This harissa chicken is one of my favorite smoky and spicy weeknight meals. Made with just a few simple ingredients, the harissa marinade is so delicious, and it tastes so good on juicy chicken thighs. I pan-seared my chicken thighs, and they turned out so flavorful!
Harissa Marinated Chicken Thighs
If you’ve never tried harissa, let me put you onto it! This deliciously sweet, smoky, and spicy North African chili paste is so good. It has a similar flavor profile to sriracha but with a Mediterranean twist. I don’t find it too spicy, but I recommend giving it a taste before you go too crazy. Paired with cumin, lemon, garlic, and onion, it makes these chicken thighs taste so good.
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Marinating Time
You can marinate the chicken for as little as 30 minutes, or as long as 2 hours, before baking it. Longer marinating times may break down the meat more than desired, creating a slightly mushy texture.
Harissa Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (*)
- 4 tablespoons harissa sauce (plus more for serving**)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ lemon (juiced)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- ½ white onion (sliced)
- 8 cloves garlic (smashed)
For Serving (Optional):
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Add the chicken thighs to a Ziplock bag with the harissa, cumin, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and 1½ tablespoons of olive oil. Use your hands to rub the mixture evenly into the chicken. Let marinate for 30-60 minutes, if time allows.6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 4 tablespoons harissa sauce, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ lemon, 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the remaining olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat and cook the chicken for 7-8 minutes per side. Once cooked through to 165°F, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.½ white onion, 8 cloves garlic
- Add the chicken back to the pan, warm everything through, and serve with lemon wedges and more harissa sauce, garnished with parsley.Lemon wedges, Fresh parsley
Notes
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Harissa Chicken Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this recipe. Juice the lemon, slice the onion, and crush the garlic.
Marinate the Chicken: Add 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs to a Ziplock bag with 4 tablespoons of harissa sauce, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper, the juice of ½ lemon, and 1½ tablespoons of olive oil. Use your hands to rub the mixture evenly into the chicken. Let marinate for 30-60 minutes.
Cook the Chicken: When ready to cook, add the remaining 1½ tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat and cook the chicken for 7-8 minutes per side. Once cooked through to 165°F, remove from the pan and set aside.
Sauté the Onions: Add ½ of a diced white onion and 8 smashed cloves of garlic to the pan and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
Garnish and Serve: Add the chicken back to the pan to warm everything through. Then serve with lemon wedges and more harissa sauce, garnished with parsley. I like to serve this dish with rice or couscous!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover harissa chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes.
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