Harissa-Yogurt Marinated Chicken with Cucumber-Quinoa Salad

Another delicious grilling recipe coming straight to you this week — Harissa-Yogurt Marinated Chicken with light and fresh Cucumber-Quinoa Salad!

Grilled chicken never has to be boring and this recipe shows how with just a few simple steps and ingredients, you will have a flavor-packed dinner. In this recipe, I have simply marinated boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can sub chicken breast if you prefer) in a harissa-yogurt combination that is tangy, warm — and all-around delightful. Grilled until cooked through and juicy, the chicken is then sliced and served with a refreshing and herby cucumber quinoa salad, which is great to make ahead of time to make dinner preparation easier as well as to have on hand all week if desired. 

While the quinoa is packed with additional protein, it is also packed with sliced Persian cucumbers, mint, and dill and tossed with a simple vinaigrette and topped with some creamy, salty feta cheese, which gives you so many different flavors with each bite. The salad pairs just so beautifully with the warm spices from the harissa-yogurt chicken making this Harissa-Yogurt Marinated Chicken with Cucumber-Quinoa Salad a complete winner for a simple grilled dinner!

Ingredients:

• Avocado Oil
• Harissa (I like Mina Brand, Mild!)
• Garlic
• Greek Yogurt (I use 2%)
• Lemon Juice
• Ground Coriander
• Ground Cumin
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• Traditional White Quinoa
• Persian Cucumbers
• Fresh Dill Fronds
• Fresh Mint
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Champagne Vinegar
• Feta Block (Sub Crumbled Feta)

Recipe Step-by-Step:

Step One: Marinate the Chicken

In a large mixing bowl, combine the avocado oil, harissa, garlic, greek yogurt, lemon juice, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined and smooth. Trim the chicken of excess fat and add the trimmed chicken to the harissa-yogurt mixture. Cover and let marinade for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Step Two: Cook the Quinoa

Bring 1 cup of quinoa and 1 ½ cups water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then gently fluff with a fork. Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Step Three: Assemble the Quinoa Salad

Once the quinoa has cooled, add the cucumber, dill and mint. Stir to combine.In a separate bowl, add the garlic, olive oil, champagne vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk to combine then pour over the quinoa mixture. Stir to combine. Add the feta, and gently toss once more. Set aside while you grill the chicken.

Step Four: Prep the Grill

Heat grill over medium-high heat (350- 400℉) and oil the grill grates. Tto do this, dip a wadded paper towel in a little avocado oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grate. Be careful not to use too much oil, because that’s a sure fire way to start a good flare-up—a little goes a long way here.

Step Five: Cook the Chicken

Cook the chicken over the heat for 4 minutes per side, until the pieces turn golden and grill marks appear. The lid should be closed throughout the cooking process. Flip the pieces once more and turn heat to medium-low, about 300°F, for 3-5 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through and the internal temp is 165°F.

Step Six: Slice Chicken and Serve

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 to 8 minutes before slicing and serving with the quinoa-cucumber salad!

Recipe FAQs:

I hope you all love this Harissa-Yogurt Marinated Chicken with Cucumber-Quinoa Salad as much as I do! Comment below once you try it!

If you are looking for more grilled chicken ideas, here are a few more recipes to try:

grilled chicken with chipotle-whiskey bbq sauce

grilled sesame chicken skewers with ginger-scallion rice

grilled chili chicken tacos with tomatillo salsa

5 from 14 votes

Harissa-Yogurt Marinated Chicken with Cucumber- Quinoa Salad

Servings: 4 people

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Ingredients 

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For the Chicken Marinade:

• ▢ ¼ cup avocado oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp harissa
• ▢ 2 cloves minced garlic
• ▢ 7 oz. Greek yogurt I use 2%
• ▢ ¼ cup lemon juice
• ▢ ½ tsp ground coriander
• ▢ ½ tsp ground cumin
• ▢ 2 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 1 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thigh

For the Quinoa Salad:

• ▢ 1 cup traditional white quinoa
• ▢ 1 ½ cups water
• ▢ 1 ½ cups thinly sliced persian cucumber
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped dill fronds
• ▢ ½ cup roughly chopped mint
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp champagne vinegar
• ▢ 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ▢ 4 ounces block feta thinly sliced (can sub for crumbled feta)

Instructions 

Marinate the Chicken:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the avocado oil, harissa, garlic, greek yogurt, lemon juice, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined and smooth. Trim the chicken of excess fat and add the trimmed chicken to the harissa-yogurt mixture. Cover and let marinade for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Make the Quinoa Salad:

• Bring 1 cup of quinoa and 1 ½ cups water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then gently fluff with a fork.
• Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature (you can also cover and chill for up to 3 days and make this salad later).
• Once the quinoa has cooled, add the cucumber, dill and mint; stir to combine.
• In a separate bowl, add the garlic, olive oil, champagne vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk to combine then pour over the quinoa mixture. Stir to combine.
• Add the feta, and gently toss once more. Set aside while you grill the chicken.

Grill the Chicken:

• Heat grill over medium-high heat (350- 400℉) and oil the grill grates. Tto do this, dip a wadded paper towel in a little avocado oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grate. Be careful not to use too much oil, because that's a sure fire way to start a good flare-up—a little goes a long way here.
• Cook the chicken over the heat for 4 minutes per side, until the pieces turn golden and grill marks appear. The lid should be closed throughout the cooking process.
• Flip the pieces once more and turn heat to medium-low, about 300°F, for 3-5 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through and the internal temp is 165°F.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5-8 minutes before slicing and serving with the quinoa-cucumber salad.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Alex Snodgrass

Servings: 4 people

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