Copycat Cava Harissa Honey Chicken

If you’ve ever waited desperately in line at Cava for your harissa honey chicken, you already know. It’s the one. It’s sweet, spicy, warm from cumin and coriander, and deeply savory in a way that makes everything else in your bowl better. The good news is you can make it at home, and it’s pretty close to the real thing. This recipe for copycat Cava harissa honey chicken uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicy and flavorful in a way that chicken breasts just don’t. And the marinade does most of the heavy lifting.

The star is harissa, a North African chili paste that’s earthy and complex with a slow-building heat that doesn’t just blast your palate. If this is your first time cooking with it, this chicken recipe is the perfect introduction. It pairs beautifully with the brown sugar and honey in the marinade. Go the classic Cava route and build a grain bowl, or tuck it into a warm pita with tzatziki and cucumber. It’s also great over plain rice, on a salad with lemon dressing, or layered into meal-prep containers for the week.

Ingredients for Copycat Cava Harissa Honey Chicken

• Olive oil: Olive oil helps the spices cling to the chicken and keeps it moist during cooking. Use a good extra virgin olive oil here, but nothing too pricey since it’s going into a marinade.
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and tenderizes the chicken during the long marinade. Skip the bottled stuff if you can; freshly juiced lemons make a noticeable difference in the final flavor.
• Brown sugar: Packed brown sugar helps balance the heat from the harissa and encourages a little caramelization when the chicken hits the hot pan.
• Harissa chili paste: Harissa is a Tunisian chili paste made from roasted red peppers, hot red chiles, garlic, and warm spices like coriander and caraway. Look for it in the international aisle at most grocery stores, including Trader Joe’s. Not all harissas are created equal in terms of heat level, so taste yours before adding it, and adjust the amount as needed.
• Garlic: Two minced garlic cloves keep things savory and aromatic without being overwhelming.
• Salt: Salt seasons the chicken all the way through during the overnight soak. Don’t skip it; this marinade needs it.
• Smoked paprika: Smoked paprika gives the chicken that subtle, wood-fire depth you’d normally only get from a grill.
• Cumin and coriander: These two ground spices are classic companions to harissa, adding warmth, earthiness and that distinctly North African and Middle Eastern flavor profile that makes this chicken so craveable.
• Cayenne pepper: If you want more heat, a pinch of cayenne adds a nice kick. Leave it out if your harissa is already on the spicy side, or if you’re feeding heat wimps.
• Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the right call here. They’re more forgiving in a hot skillet than breasts, and they soak up the marinade beautifully. Two pounds will comfortably serve four people.
• Honey: Pure honey is basted onto the chicken near the end of cooking, giving it that sticky, glossy finish and a hit of floral sweetness.

Directions

Step 1: Marinate the chicken

In a small bowl or shallow dish, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, brown sugar, harissa paste, minced garlic, salt, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander and cayenne, if using it. Add the chicken thighs and turn them to coat each piece thoroughly. Refrigerate the chicken in the marinade, covered, for eight hours or overnight.

Editor’s Tip: For the most flavorful result, marinate the chicken for a full eight hours or overnight. This is not a step to rush; the long soak is what makes the chicken taste as if it came from a restaurant.

Step 2: Cook the chicken

Drain and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken, covered, on an oiled rack over medium heat for six to eight minutes on each side or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 170°F.

Step 3: Baste the chicken with honey

During the last five minutes of cooking, baste the chicken occasionally with honey.

Editor’s Tip: You’ll notice that the honey darkens and gets beautifully glossy as it caramelizes. Keep the heat at medium so it doesn’t burn; harissa and sugar can go from golden to scorched quickly.

Step 4: Rest and slice the chicken

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for five minutes before slicing it into 1/2-inch pieces.

Harissa Honey Chicken Variations

• Turn up the heat: If you love spice, use a spicier harissa, double the cayenne, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the marinade. The honey will balance it, so go bolder than you think.
• Make it with chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work here, but watch them closely; they cook faster and dry out more easily than thighs. Pull them when they hit 165°, and don’t skip the rest time.
• Add a yogurt drizzle: Whisk together plain Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of olive oil for a cooling, tzatziki-like sauce that is a natural counterpart to the harissa’s heat.

How to Store Harissa Honey Chicken

To store harissa honey chicken, first let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will last up to four days in the refrigerator. The flavors actually deepen overnight, so day-two leftovers are often even better than the original. You can also freeze sliced chicken for up to three months; lay pieces flat on a sheet pan to freeze them individually before transferring them to a freezer bag.

What’s the best way to heat harissa honey chicken?

The best method for reheating harissa honey chicken is in a quick skillet over medium heat with a small splash of water or chicken broth to keep the meat from drying out. Cover the pan loosely, and cook the chicken for two to three minutes, flipping it once. Microwaving works in a pinch: Cover the chicken loosely and heat it in 30-second intervals, stopping once it’s warmed through. Avoid high heat in either method, since the honey in the glaze can burn quickly.

Copycat Cava Harissa Honey Chicken Tips

How else can you use harissa honey chicken?

Use harissa honey chicken wherever you’d use grilled chicken. It can be the main protein in a big grain salad with bulgur, cucumber and feta. Slice it thin and pile it onto flatbread with hummus and pickled onions for a quick weeknight dinner. Stir leftovers into couscous with raisins and toasted almonds for a Moroccan-leaning meal.

What can you serve with copycat Cava harissa honey chicken?

Serve the harissa honey chicken with fattoush salad, with hummus, tzatziki and pita, or with grilled eggplant. Finish it off with a blueberry basil smash cocktail and a Cava-inspired blondie.