My Favorite Hot Honey Harissa Chicken Bowls (Cava Copycat)

This Hot Honey Harissa Chicken Bowl has everything you love about your Cava order but comes together easily at home! Sweet and spicy marinated chicken, bold harissa vinaigrette, tangy pickled onions, fluffy rice, and crisp, fresh toppings all come together for a flavor-packed bowl that’s just as satisfying (if not more!) than the restaurant version. It’s perfect for meal prep, weeknight dinners, or when you’re craving something a little spicy, a little sweet, and totally delicious.

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More Reader Favorite Chicken Recipes 

• Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken Thighs and Veggies
• BBQ Chicken Meatballs
• Healthy Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
• BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• Ground Chicken Tacos
• Chipotle Chicken Sandwich

A Quick Overview of the Key Ingredients

1. Hot Honey Harissa Vinaigrette: I made a homemade harissa vinaigrette with hot honey to pull these bowls together and it is so good!
2. Pickled Onions: You can always buy pickled red onions, but it’s super easy to make your own! I highly recommend making a batch if you have the time.
3. Chicken: You’ll need two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. If you prefer, you can use chicken breast, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time so that they stay juicy and don’t dry out. 
4. Harissa Paste: This is the star of the show in this recipe. If you’ve never had harissa it’s a red chili paste common in North African and Middle Eastern cooking. It has a rich, spicy, smoky, peppery flavor that is so delicious and pairs incredibly well with the sweet, savory ingredients in this dish.
5. Hot Honey: I love the subtle heat that the hot honey adds to these bowls but feel free to use regular honey if you prefer!

Meal Prep Tips and Tricks

This hot honey harissa chicken bowl recipe is perfect for meal prep! Here are my tips to keep everything fresh: 

1. Make the chicken in advance – Marinate it overnight. Or, cook it completely, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. 
2. Prepare the rice, onions, and dressing – cook the rice and marinate the onions when you make the steak. While they cook, blend the dressing ingredients. Then, store all the components in separate airtight containers as well.
3. Chop the veggies and toppings – that way, all you have to do is reheat the chicken and rice and build your bowl! I recommend doing this 1 to 2 days ahead of time to prevent any fresh ingredients from becoming soggy. 

Serving Suggestions and Topping Ideas

You can’t have a cava harissa chicken bowl without all your favorite toppings! I start building my bowls with a bed of Basmati rice. However, you could also serve this recipe as a salad over greens. 

Then, add the pickled onions and whatever you like best before topping it with the vinaigrette. Some classic options include: 

1. Avocado
2. Hummus
3. Tzatziki
4. Persian Cucumber
5. Red Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
6. Fresh Mint and Dill
7. Pita Bread or Pita Chips
8. Crispy Chickpeas
9. Crumbled Feta

More Meal Prep Bowl Recipes 

• The BEST Homemade Steak Burrito Bowl (Chipotle Copycat!) 
• Healthy Burger Bowls with Special Sauce
• Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls
• Egg Roll Bowls
• Taco Bowls
• Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken and Ranch Bowls

I hope you give this Cava Harissa Chicken Bowl Recipe a try! It’s easy to prepare, full of protein, and so flavorful! If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.

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Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Eat Love Eat