Harissa Chicken Bowls (CAVA Copycat!)
These Harissa Chicken Bowls are inspired by the fan-favorite, fast food restaurant. Make your own CAVA-style harissa chicken bowl at home with this crazy-good recipe. It's loaded with harissa honey chicken with toppings like greens, rice, tomato/cucumber salad, tzatziki, hummus, and a homemade harissa vinaigrette. There's so much flavor-filled goodness here and it's super customizable, too!
Ingredients
- ¼ cgood-quality olive oil
- 2tablespoons harissa paste
heaping
- 2 tbspred wine vinegar
- 1 tbspfresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsppure honey
- 3 clovesgarlic
finely minced or pressed
- to tastekosher salt
- ¼ cwater
to thin
- 1 ½ lbboneless/skinless chicken thighs
about 5-6 pieces
- 2 tbspharissa paste
- 2 tbsppure honey
- 3 tbspolive oil
divided
- 1 tbspworcestershire sauce
- to tastekosher salt
- basmati rice
salad mix of greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickled red onions, crumbled feta, tzatziki, hummus, fire-roasted corn, avocado, & warm pita bread or pita chips, as desired, or rice of choice
Directions
For the harissa vinaigrette:
- 1
Prep vinaigrette. In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the olive oil, harissa paste, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic, salt- to taste, and water. Stir (or shake) the vinaigrette well to fully combine. Cover and transfer into the refrigerator for flavors to meld for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
For the harissa chicken:
- 1
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Then place the chicken into a large bowl or gallon-sized ziplock bag. Add the harissa paste, honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil, worcestershire sauce, and salt- to taste. Use your hands (fitted with disposable gloves, if desired) to massage all of the marinade mixture into the chicken, ensuring the chicken is nicely coated.
- 2
Cover the bowl with a lid/plastic wrap or seal plastic bag and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes or, more preferably, overnight (for the best results!). If marinating overnight, just be sure to go back and stir/massage the chicken at least once for even flavor marination.
- 3
After the chicken has marinated, it’s ready to cook. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, working in batches, add the marinated chicken thighs into the skillet- shaking off any excess marinade and discard. Let the chicken sear, undisturbed, until a deep golden sear appears, about 5-6 minutes. Then flip the chicken to continue searing on the other side, about 4-5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and registers at least 165°F when checked with an internal thermometer. Set cooked chicken aside onto a cutting board and repeat process as needed.
- 4
Use a sharp knife to cut the cooked chicken into rough chunks.
- 5
Add the chopped harissa chicken, rice, and greens into shallow bowls. Then top and finish off bowls with your desired toppings: tomatoes/cucumbers, pickled red onions, crumbled feta, fire-roasted corn, avocado, and a scoop of hummus and tzatziki, as you prefer. Then drizzle a desired amount of the reserved harissa vinaigrette over everything. Serve immediately as-is or with warm pita bread (as pictured) or pita chips, it’s extra delicious. Enjoy!
About this Recipe
Create Your Own CAVA Magic: Harissa Chicken Bowls at Home!
Craving the incredible flavors of a CAVA bowl without leaving your kitchen? Look no further! These Harissa Chicken Bowls are a fantastic CAVA copycat recipe, bringing all the vibrant, fresh tastes you love right to your table. They're quick, easy, and incredibly satisfying, perfect for a weeknight dinner or meal prep.
At the heart of this dish is the unbelievably flavorful harissa honey chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are marinated and cooked to tender perfection, infused with the smoky, spicy notes of harissa paste balanced with a touch of sweet honey and savory Worcestershire. This creates a juicy, irresistibly seasoned protein that's the star of your homemade chicken bowls.
But a great bowl isn't just about the protein! What truly makes these Cava harissa bowls shine is the combination of fresh toppings and a bright, zesty harissa vinaigrette. Imagine fluffy basmati rice, crisp salad greens, a refreshing tomato and cucumber salad, creamy hummus, cool tzatziki, and all your favorite extras like pickled red onions and feta. The homemade vinaigrette ties it all together, adding another layer of spicy, tangy goodness.
These Harissa Chicken Bowls are designed for customization. Adjust the spice level of your harissa chicken, swap out greens, or add extra veggies. It's an explosion of Mediterranean-inspired flavors that feels gourmet but is surprisingly simple to make. Get ready to elevate your home cooking and enjoy your very own CAVA-style feast!