Cava Inspired Harissa Honey Chicken Bowls

When I first discovered Cava we were living in Tennessee (just outside of Nashville) during the height of Covid. I’d had my baby boy (who is now 6!!) that year too and wasn’t cooking near as much as I cook now. My focus was surviving the baby phase and admittedly, losing the baby weight. So when I cooked, it was not very exciting stuff.

But we did love our takeout from time to time and when I first tried Cava I was blown away by all the flavors. It quickly became our ritual to order Cava every Friday night and enjoy it with a backyard bonfire during the fall and winter (Gosh I miss those crisp Tennessee fall nights!)

No shade to anyone who still enjoys it, but I’ve gradually become stricter with ingredients and definitely play a continuous game of “is this meal worth it” in terms of ingredients I wouldn’t normally consume. And for me, Cava isn’t worth it anymore…

I still LOVE the flavorful and colorful loaded Mediterranean bowl concept and recently decided I wanted to recreate it in the cleanest way possible. So I did just that. And you know what? It was fuc*ing delicious.

Not one of my weeknight 30-minute meals when you count the time it takes to make the sauces, this is a dinner I would start prepping the day before or the morning of. The three sauces I chose to make (Crazy Feta, Skhug, and Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette) do take some time and a little bit of effort and also need time for the flavors to develop. The rest of the recipe can easily be made in 30-45 minutes.

In a pinch, you could totally roll with store bought Crazy Feta (I’ve seen it at Whole Foods!) and I’m sure there’s a lemon tahini dressing just about anywhere. Perhaps even Skhug is sold in some stores? And you know tzatziki is easy to find…

Cava-Inspired Harissa Honey Chicken Bowls 

For the sauces:

All three of these sauces really taste best when they’ve had time to develop in flavor – or in the case of the Skhug, mellow out a little (don’t be surprised if this sauce tastes a little bitter right after you make it – it needs time to “rest.”) With that said, it is my best recommendation to make the sauces either the day before you prepare the Cava-inspired harissa honey chicken bowls OR the morning of so they have plenty of time in the fridge to do their thing.

Crazy Feta

Ingredients

5-6 oz block feta cheese

3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (full fat or nonfat, doesn’t really matter)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced

2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and finely diced (keep some seeds if you want it spicy)

2 garlic cloves, minced

 Directions:

1.  Add oil to a small frying pan over medium. Add the diced onions and jalapeños and cook until softened and golden. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat and let cool.

2.  Meanwhile, whip the feta. Break up your feta block and add it to your food processor or high-speed blender along with the Greek yogurt. Pulse until very smooth, pushing the excess down the sides of the bowl as needed. Now, add the cooled onion, jalapeno, and garlic mixture and pulse 2-3 times until just combined.

3.  Enjoy immediately or store in a container in your fridge. Just be sure to take it out of your fridge 20-30 minutes prior to serving so it can soften a little.

Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette

Ingredients

¼ cup smooth tahini

3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 garlic clove, pressed

Pinch of salt

¼ cup water to thin it out

Directions:

1.  In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, garlic, and salt.

2. Slowly incorporate the water until dressing reaches your desired consistency.

*Note: This dressing thickens a lot in the fridge, so you’ll want to take it out of the fridge 20 minutes prior to using OR whisk in a little extra water and/or lemon juice to it prior to drizzling.

Skhug

Ingredients

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cardamon, optional

3 cups cilantro, packed

½ cup flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

2 jalapeños, stem, veins and most of the seeds removed (you want some seeds for heat)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.  Heat the oil in a small pan over medium-low. Add the spices. Cook for a minute or until fragrant, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. In your food processor or high-speed blender, combine the cilantro, parsley, jalapeños, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and salt. Pulse until smooth. Then add the olive oil, garlic, and spice mixture from the pan and pulse a few times.

3. Taste test and add more salt or some jalapeno seeds if needed for more kick. (It should be spicy!) Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours for flavors to mellow.

(Quick) Pickled Red Onions

I always have pickled red onion on hand, so sometimes I honestly forget this is an extra thing to make. I’m going to give you my go-to quick method that produces perfect, vibrant colored pickled onions every single time. Make these a1-2 hours in advance, or when you make the sauces…

Ingredients:

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1.  Place your sliced onions in a glass storage container.

2.  Heat the water, vinegar, honey, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Pour over your onions and let sit on your counter for about an hour, until cooled.

3.  Cover and store in your fridge.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

I would suggest making this salad prior to prepping your chicken. Letting it marinate for 30 minutes to an hour is perfect. I even let it marinate on my countertop but if you like a cold tomato and cucumber salad, you can certainly add it to your fridge while you prepare the chicken and rice.

It’s so damn easy and is a staple anytime I make a Mediterranean kind of dinner.

Ingredients:

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small to medium English cucumber, sliced in half moons or chopped (your pick!)

1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped

Pinch of salt

Fresh grinding of black pepper

Directions:

Add tomatoes, cucumber, and garlic to a bowl and drizzle over oil and vinegar. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to combine and let marinate for 30 minutes or longer.

Harissa Honey Chicken

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (please don’t sub breasts here), cut into slightly larger than bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons harissa paste from the jar

4 tablespoons honey, divided

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons sweet (not smoked) paprika

1 large clove of garlic, pressed or very finely diced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Generously salt and pepper the chicken.

2.  Whisk together harissa, 2 tablespoons honey, garlic, paprika, a large pinch of salt, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl. Add your chopped chicken and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

3. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken on a parchment lined baking sheet, being careful not to overcrowd the pan (we want caramelizing to happen– use two pans if needed!)

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken reads 150-155 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

5. Pull chicken and turn your oven’s broiler on. Brush/drizzle on the rest of the honey. Once your oven is heated to its broil setting (550 degrees) add the chicken back in for 2 minutes, keeping a careful eye on it. This will allow the chicken to get nice and caramelized with the honey.

Saffron Lemon Basmati Rice

While your chicken cooks, prepare your saffron rice. I couldn’t recall if Cava uses lemon in their rice or not, but I did, because I thought it would complement the saffron nicely. To be honest, my rice was a little stickier than Cava’s (I love it that way)…but if you want it more fluffy, allow the rice to rest with the lid still on the pot for a full 10 minutes and then toss it with a fork (not a spoon).

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pinch saffron (1/4-1/2 teaspoon depending on how much saffron flavor you want)

1 garlic clove, minced

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon turmeric (optional – for color)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cups chicken broth/stock or water

Directions:

1.  To a saucepan over medium heat, add your olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic and stir. Then stir in the rice, coating it in the oil. Add the saffron and turmeric and give it another stir and toast for about a minute.

2.  Now, add the chicken stock (or water), lemon juice, and salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat all the way down to extra low (simmer setting if you have it) and place the lid on top. Cook undisturbed for 12 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for another 10 minutes. Then fluff with a fork and serve within 10 minutes.