Grilled Harissa Chicken

Grilled Harissa Chicken Kabobs are my new go-to chicken on the grill recipe. The spice level can be easily adjusted depending on how much harissa sauce you add and Greek yogurt does an excellent job of tenderizing the chicken, resulting in the juiciest chicken on the grill you’ve ever had.

While you can use the same marinade for chicken thighs, drums or whole breasts, I like to cut mine into cubes and put them on skewers. It dramatically reduces the cooking time which also prevents grilled chicken from drying out, one of the biggest issues with any grilled chicken recipe.

What is Harissa

Harissa is a Tunisian hot chili pepper paste, the main ingredients of which are roasted red peppers, Baklouti pepper, serrano peppers, and other hot chili peppers, spices and herbs such as garlic paste, coriander seed, saffron, rose, or caraway, as well as some vegetable or olive oil to carry the oil-soluble flavors. 

Historically harissa hailed from the Middle East and was made with Maghrebi hot chili peppers. Since these chiles aren’t available worldwide, but the condiment was so tasty, other cultures started making their own adaptations of harissa sauce using different local peppers. 

The original harissa recipe uses roasted red peppers, garlic, serrano peppers, coriander, caraway seed and olive oil for preservation. Some even added rose petals. Fancy! 

Why You’ll Love These Harissa Chicken Kabobs

Tender chicken full of warm spices and grilled to perfection- what’s not to love about these moroccan chicken skewers!

• Simple ingredients – You only need a total of four, yes four, ingredients to make these easy chicken kabobs.
• Quick and easy – Besides the marinating time, it takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish to make these kabobs.
• Full of flavor – Even though the ingredient list is short, these chicken pieces are absolutely packed with flavor!

Ingredients For Harissa Chicken

All of these ingredients can easily be found at your local grocery stores.

• Chicken breasts – You will want to cut your chicken into bite size pieces. Make sure the pieces are uniform so that they cook evenly.
• Plain Greek yogurt – The yogurt provides both a tang and creaminess to the spicy chicken. It helps to balance out the spice of the harissa. Greek has been strained for longer and is therefore thicker and better for coating chicken.
• Lemon juice – We need a little acidity to our spice marinade, and lemon juice will do just that. Fresh lemon juice is always preferred over the bottled stuff. 
• Harissa sauce – You can either make your own with my homemade harissa recipe, or buy it from the store. It can be found down the international aisle.

Variations

There are plenty of ways you can make these harissa chicken kabobs your own!

• Sauce – All these chile based hot sauces are so similar. If you find you like one more than another, simply use the one you like! You can easily substitute another hot sauce or even sriracha.
• Vegetables – You can totally add vegetables to these chicken kabobs. Here are the best vegetables for kabobs: corn cob pieces, zucchini slices, bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, button mushrooms, lemon wedges.
• Use for other meats – Use the harissa marinade on beef or pork, even slather it on salmon or other fish. You can marinate shrimp, scallops or even serve it onto of grilled or steamed mussels or oysters. Harissa is commonly made into harissa beans or harissa potatoes as well.

How to Make Harissa Chicken Kabobs

You are going to love how easy it is to make these harissa chicken skewers.

1. Marinate chicken. Place all ingredients into an airtight plastic bag, massage mixture into chicken and marinate over night.
2. Add chicken cubes to skewers. Soak wooden kabobs in water for at least a half hour. Thread chicken onto kabobs, leaving s small space between each chunk to ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
3. Cook. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Cook kabobs on grill, turning occasionally until chicken is done and juices run clear.
4. Enjoy. Remove, serve and enjoy your Harissa Chicken Kabobs!

Make it a Meal!

These kabobs are super versatile and can be served with just about anything! You can serve them with fresh veggies like steamed green beans or baked broccoli. A starch like stick of butter rice or baked potatoes in the oven would be great too.

You can also serve these kabobs with other grilled meats. Burgers, hot dogs, or any other main dish you cook on a hot barbecue is great.

Storage and Freezing

How to Store Harissa Chicken Kabobs

You can store any leftover harissa chicken skewers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

Can I Freeze Chicken Kabobs?

You can freeze raw chicken in the marinade as long as it isn’t being frozen for the second time. You can also freeze cooked chicken. If packaged properly, it will stay good for up to 4 months. 

More Skewer Recipes

When summer is in full swing, I always love firing up the grill. Here are a few of our favorite kabob recipes to grill.

Greek Chicken Kabobs

Full of fresh lemon flavor, these Greek Chicken Kabobs are perfect for summer grilling! You only need a handful of ingredients to make this greek yogurt chicken!

See The Recipe!

Caprese Skewer Recipe

Caprese Skewers are the perfect party appetizer made with fresh mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, garlicky croutons, and zesty pepperoni, all drizzled with a tangy balsamic reduction sauce!

See The Recipe!

Harissa Chicken Recipe

4.88 from 16 votes

Harissa Chicken Kabobs use the spiciness of harissa paste and the coolness of Greek yogurt to make tender chicken on the grill.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 29 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Equipment

• Plastic Airtight Containers
• 60 4-inch wooden skewers

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts , cut into 2 inch cubes
• 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup Harissa Sauce
• Cooking Spray
• 8-10 Skewers/Kabobs

Instructions

• Combine the chicken, yogurt, lemon juice and harissa sauce in an airtight plastic bag or large mixing bowl. Massage into the chicken to cover.
• Soak 10-15 wooden kabobs in water for at least 30 minutes. Thread the chicken onto kabobs, leaving a small space between each chunk to ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
• Heat the grill to medium-high heat (approximately 350°F). Cook the kabobs on grill for 15 minutes, turning occasionally until chicken is done and juices run clear.
• Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Nutrition

Calories: 390 kcal, Carbohydrates: 17 g, Protein: 59 g, Fat: 6 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 149 mg, Sodium: 1211 mg, Potassium: 1241 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 10 g, Vitamin A: 530 IU, Vitamin C: 18 mg, Calcium: 135 mg, Iron: 1.5 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Anne

Calories: 390

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Keyword: harissa chicken

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