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Why It Works
- A fast marinade seasons the floor and permits salt to penetrate into the meat, boosting taste and juiciness.
- Lowering a portion of the marinade concentrates its taste and thickens it right into a sauce that coats and clings to the grilled rooster.
- Excessive-heat grilling caramelizes the sugars within the marinade, creating complicated, layered flavors and a deep char on the rooster.
Candy, smoky, spicy, and sticky—these grilled harissa and honey rooster skewers are the whole lot I would like from summer time grilling. Harissa and honey might appear to be a barely sudden pairing, however collectively they create an ideal steadiness of warmth and sweetness. It is a taste combo that at all times surprises my company— in the easiest way—and it is ridiculously simple to tug off.
It begins with a daring marinade with fiery harissa, pungent garlic, heat cumin, and vibrant citrus that coats the rooster. On the grill, excessive warmth caramelizes the marinade’s sugars and chars the meat, creating deep, smoky layers of taste. Simply earlier than serving, a thick, harissa-honey glaze is brushed over the skewers, including a shiny, sticky end and an additional burst of candy and spicy notes.
The Star Ingredient within the Moroccan-Impressed Marinade
This recipe is impressed by Moroccan delicacies—harissa is the center and soul of North African cooking. Comprised of crimson chiles, garlic, spices, and olive oil, harissa varies from area to area however at all times delivers heat, complexity, and refined smokiness. In Morocco, it’s typically served alongside tagines and roasted meats; right here, it takes heart stage within the marinade and sauce, including depth and a refined kick to each chew.
The marinade right here does double responsibility: It first seasons the floor with layers of harissa warmth, pungent garlic, citrusy brightness, and heat spices, together with cumin and paprika, and in addition permits salt to penetrate into the meat, enhancing its juiciness and amplifying seasoning past the floor. A portion of the marinade is put aside earlier than the rooster is added, then simmered right into a thick, shiny glaze that’s brushed on simply earlier than serving. The result’s sticky, shiny skewers with an additional candy and spicy taste.
The standard of the harissa used on this recipe considerably impacts the ultimate dish, and its warmth degree can vary from gentle to intensely spicy. Search for one that’s effectively balanced, ideally one which isn’t extraordinarily scorching, in order that it enhances the dish with out overwhelming the opposite flavors. A milder, high-quality harissa will convey the specified complexity and aroma whereas conserving the warmth in test. Within the US, I like to recommend the gentle harissa from the model Mina, which is understood for its balanced taste and warmth—it tastes nice however would not overpower the opposite elements with which it is paired. The place I reside within the UK, I typically use the model Belazu, which can also be obtainable at some US outlets. It’s also possible to use home made harissa.
Why Hen Thighs Work Finest
I desire boneless, skinless rooster thighs for this recipe. Thighs are naturally juicier and extra forgiving than rooster breasts—they keep moist and tender over excessive warmth and have extra inherent taste. Breast meat can dry out shortly, particularly when grilled, and would not maintain up as effectively to daring seasonings. For those who’re set on utilizing breasts, go forward, however you may wish to watch the cooking time intently and pull them sooner than you’d thighs to keep away from dryness.
The way you thread the rooster additionally issues. Pack the items tightly collectively on the skewer. This retains the rooster from spinning round as you flip it on the grill (which ends up in uneven cooking and frustration) and helps promote higher browning and caramelization on the skin. Go away only a little bit of area on the ends to make dealing with simpler; in any other case, comfortable is the best way to go.
Fireplace because the Last Seasoning
The grill does greater than merely cook dinner the rooster—the hearth acts as a seasoning of its personal, seamlessly mixing with harissa’s smokiness and layers of spices, boosting the flavors even additional.
As soon as off the grill and glazed, the skewers are able to go. They make an extremely versatile meal: Serve them with a cooling yogurt sauce, tuck them into heat flatbreads, or pair them with a easy couscous salad. Whether or not you are firing up the grill on a sunny weekend or whipping up a fast weeknight dinner, these rooster skewers ship daring taste with simply the correct amount of heat.
These Harissa-Honey Glazed Hen Skewers Prepare dinner in Below 15 Minutes
Prepare dinner Mode
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3 tablespoons (45 ml) harissa paste (see notes)
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3 tablespoons (45 ml) honey
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3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
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2 tablespoons (30 ml) contemporary lemon juice, from 1 medium lemon
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3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
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1 1/2 teaspoons floor cumin
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1 1/2 teaspoons candy paprika
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1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt use half as a lot by quantity
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1 1/2 kilos boneless skinless rooster thighs or breasts, minimize into 1-inch cubes (see notes)
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4 to six (10- to 12-inch lengthy) picket or steel cooking skewers (see notes)
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In a big bowl, whisk collectively harissa, honey, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, and salt. Switch about 1/3 of marinade to a small saucepan.
Critical Eats/ Melati Citrawireja
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Add rooster items to giant bowl with marinade and toss to evenly coat. Cowl and refrigerate for no less than 1 hour or as much as 8 hours.
Critical Eats/ Melati Citrawireja
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In the meantime, cook dinner reserved marinade in saucepan over medium warmth, stirring steadily, till it reduces by half, turns into thick and shiny, and coats the again of a spoon, about 3 to five minutes. Put aside.
Critical Eats/ Melati Citrawireja
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Thread the rooster items onto skewers, packing them tightly as you go.
Critical Eats/ Melati Citrawireja
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For a Charcoal Grill: Open backside vent utterly. Mild giant chimney starter crammed 3/4 with charcoal briquettes (4 quarts). When high coals are partially coated with ash, pour evenly over backside of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cowl, and open lid vent utterly. Warmth grill till scorching, about 5 minutes.
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For a Gasoline Grill: Flip all burners to excessive, cowl grill and warmth till scorching, about quarter-hour. Go away all burners on excessive.
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Clear and oil cooking grate. Prepare skewers on the grill and cook dinner, turning as wanted for even browning, till rooster is properly charred, cooked via, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest a part of every rooster piece registers no less than 175°F (76°C), 8 to 12 minutes for thighs and 165°F (74°C), 6 to 10 minutes for breasts. Switch to a serving platter. Utilizing a pastry brush, brush scorching rooster with lowered glaze and serve instantly.
Critical Eats/ Melati Citrawireja
Critical Eats/ Melati Citrawireja
Particular Gear
Small saucepan, 4 to six (10- to 12-inch lengthy) picket or steel cooking skewers, charcoal or gasoline grill, grilling tongs, chimney starter if utilizing charcoal grill, pastry brush
Notes
For greatest outcomes, search for a mild-to-medium-spicy harissa to steadiness warmth with out overpowering the opposite flavors. I like to recommend gentle harissa and like the model Mina.
I desire utilizing rooster thighs on this recipe, however boneless, skinless rooster breasts may even work.
If utilizing picket skewers, soak them in water for half-hour earlier than threading the rooster on and grill instantly after threading.
Make-Forward and Storage
The marinade could be ready and refrigerated in an hermetic container as much as 7 days forward.
The glaze could be cooked after which refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 7 days forward; gently reheat earlier than brushing on the cooked rooster.
The rooster could be marinated for as much as 8 hours.
Leftover cooked skewers could be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.