Here’s a quick and easy chicken dinner that could spice up your night! This Harissa Chicken recipe is marinated in non-dairy coconut yogurt and Trader Joe’s harissa paste. It cooks in less than 30 minutes and your tummy will thank you later.
The Origin of Harissa
Harissa, though has become more popular recently, has been around for centuries. It is a famous North African spice that originated in Tunisia and is used widely as a condiment in its neighboring countries. It’s a blend of red chili peppers, garlic, and olive oil. To learn more, visit Harissa: The Story Behind North Africa’s Favorite Hot Sauce by Benjamin Morris.
My First Time Trying Harissa Spice
The first time I was exposed to harissa spice mix was when I received my first box meal delivery kit from Hello Fresh. They provided me with sour cream and a harissa spice mix to marinate my chicken in. I was so blown away by how simply delicious it was! A year later after I canceled my subscription with Hello Fresh, I could not stop thinking about it and craved it more each day. I knew I had to recreate it again. Unfortunately, I could not find the recipe and had to recall my experience instead. So needlessly to say–it took a few tries until I mastered it.
Harissa Paste vs. Harissa Spice Mix
For the first few times, I had simply bought a harissa seasoning to begin testing recipes. I quickly learned that it did not quite hit the smoky savory flavor I was going for and had to use way more of the spice to accomplish this flavor. I also thought about making it from scratch, but I just did not have the time and I know I would not want to stress you out by having to look for these ingredients at your local supermarket.
However, if you would like to spend some time creating from scratch I encourage you to do so! It’s important to get to know your ingredients and control the amount of nightshades for your diet plan. Here’s a harissa recipe from scratch by The Mediterranean Dish.
So there I was at Trader Joe’s–drawn by the red hot chile pepper Harissa paste in a jar. It was calling me! I was so excited that I made Harissa Chicken as soon as I got home. Oh boy, it only took one time and it was delicious!
Lactose-Free: Nondairy Yogurt-Marinated Harissa Chicken
For this recipe, I used Cocoyo’s Pure Coconut Yogurt.
It’s by far my favorite because it contains probiotic culture and no sugar has been added–making this a fantastic gut-friendly dinner!
Is Harissa AIP-friendly?
Unfortunately, it is not AIP-friendly because it contains red hot chili peppers which are nightshades. However, once you graduate from the elimination phase and transition into the reintroduction stage you may learn that you can tolerate nightshades.
Fortunately, it is paleo, keto, and Whole30-friendly! Refer to my previous blog post breaking down Whole30 vs. AIP: What is the Difference and How Does the Paleo Diet Compare?
Harissa Chicken Sides:
Personally, I have learned that my body tolerates potatoes (also a nightshade) very well. It took some time to find comfort in eating potatoes again but when I started out, I first just boiled them rather than making deep-fried french fries. Gradually, I transitioned into my new obsession: smashed potatoes! Yes, you read that right–not mashed potatoes, SMASHED POTATOES. Simply boil some potatoes in salted water. Once it is tender, take it out of the water and smash them. Drizzle olive oil and season with garlic powder then pop them into the oven at 350ºF. (Optional: roast carrots with the smashed potatoes). Once they are golden brown and crispy, take them out of the oven and serve.
Plating: I smeared some Avocado Crema (find my recipe here) on my plate then added smashed potatoes with roasted carrots. Top it off with harissa chicken and garnish with cilantro.
AIP-Friendly Side: Another option is to serve this with cauliflower rice or my Creamy Mashed Cauliflower recipe! Enjoy!
If you loved this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and tag me on Instagram and Tik Tok! @eatsallornothing
Harissa Chicken
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- 1 lb chicken thighs
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin toasted
- 1 tsp lemon juiced
- 2 tbsp Trader Joe's Tunisian Harissa Paste
- 2 tbsp Cocoyo coconut yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic confit optional
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Instructions:
- On a medium-sized bowl, combine salt, cumin, lemon, Harissa paste, coconut yogurt and garlic confit. Mix well then add the chicken to marinade for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat some olive oil on a large skillet. Cook chicken on medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes on both sides or until temperature reaches 165 ºF.
- Serve with a side of smashed potatoes and roasted carrots. Enjoy!
