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Harissa Chicken with Rice is so deliciously rich and complex, everyone will assume it took all day to make. But this easy dinner comes together in minutes, thanks to a North African condiment which does all the heavy lifting. Serve with lots of fluffy basmati rice to soak up all that wonderful sauce.
Inspired by a Moroccan tagine, a long-simmered spicy stew with meat, vegetables, and dried fruit, this recipe is ready in a fraction of the time, but tastes just as amazing.
Harissa (pronounced ha-RISS-uh) is one of my favorite condiments. In almost no time at all, it melts into a complex, unforgettable sauce. Combined with the dates and carrots, the chicken becomes sweet, smoky, and a little bit spicy.
No surprise here: I like to make my own harissa paste. But if you already have a little jar lurking in your pantry, get it out. Once you do, you’ll have a delicious feast of a dinner on the table in under 30 minutes flat.
Ingredients:
Ingredient notes:
- Harissa paste: Store-bought or homemade. You can find store-bought harissa paste from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Aldi, or Tesco. In case you’re curious, I run you through the details of making easy harissa more in depth, in case you want to try it.)
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat in this recipe, but feel free to switch it up with chicken breast, too. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs will need more cooking time, obviously.
- Dates: Add natural sweetness. If you don’t have any, use an equal amount of dried golden raisins or Zante currants.
- Labneh: Aka Labne or labnah, this strained yogurt cheese is easy to find in Middle Eastern markets. To make your own substitute from Greek yogurt, arrange a few layers of cheesecloth over a strainer, then place that over a bowl to catch the liquid. Spoon plain Greek yogurt into the cheesecloth, then refrigerate the whole set-up for a few hours. The moisture will drain into the bowl below, drying out the yogurt to the consistency you need.
Step-by-step instructions:
Before you start, there is a little bit of easy prep work. Get the basmati rice going on the stove, and prep the dates and carrots; the rest of the cooking is smooth and fast.
- To begin, sauté the chicken and carrots in some olive oil in a large skillet. Brown the chicken, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Next, add the chopped dates, a little water, and the harissa paste. Give the mixture a stir and let the liquid thicken up as the chicken finishes cooking.
- Just before the chicken is finished, make the sauce. Thin out the Labneh with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice and season with a little salt and pepper. Rinse the rice in a strainer.
- Once the chicken is ready to go, season to taste and serve with Labneh and a sprinkle of parsley.
Recipe tips and variations:
- Adding veggies: Boost your daily vegetable intake and throw in a handful of baby spinach or diced zucchini.
- Cooking basmati rice: I prefer the pasta method for cooking basmati rice. No rice-to-water ratio to remember! Just add the rice to a generous amount of boiling water and cook it until tender. When the rice is done, drain off the excess water.
- Extra sauce: It makes an excellent easy sauce drizzled over the chicken. You can pour it into a small bowl and pass it around the table so everyone can help themselves.
- Leftovers: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More delicious dinner ideas:
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Harissa Chicken with Rice
Harissa Chicken with Rice is a dinner that tastes like it took all day to make, instead of minutes. Every tender bite is full of North African spices, dates, and carrots; the fragrant basmati rice soaks up the sauce. The secret? That little jar of harissa paste lurking in your pantry.
Ingredients
For the rice:
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup basmati rice
- salt
For the chicken:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs chopped into bite-sized pieces (see note 1)
- 4 carrots peeled, cut into 2-inch long matchsticks
- 1-2 tablespoons red harissa paste homemade or store bought (see note 2)
- 4 dates pitted, roughly chopped (see note 3)
- 3/4 cup water
For serving:
- 1/2 cup labneh cheese or Greek yogurt (see note 4)
- 2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- fresh parsley minced, for garnish
Instructions
To make the rice:
- Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add rice and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon). Stir and return to a boil. Boil uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, drain rice and rinse with hot water. Return to the pot and cover to keep warm.
To make the chicken:
- In a large non-stick pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and carrots and cook until lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add dates, ½ cup of water and harissa paste to taste. Cook until the liquid has thickened and the chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 2 to 4 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).
To serve:
- In a medium bowl, combine the labneh, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Taste and add more vinegar if desired.
- To serve, add rice and chicken with carrots to bowls. Top with some of the labneh mixture and garnish with parsley.
Notes
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat in this recipe, but feel free to switch it up with chicken breast, too. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs will need more cooking time, obviously.
- Harissa paste: Store-bought or homemade. You can find store-bought harissa paste from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Aldi, or Tesco. In case you're curious, I run you through the details of making easy harissa more in depth, in case you want to try it.)
- Dates: Add natural sweetness. If you don't have any, use an equal amount of dried golden raisins or Zante currants.
- Labneh: Aka Labne or labnah, this strained yogurt cheese is easy to find in Middle Eastern markets. To make your own substitute from Greek yogurt, arrange a few layers of cheesecloth over a strainer, then place that over a bowl to catch the liquid. Spoon plain Greek yogurt into the cheesecloth, then refrigerate the whole set-up for a few hours. The moisture will drain into the bowl below, drying out the yogurt to the consistency you need.
- Adding veggies: Boost your daily vegetable intake and throw in a handful of baby spinach or diced zucchini.
- Cooking basmati rice: I prefer the pasta method for cooking basmati rice. No rice-to-water ratio to remember! Just add the rice to a generous amount of boiling water and cook it until tender. When the rice is done, drain off the excess water.
- Extra sauce: It makes an excellent easy sauce drizzled over the chicken. You can pour it into a small bowl and pass it around the table so everyone can help themselves.
- Leftovers: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 565kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 50gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 217mgSodium: 320mgPotassium: 899mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 10271IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 91mgIron: 2mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I feel like I have so much to catch up on here! I hope everything is going amazingly and I LOVE your site revamp. What stunning photos and awesome, mouthwatering recipes, lady!