:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/20250603-SEA-HoneyHarissaGlazedChickenSkewers-MelatiCitrawireja-HERO-5882a5941e7d4c84abc6fe37f1577b27.jpg?w=1920&resize=1920,1440&ssl=1 "These Harissa-Honey Glazed Rooster Skewers Cook dinner in Underneath 15 Minutes")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/20250603-SEA-HoneyHarissaGlazedChickenSkewers-MelatiCitrawireja-HERO-5882a5941e7d4c84abc6fe37f1577b27.jpg)
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 hen.
- Excessive-heat grilling caramelizes the sugars within the marinade, creating complicated, layered flavors and a deep char on the hen.
Candy, smoky, spicy, and sticky—these grilled harissa and honey hen skewers are all the things I would like from summer season grilling. Harissa and honey could seem 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 friends— in the easiest way—and it is ridiculously straightforward to tug off.
It begins with a daring marinade with fiery harissa, pungent garlic, heat cumin, and vibrant citrus that coats the hen. 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 guts and soul of North African cooking. Constituted of pink 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 chunk.
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 likewise 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 hen 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 delicate to intensely spicy. Search for one that’s properly balanced, ideally one which isn’t extraordinarily sizzling, in order that it enhances the dish with out overwhelming the opposite flavors. A milder, high-quality harissa will carry the specified complexity and aroma whereas preserving the warmth in examine. Within the US, I like to recommend the delicate harissa from the model Mina, which is thought for its balanced taste and warmth—it tastes nice however does not overpower the opposite components with which it is paired. The place I dwell within the UK, I typically use the model Belazu, which can be obtainable at some US outlets. You may also use home made harissa.
Why Rooster Thighs Work Greatest
I choose boneless, skinless hen thighs for this recipe. Thighs are naturally juicier and extra forgiving than hen breasts—they keep moist and tender over excessive warmth and have extra inherent taste. Breast meat can dry out rapidly, particularly when grilled, and does not maintain up as properly to daring seasonings. In the event you’re set on utilizing breasts, go forward, however you may need to watch the cooking time carefully and pull them sooner than you’ll thighs to keep away from dryness.
The way you thread the hen additionally issues. Pack the items tightly collectively on the skewer. This retains the hen from spinning round as you flip it on the grill (which results in uneven cooking and frustration) and helps promote higher browning and caramelization on the skin. Depart only a little bit of area on the ends to make dealing with simpler; in any other case, comfortable is the way in which to go.
Hearth because the Remaining Seasoning
The grill does greater than merely cook dinner the hen—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 hen skewers ship daring taste with simply the correct amount of heat.
These Harissa-Honey Glazed Rooster Skewers Cook dinner in Underneath 15 Minutes
Cook dinner Mode
(Preserve display screen awake)
-
3 tablespoons (45 ml) harissa paste (see notes)
-
3 tablespoons (45 ml) honey
-
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
-
2 tablespoons (30 ml) contemporary lemon juice, from 1 medium lemon
-
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
-
1 1/2 teaspoons floor cumin
-
1 1/2 teaspoons candy paprika
-
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt use half as a lot by quantity
-
1 1/2 kilos boneless skinless hen thighs or breasts, lower into 1-inch cubes (see notes)
-
4 to six (10- to 12-inch lengthy) picket or steel cooking skewers (see notes)
-
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
-
Add hen items to massive bowl with marinade and toss to evenly coat. Cowl and refrigerate for not less than 1 hour or as much as 8 hours.
Critical Eats/ Melati Citrawireja
-
In the meantime, cook dinner reserved marinade in saucepan over medium warmth, stirring ceaselessly, 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
-
Thread the hen items onto skewers, packing them tightly as you go.
Critical Eats/ Melati Citrawireja
-
For a Charcoal Grill: Open backside vent utterly. Gentle massive chimney starter stuffed 3/4 with charcoal briquettes (4 quarts). When prime coals are partially lined with ash, pour evenly over backside of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cowl, and open lid vent utterly. Warmth grill till sizzling, about 5 minutes.
-
For a Fuel Grill: Flip all burners to excessive, cowl grill and warmth till sizzling, about quarter-hour. Depart all burners on excessive.
-
Clear and oil cooking grate. Prepare skewers on the grill and cook dinner, turning as wanted for even browning, till hen is properly charred, cooked by way of, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest a part of every hen piece registers not 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 sizzling hen with diminished glaze and serve instantly.
Critical Eats/ Melati Citrawireja
Critical Eats/ Melati Citrawireja
Particular Tools
Small saucepan, 4 to six (10- to 12-inch lengthy) picket or steel cooking skewers, charcoal or fuel 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 delicate harissa and like the model Mina.
I choose utilizing hen thighs on this recipe, however boneless, skinless hen breasts may even work.
If utilizing picket skewers, soak them in water for half-hour earlier than threading the hen on and grill instantly after threading.
Make-Forward and Storage
The marinade might be ready and refrigerated in an hermetic container as much as 7 days forward.
The glaze might be cooked after which refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 7 days forward; gently reheat earlier than brushing on the cooked hen.
The hen might be marinated for as much as 8 hours.
Leftover cooked skewers might be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/20250603-SEA-HoneyHarissaGlazedChickenSkewers-MelatiCitrawireja-HERO-5882a5941e7d4c84abc6fe37f1577b27.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1&description=These+Harissa-Honey+Glazed+Rooster+Skewers+Cook+dinner+in+Underneath+15+Minutes){kind=link}