Chicken is so easy! Here is how you do it:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and generously season them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Place the chicken thighs in a seasoned cast iron skillet or oven-safe glass baking dish. Cover with tin foil and bake for 25-30 minutes (25 minutes if the cast iron is larger than 10-inches and there is more space between each chicken thigh). The chicken should look opaque but not fully cooked at this point.
- While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the honey, harissa, and vinegar in a saucepan. Bring it to a low boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat and set aside.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and drain off any liquid. Set the oven to broil and place back in the oven uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and drain again if needed. At this point, the chicken should be fully cooked with an internal temp of 165 F.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken, toss it, and place back in the oven at broil for about 8 minutes, or until the sauce is viscous and bubbly.
Storage
This Honey Harissa Chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 350 F until the chicken is warmed to an internal temperature of 165 F. Spoon additional sauce over the top before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Stir the sauce frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom and burning.
- If using store-bought harissa, you may need to reduce the sauce for a little longer to get it to thicken properly. This is particularly important if the harissa paste is a little more liquidy (like Trader Joe's harissa). If your sauce does not become thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, you can sprinkle in ½ teaspoon of tapioca starch to help it thicken.
- Be sure to drain the liquid from the cast iron skillet before adding the sauce. This will allow the sauce to adhere to the chicken and prevent it from becoming watery.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 F before the sauce is added to the skillet.
- Serve on top of a bed of rice with some additional sauce from the pan.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Honey Harissa Chicken
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or oven-safe glass baking dish
- Saucepan
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup Honey
- ½ cup Harissa sauce
- 2 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the package and pat dry with a paper towel. Generously season them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Place chicken thighs in a seasoned cast iron skillet or oven-safe glass baking dish. Cover with tin foil and bake for 25-30 minutes (25 minutes if the cast iron is larger than 10-inches and there is more space between each chicken thigh). The chicken should look opaque but not fully cooked at this point.
- While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the honey, harissa, and vinegar in a saucepan. Bring it to a low boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula. Once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat and set aside.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and drain off any liquid. Set the oven to broil and place back in the oven uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and drain again if needed. At this point, the chicken should be fully cooked with an internal temp of 165 F (verify with a meat thermometer).
- Pour the sauce over the chicken, toss it, and place back in the oven at broil for about 8 minutes, or until the sauce is viscous, bubbly, and adhering to the chicken. Serve immediately with a bed of rice or vegetables.
Amanda McGillicuddy says
So tender and unique!