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30 Minute Harissa Butter Chicken. Chicken cooked with butter, spices, honey, Harissa sauce, and creamy coconut milk. It’s creamy, a little spicy, and filled with the yummiest flavors. Serve the chicken and sauce over bowls of rice. Add pomegranate arils, herbs, and salty feta cheese. And if you have some, warm buttery naan on the side is so great! The perfect bowl of comfort food – and the leftovers are even more delicious the next day.
When January hits, I always crave a little more variety. The holiday recipes are my favorite of all time, but they tend to be more traditional, and they can lack in color.
With so much winter white and the beyond-cold days and nights, I’m always inspired to create cozy dinners that have color and so much flavor. This is when I start really digging deep and outside the type of recipes I’ve been sharing.
I adore using harissa sauce to give added spice and flavor. But I only have a handful of recipes with harissa, which is just shocking!
So long ago, I made a Moroccan-style chicken with harissa in the sauce. I was so excited when I stumbled upon this old recipe. It inspired me to make another!
This is kind of like a Moroccan-style butter chicken using honey and harissa. But I added some coconut milk to make a creamy sauce. The flavors are spicy-sweet, and the chicken is SO DELICIOUS.
Here are the details
Ingredients
- salted butter
- chicken breasts or thighs – I love a mix
- yellow onions
- garlic
- smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, and chili flakes
- red harissa sauce – I love Mina Harissa and usually get the spicy
- honey
- canned coconut milk
Ingredients – for topping
- pomegranate arils
- mixed herbs – mint, cilantro and scallions
- lemon juice
- toasted sesame seeds
- crumbled feta cheese
Tools
You need a skillet and not much else. Easy!
Steps
Step 1: start cooking the chicken
In a skillet, cook the chicken and onions with butter. Once the chicken is seared, add the garlic and spices. I use smoked paprika, cumin, and chili powder.
Then, season it all with salt, pepper, and chili flavors.
Step 2: add the harissa
Next, I usually like to add a couple more tablespoons of salted butter. Then mix in the harissa and the honey. Cook until the harissa is sticking to the chicken. Lastly, mix in about a cup of canned coconut milk.
This will already smell amazing.
Step 3: simmer
Simmer until the sauce thickens around the chicken. And then it’s ready!
Step 4: serve
For serving, I mix pomegranate arils with lots of fresh herbs – cilantro is a favorite. Then lemon, sesame seeds, and plenty of feta cheese.
Add some rice to bowls, spoon over the chicken, and top with the pomegranate, herbs, and feta mix.
Altogether, this should take less than 30 minutes, but we’re going to say 30 just to be on the safe side!
Most importantly, “It’s fire!” as my brothers always love to say! Meaning this dish is so DELISH!
Looking for other busy weeknight-night recipes? Try these!
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema
Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Salmon with Caesar Roasted Potatoes
One Skillet Cheesy Green Chile Chicken
Lastly, if you make this 30 Minute Harissa Butter Chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
30 Minute Harissa Butter Chicken
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 488 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- salt and black pepper
- chili flakes
- 2-3 tablespoons Harissa sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 2 cups pomegranate arils
- 1 cup mixed herbs: mint, cilantro, and scallions
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- steamed rice and naan for serving
Instructions
- 1. In a large skillet, add the butter, chicken, and onion. Set the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until golden, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, chili powder, and season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, then mix in the harissa and honey.2. Reduce the heat to low. Add the coconut milk. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.3. In a bowl, combine the pomegranate arils, herbs, feta, lemon juice, and sesame seeds.4. Serve the chicken over bowls of rice with the pomegranate mix and fresh naan. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on January 9, 2025
Amazing taste and super quick to put together. An instant hit and I’ve been asked to make it again :)! Definitely saving this recipe.
Hi Sherry! Thank you SO much, I’m so glad you loved this chicken! Thanks for trying out the recipe! 🙂 xT
This was delicious! So easy and quick to make. The herbs and feta added great flavor.
Thanks so much, Jenna!! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for making it!
Easy and amazing taste. The mix with pomegranate & herbs brings this dish to a next level ! Will do it again !
Do you think I can cook chicken ahead and add coconut milk last minute ?
This would be easier to prepare for a large group. Thanks
Hey Josee,
Happy Sunday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was a winner!! Sure, I don’t see why that wouldn’t work for you! xx
Another fast and delicious recipe! Doubled it and was still under 30 minutes. The pomegranates and feta and herbs should not be skipped. So good! Thank you!
Hey Molly,
Fantastic! I appreciate you trying this recipe, love to hear it turned out well for you! Enjoy your day:)
This was a hit at my house. Will make again.
Hey Thema,
Awesome!! So glad to hear this dish was a hit with your family, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week! xT
You’re a genius. A magician. An icon. This was incredible. Your recipes are ALWAYS incredible. The pomegranate mix- next level.
I’m looking forward Salisbury Steak tomorrow from Quick and Cozy tomorrow!
Lol thanks so much, Bethany:) So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it! Let me know how the salisbury steak is! xx
This was delicious! The herbs and feta made the dish, we weren’t sure looking at it on paper but we were wrong 😋
Hey Claire,
Thanks so much:) Love to hear this recipe was a hit, I appreciate you making it! Have a great weekend! xT
Could you use chile paste if you don’t have harissa?
Hey Chelsey,
The flavors are going to be a bit different, but yes, that will work for you. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
This is yummy, Can it be frozen ?
Thanks so much, Elaine! Yes, you can freeze this!
I’m the only one in my family who loves spice so I had to cut most of the spices in half but it still turned out delicious!
Thanks so much, Andrea! So glad to hear your family enjoyed this recipe, I appreciate you making it! xx
We thought this was delicious and also very spicy, maybe because we only used half of the chicken called for (which was enough for the two of us). I wasn’t sure at first, but the pomegranate aril mix was perfect. Definitely one we’ll be making again.
Thanks so much, Helen! Love to hear your family enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it! xT
Fast and easy. Absolutely bursting with flavor. Another win with Tiegan who makes cooking in your 70s fun again.
Hi Nancy,
So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a wonderful week! xx
This was such a flavorful, quick dinner to make. I made the coconut rice with it instead because it’s the only way I want rice now. My teenage boys both complimented the recipe- so I’ll be glad to add this to the rotation. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Chelsea! So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it! Have a wonderful weekend! xT
OMG, this was fantastic! The combo of the flavors really surprised me. It was so delicious. My husband told me that I gave him too much and he would save some for the next day. The next thing I know he says never mind. Funny thing is , that I cut the recipe in half because it’s only the two of us and I thought there would be plenty of leftovers. Unfortunately there are none. I will definitely put an Asterisk by this one and make it again ,especially for company who likes this kind of food. Can’t say enough about how good it was.
Hi Karen,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this dish and sharing your feedback, love to hear it was enjoyed! XxT
So good I made it twice in one week!!!
I will say it does take longer than 3-5 min to cook chicken until “golden” and the prep time is not 10min. (Have you ever ‘peeled’ open and removed pomegranate seeds? That took me 15 min alone, lol!
I do simmer the sauce until it has thickened and reduced. It also made it more flavorful on round 2. Instead of the pomegranate salad I did roasted broccoli the second time and it was equally delicious!
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hi Heather,
Awesome! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a great rest of the week:) Xxx
Heather next time just buy your pomegranate arils ready to eat you can buy at most grocery stores, Walmart has them.
This is excellent! My 7 year old said “I really liked that
Hi Danielle,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for trying this dish and your comment! So glad it turned out well! xT