Harrisa Chicken Strips with Creamy Tahini Yogurt Sauce
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This harissa chicken is an easy way to bring the smoky bold flavor of North African cooking into your kitchen. Made with a harissa chile paste marinade and a rich Greek Yogurt tahini sauce, meal is a spicy kick to your chicken.
This dish is perfect for all my spicy lovers as harissa has a loud, bold and peppery flavor. You can find the paste at most grocery stores. The homemade tahini adds a rich creamy element to the spicy chicken and balances the heat perfectly.
Pair with cauliflower rice, air fryer crunchy potatoes or over a bed of rice or turn into a delicious Harissa Chicken Bowl.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 30 grams of protein per serving.
- Low carb and gluten-free.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for this harissa chicken traybake recipe. See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: chicken legs or boneless skinless chicken thighs. You can cut your chicken into slices or big chunks, depending on how you like it. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken slices.
- Harissa Paste: the main ingredients in your marinade. Harissa is chile paste from North Africa made with red pepper and a variety of spices. It can found your local grocery store. You can use store-bought harissa sauce to marinate, if preferred. You can adjust the heat level by using less paste.
- Garlic Powder: you can use twice the amount of fresh garlic cloves, minced.
- Fresh Lime Juice: used in both the tahini sauce as well as the marinade for the chicken. Some people prefer fresh lemon juice to the tahini but I like it with the zesty lime.
- Tahini: a paste of ground sesame used in the yogurt dressing.
- Non Fat Plain Greek Yogurt: or full-fat if you prefer a thicker dressing.
Variations
- Serve over a bed of brown rice or keep it low carb by serving with cauliflower rice.
- Add a side of cherry tomatoes, red peppers, red onion and sweet potatoes and toss it all together for a harissa chicken bowl.
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is gluten-free, as is.
- For dairy-free, use a dairy-free yogurt in the dressing.
How to make this easy harissa chicken recipe (a visual step-by-step guide)
Step 1: marinate and bake the chicken
Add the harissa paste, lemon juice, salt, garlic, granulated onion, cumin, and black pepper to a large bowl (image 1). Stir to combine (image 2) and add the sliced chicken strips (image 3). Place in the fridge to marinate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and add to a sheet pan with any excess sauce and seasonings on top (image 4). Place in the preheated oven in a single layer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Optional, you can broil for an extra 3-5 minutes for a little crisp on top. Cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken strips.
Step 2: let chicken Bake and make yogurt sauce
While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. Combine the tahini, greek yogurt, lime juice, garlic powder, salt and water to a small bowl (image 5) and mix to combine (image 6). Add additional water if you desired for a thinner consistency. Remove the chicken from the oven (image 7) and serve with your tahini yogurt sauce (image 8).
Expert Tip!
For crispier chicken, add a drizzle of olive oil to the chicken prior to broiling.
Recipe FAQs
 This will last all week, up to 4-5 days. I like to prep into individual containers and eat it for lunch or dinner all week long.Â
Serve your chicken as is or over a bed of white or brown rice. I love to cut it up and add to a salad as the week goes on.
Check out our other easy recipes!
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Harissa Chicken
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Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 1/4 cup harissa sauce (paste), mild I like MINA brand
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. granulated onion or onion powder
- fresh cracked pepper
For the Tahini Sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. water
Garnish
- fresh chopped parsley
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Add the harissa paste, lemon juice, salt, garlic, granulated onion, cumin, and black pepper. Stir to combine and add the sliced chicken strips. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large baking pan with nonstick spray.Â
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and add to a sheet pan with any excess sauce and seasonings on top. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Optional, you can broil for an extra 3-5 minutes for a little crisp on top.Â
- While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. Combine the tahini, greek yogurt, lime juice, garlic powder, salt and water and mix to combine. Add additional water if you desired for a thinner consistency.Â
- Remove the chicken from the oven and serve. Serving size is 3.2 oz. cooked chicken with 31g of sauce for dipping.Â
Notes
- Nutritional information is an estimate for 3.2 oz. cooked chicken and 31 grams of sauce and will change with any substitutions.Â
