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cava honey harissa chicken recipe with vinaigrette, avocado, pita, feta, and onions

CAVA Honey Harissa Chicken Recipe

5 from 44 votes
This homemade CAVA bowl features tender chicken marinated in a delicious honey harissa sauce and tossed with Mediterranean-style toppings. It's all placed over a bed of basmati rice and lettuce, drizzled with a hot harissa vinaigrette, and served with a warm pita.
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Prep Time10 minutes
Marinade Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Author: Molly

INGREDIENTS

Honey Harissa Chicken Thighs

  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 4 Tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 2 Tablespoons Harissa paste (Note 1)
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • Juice from 1/2 a lemon
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Hot Harissa Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Harissa paste adjust to desired spice level
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 garlic cloves minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Bowl and Toppings

  • 2 cups Cooked Basmati rice 1 cup uncooked (Note 2)
  • Mixed salad greens + olive oil to taste
  • 1 Ripe avocado sliced
  • Pickled red onions to taste homemade or store-bought
  • Crumbled feta or Crazy feta to taste (Note 3)
  • Marinated cucumbers and tomatoes store-bought or homemade (Note 4)
  • Hummus to taste
  • Pita Chips pita bread, or naan for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Marinate the chicken. Toss the chicken in a medium bowl or a large plastic bag with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, Harissa, honey, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
  • Prep the toppings. This is a good time to make and prep the toppings while the chicken is marinating. Cook the rice according to the package directions and prep all of your desired toppings. Toss your greens with a small drizzle of olive oil and toss to coat.
  • Make the vinaigrette. Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients to a medium jar and whisk to combine or close the lid and shake well. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill while you make the chicken.
  • Drizzle 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot and shimmering, place the chicken thighs smooth side down and sear until deeply golden-brown, 5-6 minutes without moving. Flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches about 160°F (165°F target temperature while it rests). Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board.
  • Assemble the bowls. Add greens, rice, and desired toppings to serving bowls. Use a sharp knife to roughly chop the chicken and arrange them in the bowls. Drizzle with prepared vinaigrette and serve with warm pita bread.

Recipe Equipment

Freezer bag or bowl for marinating chicken
Medium skillet

Notes

Note 1. Harissa Paste. You can find Harissa in your local grocery store or purchase it on Amazon.
Note 2. Basmati Rice. Follow the package directions to make 1 cup of basmati rice to yield enough for 4-5 people.
Note 3. Crazy Feta. Blend 8 ounces feta, 1 Tbsp diced jalapeno, 2 Tablespoons red onion, and 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a food processor until smooth.
Note 4. Marinated cucumbers and tomatoes. Sometimes you can find this in the deli section of your grocery store with the other marinated olives etc. If not, toss 1 cup of chopped tomatoes (any kind) and 1 cup of diced Persian or English cucumber with 1-2 Tablespoon olive oil and 1 Tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Add a pinch of dried dill, dried basil, dried thyme, and salt. Let it marinate while you cook the chicken.
Toppings: I recommend making/buying all of the toppings, if possible. However, if I had to choose three, I'd use the pickled onion, avocado, and feta (preferably crazy feta).
Dairy-Free: this recipe is naturally dairy-free. Just don't add the feta or crazy feta to the top!
Spice Level: Harissa is pretty spicy, so start with less and add more as needed. This amount of spice was perfect for me (I don’t love spicy food), but my husband added more. Sweetness balances out heat, so if you find you’ve added too much spice to the dressing add more honey to balance it out.
*Nutrition information includes chicken, rice, and greens. It does not include other toppings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.9g | Protein: 29.1g | Fat: 28.3g | Cholesterol: 127.8mg | Sodium: 778.1mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 6.1g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 14.9mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_mollymade or tag #WhatMollyMade so I can see it and feature you!