Spice up your weeknight dinner with honey harissa chicken that's bursting with sweet and spicy flavors! The juicy chicken legs are coated with my homemade harissa and honey sauce and baked until golden and caramelized. This easy chicken recipe brings bold flavors to your table in just 30 minutes! I have also added a grilled option for the warmer months!
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This spicy chicken is one of my go-to dishes when I'm craving something with big flavors but easy enough to make on weekdays.
The sweetness of the honey and the heat from the harissa go well together and pair well with a variety of sides. Try serving it with my lentil tabbouleh or a lemon orzo salad for a complete meal!
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📖Why My Recipe Works
- Harissa From Scratch- My homemade harissa paste is made with a blend of dried chiles, garlic, caraway, cumin, and coriander for bold, well-balanced flavors that taste better than store-bought.
- Flavorful Inside Out- After marinating the chicken, we're brushing it with the honey harissa glaze twice-before and during baking. This helps the chicken stay juicy inside while developing a golden, crispy skin.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Chicken- I used bone-in chicken legs, but almost any type of chicken will work here. You can use chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or wings.
- Harissa Paste- This is where the signature smoky and spicy flavors come from. I recommend using my recipe, but any store-bought harissa will work.
- Honey- Experiment with different types of honey. I like using raw, wildflower, or orange blossom honey. You can also substitute it with maple syrup.
- Orange Juice- Use freshly squeezed orange. It adds a bright, citrusy sweetness to the marinade. I don't recommend replacing it with lemon juice since it has a sharper tang that can overpower the other flavors.
⏲️How to Make Honey Harissa Chicken
- Dry brining the chicken is optional, but it gives the chicken a crispier skin even after you marinate it. Pat it dry with paper towels, season with salt, and place it on a wire rack in the fridge overnight.
- Make the marinade in a bowl. Combine half of the harissa, orange juice, and salt. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes. If you have time, you can marinate it longer for more flavor. 2-3 hours should be good.
- Mix honey and more harissa in a bowl to make the glaze. You can double the ingredients if you want to make a dipping sauce.
- Place the chicken legs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Shake off excess marinade so that the chicken doesn't become saucy and the skin crisps up properly. Brush the top with glaze before baking.
- Turn the chicken to the other side to cook it evenly, then brush with more glaze. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Remove and add to serving plate.
How to Grill Harissa Chicken
- Preheat your grill to medium-heat or about 450F. Once heated, turn off the flames on one side of the grill.
- Cook the chicken legs skin-side down on the grill over direct heat, cook for 5 minutes, then flip the chicken to the other side.
- Move them to the other side of the grill (the one that doesn't have the flame on) and continue cooking on indirect heat. Brush with the glaze every few minutes until the chicken is cooked.
🥗What to Serve with Harissa Chicken
Because this harissa honey chicken is already packed with heat and flavor, I love serving it with lighter sides, like garlic green beans, kale chickpea salad, green bean feta salad, or Greek roasted potatoes. It's also handy to have a side of yogurt dill sauce to cool the heat.
If you have leftover chicken, you can shred them and turn them into chicken bowls. I like to use brown rice or quinoa, then add mixed greens or roasted veggies. Drizzle with leftover harissa sauce then serve!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
For a crispier skin, broil the chicken at the end for 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye on it while doing this to prevent it from getting too burnt.
More Harissa Recipes
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📖 Recipe Card
Honey Harissa Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup harissa paste divided
- 2 Tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ pounds chicken drumsticks or bone-in skin-on thighs
- 2 Tablespoons honey warmed
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together half the harissa, orange juice, and salt. In a plastic bag or glass bowl toss the chicken with the marinade to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinade.⅓ cup harissa paste, 2 Tablespoons orange juice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1½ pounds chicken drumsticks
- While the chicken is marinating mix together the glaze (the remaining harissa and the warmed honey) in a small bowl.2 Tablespoons honey, ⅓ cup harissa paste
- Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Shake off the excess marinade off the chicken legs and place on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with the glaze.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip over, and brush on the remaining glaze. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F degrees.
Notes
- Harissa paste varies in heat use between 3 Tablespoons and ⅓ cup depending on your heat preference.
- Half of the ⅓ cup is about 2.5 Tablespoons.
- For darker caramelized skin you can broil the chicken at the end for 2 to 3 minutes.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, you can pop it in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350F or in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.Equipment
- Baking sheet
Stanley says
I actually made chicken thighs with this Recipe but it was delicious