Harissa Honey Chicken Thighs
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My harissa honey chicken has juicy bone-in chicken thighs baked until the skin is crispy, then broiled with a sticky, sweet, and gently spicy harissa honey glaze. It’s a proper family dinner version of a flavor combination you’ve probably had at CAVA.
I developed this sweet and spicy chicken recipe back in 2015, well before harissa honey chicken became the CAVA favorite it is today. My version is quite different from theirs. Where CAVA slices chicken thin and serves it over a bowl, this one leans into a proper family dinner: whole bone-in chicken thighs baked and broiled until the skin is crispy and the glaze is sticky and slightly caramelized.
My two-step cooking method is what makes it work. First, the chicken bakes until it’s cooked through and the skin has crisped up. Then I drain off the rendered fat, pour the harissa honey sauce over the top, and broil for 5 minutes. That short broil is where everything comes together. The sauce clings to the crispy skin, browns just slightly under the direct heat, and turns sticky and glossy without the sugars burning.
If you skip the initial bake and just pan-sear the chicken with the sauce (like most versions do), the honey will scorch long before the meat cooks through. Baking first, then saucing, is what makes this feel restaurant-quality while staying foolproof at home. Serve it with rice, roasted vegetables, or a big green salad and dinner is done.
What to serve with harissa honey chicken
The sticky, sweet, and gently spicy glaze pairs beautifully with almost any side, but a few things work especially well:
- A soft, fluffy grain to soak up the extra sauce, like basmati rice, lemon butter orzo, or warm pita
- Something creamy and cooling to balance the harissa’s warmth, like hummus, a dollop of Greek yogurt, or a simple tzatziki
- A fresh, bright salad to cut through the richness, like a cucumber tomato salad or a lemony arugula salad
- Roasted vegetables that hold up to bold flavor, like roasted fingerling potatoes
Harissa Honey Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup harissa
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic (very finely minced)
- Minced cilantro (to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Season both sides of your chicken thighs with salt and pepper and then place them in an oven-proof pan. Drizzle the oil over the top and then bake the chicken for 35-40 minutes, until it is cooked through. The juices should run clear and the internal temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.8 bone-in chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. Whisk the honey, harissa, vinegar, and garlic in a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil and continue to boil it, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat.½ cup honey, ¼ cup harissa, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Turn the oven to broil – see notes. Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully drain off all the liquid in the pan.Minced cilantro
- Pour the harissa honey sauce over the chicken then return the chicken to the oven and broil for about 5 minutes, until the top of the chicken looks sticky and starts to darken. Serve the chicken with some cilantro over the top.
Notes
Nutrition
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I am making this tomorrow. If I marinate the chicken in the glaze do I also put the glaze on again after it bakes? Will that be too spicy? Also, it says use white vinegar but in another part it says apple cider vinegar. What would the difference be between the two?
I wouldn’t marinate the chicken in the glaze otherwise you’ll have a hard time cooking the chicken without burning the glaze. But if you decide to marinate the chicken, make sure to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as they will cook the fastest. As far as the vinegar goes, either will work. But thank you for noting that discrepancy!
Trying this tonight! Saw the comment regarding cooking time. Just an FYI, uour directions do not include the additional 10 mins cooking time; you jump right to the 10 min broil.
I’m sure this will be delish!
One of the best chicken dishes I’ve ever made. Very easy recipe. Will be making it many more times
Can you cute the boneless chicken breasts into small cubes or will this dry the chicken too much?
You could do that, but I would adapt this to make on the stovetop in that case. Sear the chicken pieces lightly then add the sauce and let it thicken. Should take you about 15 minutes total.