This slow cooker honey-harissa chicken has been a favorite in my house lately. It’s delicious with an irresistibly sweet and spicy sauce.
A slow cooker chicken recipe that will be on repeat this autumn
I have made this slow cooker honey harissa chicken recipe so many times now. I love that it comes together with ease but delivers big, bold flavors with just a few ingredients. That’s my kind of meal!
What is harissa?
Harissa is a spicy pepper paste originating in the Maghreb region of Africa. While many sources note Tunisia as the origin of this fiery condiment, it is a staple throughout most of Northern Africa. Harissa’s ingredients commonly include the Baklouti pepper, a pepper native to Tunisia, and roasted red peppers, spices, and herbs. Cumin, coriander, caraway, and garlic are common spices in many harissa pastes, though the flavor profile differs from region to region.
I’ve tested this recipe with two harissa pastes with very different flavor profiles. DEA Harissa Paste has been my go-to harissa paste for years. It has a sharp, piquant, spicy flavor, which I enjoy a lot. I’ve also made this with New York Shuk’s Signature Harissa, which has a much deeper, smokier flavor with less heat. Many other brands of harissa are out there, like Mina or Villa Jerada, and each will bring a unique flair to this dish. Find the one you love most, but I can strongly recommend DEA or New York Shuk, as I’ve made this recipe with both pastes.
How to make this slow cooker honey-harissa chicken
This recipe is easy to prepare and has a few main components. While most of the magic happens in the slow cooker, I strongly recommend making the sauce in a saucepan right before serving. It is a beautiful way to use the slow cooker’s cooking liquid, producing a rich, velvety sauce that works perfectly with the chicken.
- Chicken: The chicken is coated with a honey-harissa sauce and cooks for a few hours in a slow cooker.
- Sauce: The sauce is prepared by browning flour in olive oil or butter and adding the braising liquid from the slow cooker.
- Garnishes: You can have fun with the garnishes! I’ve served this with just a few fresh herbs on top, and I’ve also served it with mint, pistachios, and pomegranate arils for a more robust experience.
What to serve with slow cooker honey-harissa chicken
I’ve served this with pearl couscous, but potatoes work even better. You’ll have a lot of gravy, so you want to serve it with something that soaks it up. Roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, or a side of rice or toasted pita would be delicious options.
What you need
- Chicken: I used bone-in, skin-on chicken legs. You can use thighs or drumsticks. I recommend bone-in chicken for the best outcome. Boneless, skinless chicken will cook too quickly, losing the rich flavor from the bones and skin.
- Spices: I season the chicken with salt, paprika, and black pepper. I also add a little Aleppo pepper because I like the flavor, but that is optional.
- Sauce: The sauce is prepared simply with honey and harissa. That’s it!
- Chicken broth: I add chicken broth to ensure enough liquid in the slow cooker to braise the chicken adequately.
- Roux: You’ll use flour and olive oil or butter as a base for the gravy. I like olive oil because there is a decent amount of chicken fat in the braising liquid, but butter will add even more decadence if that’s your jam!
- Garnishes: You can serve the chicken with fresh herbs, like oregano, mint, or minced parsley. You can also top it with crushed pistachios or sliced almonds. We enjoyed it with pomegranate arils, which added a nice pop of tartness to the rich sauce.
How to make it
- Step 1: Season the chicken and place it in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Step 2: Whisk together honey and harissa and pour it over the chicken.
- Step 3: Add the chicken broth. Cover and cook the chicken on high heat for 3 to 4 hours or low heat for 5 to 8 hours.
- Step 4: When the chicken finishes cooking, transfer it to a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Step 5: Prepare the roux. Lightly fry the flour in olive oil or butter until toasted. Begin whisking in two to three cups of the braising liquid from the slow cooker. Whisk until completely smooth. Depending on your preference, you can add more liquid for a thinner gravy or use less for a thicker gravy.
- Step 6: As the gravy finishes, you may wish to transfer the chicken to the broiler to crisp and brown the skin. This step is optional.
- Step 7: Serve it up! I arrange the broiled chicken on a serving platter with all my garnishes. To plate it, I spoon the gravy into a shallow bowl and place the chicken leg on top. I finish with more garnishes to make each dish look beautiful! We enjoyed dunking roasted potatoes straight into the gravy; it was so delicious!
How to store leftovers
I keep the chicken and gravy in separate containers. However, you can store them together in one storage container in the refrigerator. I prefer to reheat the gravy gently over the stovetop, so I like to keep them separate. They can also be microwaved together in 45-second increments to ensure even heating.
Community-tested and community-approved. Here’s what Tasters are saying about this recipe.
“This recipe was delicious!
DELISH! We topped the chicken dish with chopped pistachio, mint, and parsley and thought they all brought some nice flavors into it.
–Penny Y., Independent Recipe Tester
“This chicken was a crowd pleaser!
Being a busy mom, I loved that this involved a Crock-Pot, and my husband enjoyed the combination of harissa and honey!
–Macie S., Independent Recipe Tester
To join my recipe-testing program, sign up here.
Slow Cooker Honey-Harissa Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken leg quarters or use drumsticks or bone-in (skin-on chicken thighs; excess skin trimmed)
- 1 teaspoon salt per pound of chicken (plus more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Aleppo pepper (optional)
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup harissa paste
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or butter)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken braising liquid (plus more if needed)
- Salt (to taste)
For serving, optional:
- Parsley (minced)
- Pomegranate arils
- Pistachios (crushed)
- Mint leaves (torn)
Instructions
Season the chicken:
- Pat the chicken dry and season it with salt, paprika, black pepper, and Aleppo pepper. Arrange the chicken in the slow cooker.
Prepare the honey and harissa:
- Whisk the honey and harissa together until smooth.
Cook the chicken:
- Pour the honey-harissa mixture over the chicken. Add the water or chicken broth. Put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook over high heat for 3 to 4 hours or over low heat for 5 to 8 hours.
Finish the chicken:
- Using tongs, carefully transfer the chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet. Ensure the chicken is skin-side up. Set aside.
Make the sauce:
- Scoop out 2 cups of liquid from the slow cooker.
- Heat the oil or butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the flour and stir to coat. Stir regularly for 1 to 2 minutes until it takes on a nutty aroma and turns golden brown.
- Slowly add 1 cup of the braising liquid and whisk until a slurry forms. Continue adding the rest of the liquid in increments until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference. Reduce the heat to low and simmer as you finish the chicken.
Broil the chicken:
- Turn on your broiler. Transfer the chicken to the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes until the skin deepens in color and crisps up.
To serve:
- Arrange the chicken on a serving platter. Garnish with your favorite toppings, such as minced parsley, pomegranate arils, crushed pistachios, or torn mint leaves. Serve the sauce on the side. This chicken pairs beautifully with roasted or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
