Go Back
+ servings
Print

Harissa Chicken Meatballs with Couscous and Cucumber Herb Salad

These Harissa Chicken Meatballs are served on a bed of couscous with a refreshing cucumber and herb salad for the best bowl-style meal EVER! We've got a thick layer of hummus, feta cheese, and plenty of fresh herbs, to make these bowls even more flavor-packed and satisfying! This is the kind of dinner you'll find in your rotation constantly, because it's just that simple and that good!

Course Bowl, Dinner, Lunch, Main, Main Course
Cuisine American, Mediterranean, North African
Keyword chicken harissa meatballs recipe, chicken meatball recipe, chicken meatballs, gluten free chicken meatballs, harissa chicken, harissa chicken meatballs, harissa paste recipes, harissa recipe chicken
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Author Molly | Spices in My DNA

Ingredients

For the harissa chicken meatballs

  • 1 pound ground chicken*
  • 1/4 cup harissa paste*
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 1/4 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, for pan frying

For the cucumber herb salad

  • 1 1/2 cups diced seedless cucumber
  • juice of 1/2 a large lemon
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
  • tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the bowls

  • couscous, rice, quinoa, or your favorite bowl base
  • your favorite hummus
  • crumbled feta
  • fresh dill and mint
  • extra harissa paste, optional
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Begin by making the meatballs. Preheat oven to 400℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken, harissa, garlic, onion, parsley, dill, mint, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined. Wet or oil your hands to make the rolling process easier, and roll into 12-14 meatballs.

  2. Heat a large nonstick skillet or cast iron pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Once hot, add the meatballs and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until deeply golden brown. Transfer meatballs to prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.

  3. While meatballs are baking, make the cucumber herb salad. In a small bowl, stir together the diced cucumber, lemon juice, red onion, dill, and mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. To assemble bowls, spread a generous dollop of hummus on the bottom of your bowl. Top with couscous or your preferred bowl base, followed by a few scoops of cucumber herb salad and the meatballs. Sprinkle with crumbled feta and torn fresh dill and mint. Drizzle on a little harissa paste if you’d like. Drizzle bowls with a little extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with extra lemon wedges.

Recipe Notes

*For your ground chicken, it’s important to use regular ground chicken with the thigh meat, and not ground chicken breast, for optimal flavor and texture in these meatballs. If you use ground chicken breast, they’ll be dry and not nearly as flavorful.
*I like the Mina brand - the spicy version, which I still find to be super mild. If you’re using the Trader Joe’s harissa, you might want to scale down to 1 or 2 tablespoons, as it’s super spicy! Make sure you taste whatever harissa you’re using before adding it to the meatballs, to gauge how much you might need.