These easy Harissa chicken recipe can be made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot (pressure cooker) and can be served so many different ways! Made with just two ingredients – jarred Harissa and chicken plus some spices!
Easy Shredded Harrisa Chicken
I love it with rice, chickpeas or cauliflower rice (pictured above) plus cucumbers and tzatziki on the side. Tommy loves it gyro style on a pocket-less or pita or naan with tzatziki!
To make this super fast and easy, I used Mina Harissa (I love this stuff!). I buy the mild one, which is mild enough that even my eight year old loves this chicken too! But they also sell a spicy one if you like it spicy.
And since so many are asking, although I have and love my Instant Pot, I still love my slow cooker! I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker (affil link). I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it’s done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This slow cooker is so great, I actually own several!
How To Make Shredded Harissa Chicken
What is Harissa?
Harissa is a traditional accompaniment with Moroccan and North African food. It’s as popular to them as ketchup and mustard is to us here in the states. You can serve it with everything from eggs, burgers, couscous, soups and more.
How to make Harissa:
If you can’t find Harissa, you can easily make it yourself. This is my favorite method, it’s so good you’ll want to drink it!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 12 ounce jar roasted peppers in water, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more or less to your taste
Sauté the garlic in oil until golden and fragrant then combine with the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve room temperature. See below for the chicken recipe!
More easy crock pot recipes you might enjoy:
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Thighs
- Easy Shredded Salsa Chicken in the Instant Pot
- Easiest Slow Cooker Chicken Salsa Verde
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Easy Shredded Harrisa Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup mild Harissa sauce, I like Mina
- optional, serve with Tzatziki
Instructions
Slow Cooker Directions:
- Season the chicken with the cumin, garlic powder, pinch of salt, and pepper.
- Place chicken in a slow cooker, pour the harissa over the chicken, and cover. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW 4 hours.
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
Pressure Cooker Directions:
- Season the chicken with the cumin, garlic powder, pinch of salt, and pepper.
- Place chicken in the pressure cooker, pour the harissa over the chicken and cook high pressure 20 minutes. Quick or natural release then shred with two forks. If using frozen chicken breasts, cook 25 minutes.
Last Step:
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I love this recipe. I eat it with chickpeas , cucumbers, and tzatziki . I meal prep it for lunch. Using chicken thighs this time.
Delicious and easy!
An you eat this cold?
We make this over and over. I just finished making a triple batch and freezing two. Skinny taste is my go to recipe site!
Can you use dark meat cutlets?
This is such a yummy and easy dinner! We love Harissa and opted to use the spicy Harissa instead of the mild. A little hot for me, but I just piled on the Tzatziki to cool it down. My husband found the spice level to be perfect.
We love this on some homemade pita bread (adapted from the skinnytaste easy bagel recipe). We just make the bagel recipe as written, but add 1 tsp instant yeast to the dry ingredients. Let it rise in a warm place, then punch down the dough, divide into 4 servings, and roll out the dough flat. Cook in a cast iron at med high heat until brown starts form and bubbles in the dough rise.
Delicious! Another winner!
This is incredibly delicious and could not be easier. It also proves (again) a slow cooker can and does provide fantastic food for busy lives. Thanks, Gina, this is indeed a keeper and winner. You have me on the hunt for a homemade harrisa recipe.
I am glad you enjoyed it Denise! Look at this recipe- https://www.skinnytaste.com/easy-shredded-harrisa-chicken/?swcfpc=1 in the narrative there is a recipe for harissa. 🙂
I doctored this a bit based on reviews and taste and oh man, it was so good! I used the crock function on my instant pot to avoid burning. After shredding the chicken 2 hours in, I added a can of chickpeas, a bit of cayenne and several good dashes of garam masala. I served it with Naan and sliced cucumbers. Definitely a dish I would serve for guests!! Thanks to all for the inspiration.
I have a question for you. I am dying to make this recipe, but I can only find harissa paste, not harissa sauce. Can I make it with the paste instead, or no?
I don’t know about using the paste, but I found the sauce on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Mina-Harissa-Traditional-Moroccan-Pepper/dp/B004U771H4/ref=sr_1_3_mod_primary_new?crid=3MN382XTX4AHH&dchild=1&keywords=mina+harissa&qid=1614105938&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=mina+har%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-3
https://www.amazon.com/Mina-Harissa-Moroccan-Pepper-Sauce/dp/B0775335C6/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3MN382XTX4AHH&dchild=1&keywords=mina+harissa&qid=1614105973&sprefix=mina+har%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-9
This is great served over rice, a spiralized carrot salad, or in a wrap. Such a diverse protein base. I doubled the recipe for a larger yield to use as leftovers throughout the week.
Made this recipe tonight and OMG was it easy and delicious. Followed recipe as pictured with rice and cucumbers and topped with Trader Joe’s tzatziki sauce. I’m so full and only 2 blue ww points!! Thank you!!
Delicious! Even my children love it!
That’s the best!
We love this at our house! Even my 4 year old daughter is a big fan! I usually cook 3 chicken breasts that total 1.5 lbs and use the entire jar of Mina mild harissa. I cook it in my 6 qt Instant Pot per the instructions and don’t have any issues with it burning. My husband and I make bowls with arugula, garbanzo beans, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta cheese. Sometimes we add homemade or store bought tzatziki and hummus. Pita chips and Cava Crazy Feta are also yummy additions. I serve the chicken warm from the instant pot, and leftovers are good cold or warm. I will warn that Mina spicy harissa is VERY hot compared to the mild. I used it once and was surprised by the spice level. Thank you Gina for another quick, easy, and delicious recipe!
Sounds great! I think I’m going to try a variation of this. I have a rotisserie attachment for my Weber Kettle grill and I frequently do two chickens at a time and pull the meat, portion and freeze it for future use so I typically have shredded chicken on hand. I would then just add the Harissa and chicken to a skillet to heat up together.
I enjoyed this recipe, but I ordered the Mina Harissa linked which is Mild and it was not spicy enough at all, I think next time I’ll order spicy or try the trader joe one that people keep saying was too spicy.
Overall, it was super easy to make, I served it with rice, cucumbers, and bought Cava Tzatziki from the store. I ate it as a bowl and had everything mixed together.
This didn’t work for the hubby and I…
THIS LOOKS DELISH.
HOWEVER I AM CONFUSED. IS THIS A DISH YOU SERVE COLD?
THE PHOTOS WOULD SUGGEST YOU ARE PACKING IT UP FOR LUNCH.
THEN, I WOULD NOT MICROWAVE IT AS HEAT WOULD RUIN THE CUCUMBERS ?!?
No assembly instructions? Where’s the rest of the recipe beyond the instructions to cook the chicken?
What assembly? Once you cook and shred the chicken it’s ready to serve. Just add any sides you prefer.
Yet another fantastic recipe. It’s so refreshing to have something other than a tomato based sauce! I made the Harissa as described above and our house of salt-lovers found it to be a bit too salty (I subbed 1t of sea salt for the 1.5t of kosher salt). Worried about the salt content prior to putting the chicken in, I only added a tiny pinch of salt (1/8t max) to the breasts. I will definitely make this again, and soon, and will omit an additional 1/4t of salt (as a jumping off point).
I’m so sad…I’ve made this in the crock pot many times and love it. Pressed for time, I tried the electric pressure cooker and the harissa burned on the bottom. I didn’t see where liquid was added at all. Oh well, back to the crock pot I guess.
immediately started to burn in the instant pot because it needed liquid. I added some vegetable broth but not sure it was the right thing to do. Any tips? Also, I got the Harissa from Trader Joe’s and it was WAY to spicy!
SAME! I could not eat the chicken bc it was way too spicy,
I noticed no liquid was added and was worried it would burn, so I added maybe 1/4 of water, just a tiny bit. It was pretty soupy at the end, so I turned the pressure cooker on sauté and let the sauce boil a bit to reduce it back down (stirring occasionally) for probably about five minutes.
I love love love this recipe. I’m on WW this plus many other recipes is giving me so many healthy options. Thanks so much!!!
I love this recipe! I added some cayenne, garlic powder, black pepper & cumin, and the harissa and just grilled it. I cut it up into pieces and put it on a griddle with extra harissa sauce. Served it in a warm pita with greek yogurt and sliced cucumbers. SO GOOD!
This was delicious and so easy! I added the chickpeas to the shredded chicken in the instant pot (after the chicken was done cooking). My husband liked this so much he took it to work the next day. I served it over rice with the sliced cucumbers and a dab of plain Greek yogurt. This recipe is a keeper!
This is soooo good. I bought the small jar of Harissa from Trader Joe’s. It’s super spicy but the tzatziki balances it out perfectly. My new go to chicken recipe! Thank you!!
Did you find Harrisa sauce at Trader Joe’s? I can only find paste
Made this last night-my boyfriend and I LOVED it. Definitely going into our rotation.
Can I use frozen chicken breasts?
I used Mina Mild Harissa and made it a n my crockpot. I was very disappointed- I feel the chicken lacked flavor despite seasoning the chicken and using the 10oz jar of harissa.
Thank you for this great recipe! It’s been in rotation a few times at our house! Regarding the Harissa sauce, I’ve never even looked for it in the store as your recipe is perfect. I like that it’s homemade allowing us to control the salt, spice and overall outcome of it. This recipe has been a hit with my family several times and I’m about to share it with our parents coming to visit for the Easter holiday. My mom’s been on WW for a number of years and we’re always looking for recipes that work well with her preferences. I’m excited to see how she like this for dinner. I have no doubt it will be a hit! 🙂
This meal was awesome! So easy to make, and the flavors all went really well together. I had it over cauli rice and added chick peas on top!
If I want to double this recipe, do I double the cook time?
No, same cook time.
Hi Gina: 2 questions:
1) If you do on stove top with 2 cups of water, do you still season the chicken beforehand?
2) If I want to make the Harissa from scratch, I can’t find roasted peppers that don’t have sodium. How many fresh peppers would I need to roast to equal the number of roasted peppers in a 12 oz jar?
Thanks so much!!
There are about 2 peppers in the jar. I make this all the time with the homemade Harris’s sauce. Usually double or triple to put some in freezer. Don’t eliminate the salt entirely. The chicken needs all the spices and salt. At least that’s what we like. I serve with cauliflower rice and spread the chicken in my kitchen aid. If your breasts are big cut in half or thirds so the shredding is easier. Let the chicken cool on a plate for 5 or so minutes before shredding in batches.
I just made this on Saturday and it was delicious! I made the harissa per the recipe as I couldn’t find ithe Mina brand locally. We ate the chicken with brown rice (used the Trader Joe’s frozen packet that you cook in the microwave), tzatziki, and cucumbers. Can’t wait to double it and invite a few people over to enjoy it!
Is this meant to be served cold or hot?
This is a hot dish.
I eat it cold!
Thank goodness I could not find the Mina Harissa Sauce in the grocery store because I would have missed out on your amazing homemade Harissa Sauce. Made this recipe for dinner last night and everyone polished it off. Made it again tonight and doubled it so we had leftovers for lunch. This is my new favorite recipe! Couldn’t have been easier!
What is your chickpea recipe? I’d love to add those but I’m nervous!
Those are just plain chickpeas in the photo of the recipe. If you would like some recipes with chickpeas, here are a few.
My husband, 3 year old, and I love this dish! I have to stock up on Harissa, but it’s totally worth it. This may sound strange, but we like to use an avocado cilantro salad dressing.
This was amazing. Made the sauce as per your recipe. So easy and absolutely delicious. Such tender meat in so little time and bursting with flavor. Made a lemony rice to go with it…thanks for the great recipes.
Has anyone tried to freeze this as meal prep? I made two big cutlets but unfortunately used the spicy Mina sauce and I was the only one in the family who was able to tolerate it. Hate to see it wasted because it was delicious.
I froze the shredded chicken with sauce mixed in. When I unfroze it, it still tasted great!
For those of you looking to use the Trader Joe’s Harissa, I had success adding 2 Tbs harissa to 1 cup chicken stock and pouring mixture over chicken in crockpot. Yes, still turned out quite spicy which I enjoy but for children consider reducing Harissa to just 1 Tbs and add some tomato paste to dilute. Easy and Delicious!
I tried this method in the Instant Pot with success! I took the chicken out and shredded it, then added a corn starch slurry to the harissa liquid and turned on saute til it thickened up before mixing it in with the shredded chicken. When I poured it, I strained out the pepper seeds– a little less spice that way!
Whoa! This was amazing! I served the chicken over Spiced Chickpeas and the tzatziki. Absolutely fabulous.
If making for meal prep, do you eat the chicken cold since it is packed with cucumber and tzatziki? Or do you heat up the chicken separately and combine after? Thanks!
I made this for the first time last week for weekly meal prep and it didn’t occur to me until I put it in the container that everything would get heated up…it turned out wonderfully! My meal prep containers have 2 sections; I put the chicken in one and a mix of cucumber and chickpeas in the other with a tiny bit of rice. I did keep the tzatziki in a separate container (and ended up not using it). Heated up at work and ate after putting the chicken on top of the cucumber mixture. It was SO good without the tzatziki that I didn’t even bother using it and saved on the calories!
I pack it up just like the picture in the meal prep and eat the entire dish cold and it is delicious!!
How long if I wanna use a slow cooker for the chicken? I so want to try this recipe
Recipe is a hit! How many days does this keep for meal prep?
After shredding the chicken, do you add it back to the sauce?
do you have a paleo tzatziki sauce recipe? trying to stay away from dairy…
To make shredding chicken, or any kind of meat, easier, use a hand held mixer.. Saves time as well.
I haven’t as much as seen harissa in person before, but I’ve been seeing it a lot in recipes. So I figured I’d order a jar and give it a shot. I used a whole 10 oz jar on about 1.8 lbs of chicken breasts. (I wasn’t about to start dissecting them to get the right weight.) This was super easy to put together, and holy bananas is it amazing! I look forward to dinner every night now: a bowl of black and brown rice with vegetables topped with harissa chicken! I’m definitely going to see if there’s an easier way to find this other than ordering it. Thanks so much for the recipe! You’ve made at least one harissa convert. 🙂
Love this recipe. It’s super simple, only a couple ingredients. I follow the recipe exactly. I get the harissa from Amazon since they discontinued it at Target. I’ve tried other Harissa sauces but they we too spicy, too salty, and didn’t taste good. The Mina Harissa in the picture is the best one.
My husband and I LOVE this recipe! We have made it multiple time. The first few times I bought the mild Mina sauce from amazon, which was amazing. Then I found the spicy Mina harrisa sauce at the grocery store, and thought “how spicy could it be?” Way too spicy for us, it was nearly inedible. More recently, I followed your harrisa recipe to make it from scratch and it was even more amazing, I made a double batch of the sauce and froze half to use for an easy dinner some time soon. Thank you so much for introducing us to this delicious recipe! Also, my kids are super picky, they like the sauce but prefer to eat the chicken cut up before we shred the rest into the delicious harrisa. Their loss but it works for a family meal for us.
Wish I had read a few of these reviews before making, but yowza, Trader Joe’s harissa is indeed WAY too hot! Definitely watch for a milder brand. I might remake it again one day, but for now, this one is being shelved.
This looks great and different for us. Going to make tonight! How do you make that yogurt sauce that you added?
Hi gina,
When I put all the nutritional info in the recipe builder it says 3 pts per serving? Did I do something wrong?
I have made this twice and LOVE it! Super tasty. I do recommend adding another jar of roasted red peppers if you prefer a saucier chicken. This is a super versatile dish that I can serve to guests or bring to work–and even eat cold and it still tastes amazing.
Made this tonight with homemade harissa sauce mentioned in comments. The roasted red peppers I used only had 3% sodium so it was not at all salty. It was soooo delicious. Definitely adding this to our menu!!! Thanks for another delicious recipe.
Can you double this recipe using the pressure cook option? I’ve been afraid to double instant pot recipes but this is only 1 lb of chicken. I’ve got hungry men to feed.
I made this recipe exactly how it was written for the Instapot. I don’t think I have ever made anything so easy and so delicious.It’s even better with the skinny Tzatziki sauce, My husband loved it too. While he’s not a fan of spicy food, he thought the spice level was just right.
Finally made this after having had it bookmarked for weeks! It was sooo good! I got the spicy Mina sauce and used a lot of tzatziki to cool it off. Next time I will probably get the mild Mina. Yum!
I tried it with the REAL HARISSA used in Lebanese and Middle Eastern Restaurants and Cuisine The HARISSA OF CAP BON from Tunisia this is the original one we can find it in Whole foods and it won an international competition in Switzerland. It is so yummy! All of my guests were impressed by your recipe and the result is amazing. I wish to have more recipes of this kind. 🙂
Is there a stove top option for cooking the chicken?
Yes. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot and add chicken breast, cook 10 minutes. Remove from water, set aside to cool and shred the chicken.
I have made this recipe in my Instant Pot several times, and my husband and I both love it. I serve it with cauliflower rice. As an FYI, the Mina harissa sauce is available at our local Harris Teeter grocery store..
Ours burned on the bottom, thus making our Instant Pot to read “Burn”. This went back and forth for a while until there was no pressure left and I could open it. Added in some broth and that seems to have helped the “Burn” issue, but his has happened to EVERYTHING we have put in the Instant Pot (granted, we have only made chicken and tomato based dishes thus far). What are we doing wrong?
Thanks!
You need to have at least 1 cup of liquid. The sauce may have been too thick?
I made this on Saturday in the crockpot. I used jarred Harissa however it just turned out super soupy. What did I do wrong?
And another so good recipe!
Couldn’t stop eating.
I’ll never buy Harissa again, the tzatziki already is on regular rotation….
You are truly amazing! A big hug to you, Gina!
Fabulous recipe Gina; thank you! I used the mild Mina Harissa (Whole Foods), your homemade tzatziki and cauliflower rice with a side of greek olives, chickpeas and cucumber slices. For a little extra kick I added ground cayenne pepper to the sauce. So easy & delish!
i made this today but accidentally brought the spicy jar. It was so spicy I couldn’t eat it. I have made it before with the mild and loved it.
I only order the spicy one and it’s fantastic! You need to like heat though. It’s not light your face on fire but it is warm. I cool it down a bit with tzatziki and it’s a winner in my house. Amazon has both and you can order it off there.
Hi I could only find the spicy mina harissa. Has anyone tried it? Will it be too spicy? Wondering if I shouldn’t make it until I can find the mild?
I ordered it from Amazon, finally.
I made this for lunch for the week and it’s very very tasty! However, two things. I made the provided recipe for harissa sauce and it was super salty. Once mixed with chicken though the salt was toned down. Two, I cooked this in my Instant Pot Ultra and the 1 cup sauce was not enough. The burn notice came up. I added some water, restarted, and the end product was fine.
Dumb question, but I’m such a lousy cook when I follow my own instincts! Do you add the juicy leftover from the pot back in to your chicken?
I used Trader Joe’s Harissa salsa. Perfect! Just the right amount of spice.
So yummy. Thanks Gina!
Hi Gina, how did your calculate the recipe for it to be 2 WW Smart Points? I just tossed created the recipe in WW after tossing it in the crockpot. The Harissa sauce by itself is 70pts for 1 cup!!!!! Am I doing something wrong? Thanks!!
Ok….never mind. Did some research online and discovered that harissa sauces vary greatly in calories and fat. The one that I found at my grocery store is MUCH higher in calories and fat that the Mina brand in your recipe. 🙁
Normally water or another thing liquid needs added to the instant pot. Do you have to for this recipe? I don’t see that anywhere. Thanks!
I’m wondering the same thing, just about to toss everything into my IP but not sure about putting it in dry.
Yes! I wanted to ask the same question!
I just did it and it works great just as the recipe is written! ❤️
I tried it as written in my 8qt Instant Pot and the timer started counting down before it came to pressure. Steam was leaking around the pressure pin. I tried tapping the pin, thinking it may be stuck, but it wasn’t stuck. I turned it off and opened lid. The harrissa sauce that was on the bottom of the pot was beginning to burn. I had to scrape it off and added a little water (about 3/4 cup). I restarted it, and it came to pressure this time.
Made this a few days ago and used the spicy Mina harissa. SO delicious and super simple. Had it over white rice and a side of tzatziki and chickpea salad. This is definitely going to be a staple.
Made in the instant pot. So delicious!
Wow.. so easy, made in the pressure cooker, and flavorful!! Bought the Mina mild Harissa, maybe could have added a little heat, but was great as-is.
This was amazing! I made my own Harissa and it turned out beautifully! Next week this will be my lunch meal prep with a delicious Greek salad! YUM I’m excited already! Skinnytaste recipes NEVER disappoint!
Made this tonight. I followed your recipe for the harissa (minus the red pepper flakes) and also your tzatziki and it was delicious!
Delicious! The entire family loved it -including the kids!
I don’t own a slow cooker or hot pot. How should this be cooked and for how long? Thanks.
You can simmer it on low with a little water covered until the chicken shreds easy.
Thank you!
Hi! I am in the same situation as Elise. Do I simmer the chicken alone or with the sauce and water at the same time? Thanks.
Looks delicious. Morocco is Africa. ?
Morocco is in North Africa
I mistakenly bought the dry powder Harrisa spice blend. Would I just mix that with the peppers and oil?
No, the dry powder won’t work the same.
I’ve made this recipe twice. The first time I made the Harissa myself and the second time I used Mina Harissa. When I made the harissa sauce myself, I didn’t follow the recipe exactly as written (I think I added too many roasted peppers to the homemade harissa) and I was not a fan. It was too acidic for me. The reviews were so good, I tried this recipe again using the Mina Harissa sauce. I’m so glad I gave it a second shot because it was sooooo good! The mild flavor has a great amount of kick without being too spicy. This will be on my meal prep rotation!
I’ve always been intimidated of my pressure cooker pot, I have the old school one. This was a hit in my house and so, so easy. We had it with brown rice, broccoli and the tazatiki sauce. Thank you again for another great recipe, I’ve been following your blog and cooking your recipes since 2010 and you are still one of my fav food bloggers!
Thank you Nativa!
Love this! Made it yesterday and will be having it for dinner tonight! My husband loves it too!
If using this recipe on whole 30 do I just need to omit the chickpeas & yogurt since dairy & beans are not allowed ? Do you also know if that Harissa has any sugar ?
it does not have sugar and yes, serve it over cauliflower rice
Hi Gina, I haven’t made the whole recipe yet but made the sauce tonight. It was way too salty. If I make it again I’ll omit the salt since the roasted red peppers already have salt. Also, the peppers need to be drained really well, perhaps on paper towels, otherwise the consistency is pretty thin.
I made this for the first time this week as my Passover lunch mealprep for work and I have to say it was AMAZING!!!!!!!! I enjoyed it with lots of yummy stuff – cauliflower rice, 1/4 each of a red, yellow and orange bell pepper, 1/4 of a cucumber (sliced), 1 baby avocado and of course the Skinny Tzaziki. Honestly – this may be one of my new favorites. I used the Mina Harissa MILD and it had just the right amount of kick to it without being overbaringly spicy! Highly recommend this recipe!
Great!!
This has become a staple in my house. It’s easily the best thing I make with my instant pot. So good, so fast, and I love how versital it is.
Now I remember why I hunted that Mina Harrisa down! Finally found it at Whole Foods! Thanks for reposting! Going to make it this week!! ?
Has anyone tried using a rotisserie chicken and saving on time?
This. Is. So. Delicious. This is my first week back on WW and this meal is getting me through lunch feeling satisfied from both a hunger standpoint (with the beans and rice) and a flavor standpoint. Thanks, Gina!
I made this last night and thought I would have to call the fire department due to the HOT SPICE. It was so hot that I couldn’t eat it. I like spicy food but this has horrible. Stay away
You probably used a different brand, not the mild one I recommended. Trader Joes I hear is too hot to eat, Mina or my own homemade version here are super mild.
I used the TJ’s harissa and it was super spicy but I liked it! When it got too hot for comfort, I just added more tzatziki to my plate to cool it down.
I absolutely love spicy food and I will say the Trader Joe’s harissa was borderline too hot. we added more homemade tzatzaki to cool it down and that helped. it was delicious and easy though!
Trader Joe’s harissa is tooooooo spicy!! I have made this with both and definitely prefer the Mina!!
This is great for lunches at work! Thanks!!
Heat is so subjective, person-to-person. I agree with Gina and the other poster’s comments. My husband and I like spicy. My husband likes it 911 hot. I used the Mild Mina, as Gina suggested because this was my first time using any harissa. I found it to be just right level for me. My husband said it was good, but he wanted more heat. With that said, make your own or buy the Mina mild. I think you’ll like it better.
Make your own harissa and then you can control the heat. I made the harissa and tzatiki and this recipe was a huge hit with my 3 boys and hubby! Making it again tonight!
I’m actually Eating this right now, and it sooo good! Anyways I made the chicken in the instant pt. and make some tostadas with guacamole
Made this tonight for the first time and it was a hit all around! Even with my 16 month old! Thanks!
Hi Gina!
Why are all of your recipes SO GOOD?!! This recipe is perfect for meal prep — just a few ingredients and done! I will definitely be making this chicken every week for meal prep. Might even try to make my own harissa/tzatziki next week!
As always, thank you for sharing all your recipes! <3
I used the Trader Joe’s harissa and the chicken turned out too spicy even for me! Can’t imagine serving to kids.
I loved this. Living alone I used one boneless chix breast about 10 ounces. I used 3/4 cup of sauce and the pressure cooker. I needed about 30 minutes and the next time I will add water not more sauce. Very tasty. I made a rice bowl with rice/ peas/ chicken and plain yogurt. The plain yogurt was enough. As much as I love TZATZIKI sauce I didn’t have the ingredients. Great!
Made the homemade harissa recipe last night…
Made a double batch. It was so salty I had to add another jar of peppers to dilute the salinity. I know the flavor is meant to season the chicken, but I was overwhelmed with the saltiness of the plain sauce. Not sure why as I normally heavily season my food. I doubled checked the measurements of everything. Maybe the brand of roasted red peppers I used had a higher sodium content than the brand used in the recipe? Is 1.5 teaspoons correct for the kosher salt measurement?
Is a crockpot ok to cook this? If so would the times be the same as the slow cooker?
A crockpot is a slow cooker.
I’m curious how old this dish is 2 points. When I scan the Mina Harissa mild sauce it says zero points.
Made this today for lunches this week, but it’s so good, I want to have it now!! Definitely will be making this often. I used the spicy Mina and it has a great kick to it.
Your homemade harissa is zero points, correct?
yes
I’m about to make this- my question is if you are making this for meal
Prep how do you reheat when the cucumber and garbanzos are best cold ?
Can you tell me why the sodium is so high? Is that with the Mina? Would it be less making your own Harissa? Just wondering. Just seems high for 3 oz chicken and sauce.
Thank you
salt and harissa
This was so easy and delicious! I used spicy Mina with broccoli, chickpeas, and tzaziki. I was so impressed with the flavor, and my husband had three helpings! This will definitely be a staple in my household.
Do you serve this warm or room temperature? I work on the road and don’t have access to a heat source but would love to try and prep this for lunches
cold or hot is fine
Can I ask where the Weight Watchers SP are coming from in this recipe? Under Freestyle, it doesn’t seem like this should have any points at all.
the harissa has oil in it.
I suggest Gina’s salsa chicken as Well*
Sorry about that!
Very easy and delicious!! Made the harissa recipe bc couldn’t find it in the stores..very easy to make and probably less expensive than buying jarred harissa..i also thibkbthis is similar to the crockpot salsa Chicken which is one of my favorite skinnytaste recipes! If you like this recipe i suggest the salsa China’s well!
Uh….this was delicious. It was so flavorful and tasted absolutely naughty. Next time, I would add a little less spice since my kiddos complained that it was a bit much. My husband and I thought it was perfect as is. I wish that I would have had a few tablespoons of feta…that would have been even more amazing. Love this recipe and will definitely make it again!
What would be the changes for slow cooker using boneless skinless thighs? 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low? Thank you!
I had a ton of mixed greens that needed used so I lightly sautéed some in olive oil and garlic and topped with the chicken and some feta cheese. Very tasty and cleaned out the fridge
gave this a spin tonight! so good. i used the instant pot, didn’t add broth or anything and it came out delicious
Seriously so easy and delicious!!! I ordered the mina harissa…you never do me wrong Gina!!! Meal prep after too many sweets from Valentines day!!!
I made my own harissa paste using your instructions, and then slow cooked chicken breasts in it for several hours. It was a hit, really moist, just the right amount of spice and super tasty! Will definetly make this again!
I made the recipe for the harissa using your recipe and it was amazing!, My family preferred that over the jarred sauce.. thanks for the great recipes!!
Do you have any suggestions how I can make this without a crock pot or pressure cooker please? Thanks
Simmer covered on the stove low until the chicken shreds easily.
My husband did the grocery shopping last night and failed to tell me he couldn’t find Harissa sauce, just the spice mix. So I had to wing it today. This is what I did: mixed 1 tbsp spice with 1 tbsp water, then added 1 tbsp olive oil. I poured this over the chicken in the slow cooker and rubbed it in. Then I poured some chicken broth (a cup maybe?) over top and cooked on low for 5 hours. It came out AMAZING! I served it with the Skinnytaste Tzatziki, sliced cumbers, roasted carrots and broccoli, and pita bread. The whole thing came out to 3 points for me (1 for chicken, 2 for pita) and the kids declared it the best meal EVER.
I paid 14 dollars for the Mina harissa on amazon. It was okay, I could do spicier! Going to try the other brands mentioned above. Did anybody else have an issue pulling the chicken? Mine came out very dry in the slow cooker (followed the instructions). ??
I could not fnd the Mina’s in my local market but did find some Portuguese red pepper paste-I can add spices what proportion of the paste and water/broth would you suggest to”equal” the one cup of harissa?
thank you!
I would just make the recipe I provided.
Hi going to make tomorrow and could only find Mina Harissa Spicy and sampled when I got it home. It is pretty hot for me. Is there any way to make it milder? I do have a jar of roasted red peppers that I could put in blender and add if you think that would help?
Yes that would help!
Delish! I served it over cauliflower rice wth the cucumbers and yogurt Tzatziki on the side. My husband and I loved it! A real winner!
So easy and delicious. It really was spicy which I loved!
Amazingly delicious – and I will use that Tzaziki recipe forever!
This turned out great. To those of using Trader Joe’s harissa…it is VERY spicy. I like hot foods, but it was borderline too much for me. I put the chicken over quinoa with cucumbers and some tzaziki to cool it down. Will definitely try again with a hopefully milder harissa
This was yummy and so simple. I only could find the spicy harissa and it is indeed spicy, but I like spice. I’ll have to try it when I can find the mild version!
I used Maya Kaimal’s Jalfrezi Curry instead of Harissa and it is AMAZING! Thank you again for the full meal plans! I’m doing a weight loss challenge at work and these plans are making my life so much easier.
This was delicious and easy to make. I didn’t mind eating it for 4 days at all.
Stop & Shop has Mina Harissa. I’m excited to try this!
Making the homemade harisa was awesome! I went with a bit more seasoning on each ingredient and was not disappointed.
Instant Pot did a great job… making rice in 4 minutes is amazing!
Thanks Skinny Taste! You all are awesome!!
Thanks Kelly!
Found the Mina Harissa at Fresh Market and made this yesterday. I intended to do rice and chickpeas with it, but my 15 year old high-jacked it and made quesadillas with it. Not what I set out to do, but they were excellent!
LOL, glad you enjoyed it.
OMG we made this for dinner last night and im eating leftovers for lunch and i am in LOVE with this recipe.
we served it with cauliflower rice, diced cucumber and tzatziki (like the first photo). i highly recommend you make it!
Hello,
There is an error in the title of the recipe. You wrote “harrisa” but you should read “harissa”. You’ve made that same mistake a couple of time in the main text too.
I’ll try that chicken for my birthday this weekend. Seems delicious!
This was very good. I made the sauce per the recipe & it was super easy. Next time I would add more crushed red pepper because there was not enough heat to it for my taste. I served it with a side of jasmine rice, cucumber & store bought tzatziki sauce & warmed garlic naan bread. This was a keeper!
Yum! This was quick and easy to make and delicious to eat. I put a tomato and cucumbers salad, some chickpeas, and a dollop of tzatziki with it. Great lunch!
So good I made it again for lunches this week!
Super easy and super tasty. Honestly this taste awesome.
We made this tonight and it was delicious! My boys gobbled it up! A win in my book!
This was awesome! Made it into a bowl meal over couscous with garbanzo beans, cucumbers and tzatziki. Excellent!
Just made this tonight. It’s absolutely my new favorite recipe and so healthy. I did put a little vinaigrette on the cucumber and chickpeas. I found that same Harrisa brand at my local store, it was amazing.
I tried this for lunch today and it was amazing! So full of flavour and incredibly easy to do!
Easy and delicious! This is a great weeknight meal. Will definitely make it again.
Mine turned out a little dry, but the sauce helped out with that. I think next time I will use smaller chicken breast. It was super easy and kept me on track with lunches for the week. I used the brand of Harissa that Gina recommended, but also found Harissa at Trader Joe’s that I will be trying out.
I made this Harissa chicken, and it was AMAZING! I happened to have some jarred Harissa in my pantry, and made it this morning to take to lunch using my InstantPot. The Harissa I used was a little salty, so next time maybe I will make it from scratch with your recipe. I will make this again, for sure! I ate it with diced cucumbers and chickpeas I had pan roasted with cumin and a little salt.
Are you sure about the salt in the Harissa? I just made it with 1/2 tsp – seems more than enough (recipe is stating 1.5 tsp)
I used the recipe amount and I thought it was way too salty. I added more roasted peppers to dilute, but it is still salty for me. Glad you had the foresight to adjust before you made it. If I didn’t have the extra red peppers on hand to rescue it i would have thrown it out.