Harissa Chicken Fried Rice with Caraway and Bell Pepper

Name: Harissa Chicken Fried Rice with Caraway and Bell Pepper
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces; 1 tbsp (15 g) harissa paste; 1 tsp (3 g) caraway seeds, lightly crushed with the side of a knife or in a mortar; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 1 tbsp (14 ml) olive oil; ¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt; 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, divided into 3 equal 1-tablespoon portions; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 1 large (200 g) red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely minced; 1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste; 2 tbsp (30 g) harissa paste; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt; 4 cups (600 g) cooked long-grain white rice (such as basmati or jasmine), cold, day-old, clumps broken up by hand; ½ cup (75 g) frozen peas, no need to thaw; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt, plus more to taste; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, leaves and tender stems; 1 small (60 g) lemon, cut into 4 wedges; freshly ground black pepper, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender harissa-and-caraway marinated chicken thighs are seared, then tossed with day-old rice, sweet red bell pepper, soft egg and peas for a smoky, gently spicy Tunisian-inspired fried rice that comes together in one skillet in under an hour.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: About 7 cups (4 generous servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken
1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces
1 tbsp (15 g) harissa paste
1 tsp (3 g) caraway seeds, lightly crushed with the side of a knife or in a mortar
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp (14 ml) olive oil
¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt
For the fried rice
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, divided into 3 equal 1-tablespoon portions
1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
1 large (200 g) red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste
2 tbsp (30 g) harissa paste
2 large (100 g) large eggs, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt
4 cups (600 g) cooked long-grain white rice (such as basmati or jasmine), cold, day-old, clumps broken up by hand
½ cup (75 g) frozen peas, no need to thaw
½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt, plus more to taste
To finish
4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, leaves and tender stems
1 small (60 g) lemon, cut into 4 wedges
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Equipment (5)

12-inch (30 cm) large nonstick or carbon steel skillet, or a wok
Medium bowl for marinating
Wooden spoon or spatula
Cutting board and sharp knife
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Use cooked rice that has been chilled uncovered or loosely covered in the fridge for at least 8 hours (or overnight). Warm, freshly cooked rice turns gummy when stir-fried.
You need about 4 cups (600 g) cooked rice, which is roughly 1⅓ cups (250 g) of raw long-grain white rice.
Harissa brands vary a lot in heat and saltiness. Taste a little first; if yours is very hot, start with the lower amount in the rice step and add more at the end.
Have everything chopped and measured before turning on the heat. Stir-frying moves fast.

1
Prep rice and vegetables
- Tip the cold rice into a large bowl and break up any clumps with your fingers so the grains are separate.
- Dice the onion and bell pepper into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces, mince the garlic for the rice, slice the scallions, and chop the cilantro.
- Keep everything within reach of the stove.
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Ready when: Rice grains fall apart freely with no large clumps.
Tip: Cold, dry rice is the key to fried rice that fries rather than steams.
2
Marinate the chicken
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon harissa, the crushed caraway seeds, grated garlic, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¾ teaspoon salt.
- Stir until every piece is evenly coated in red paste.
- Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while you finish the prep.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated with no dry patches.
Tip: Don't marinate longer than about 1 hour at room temperature; refrigerate if you want to marinate up to 8 hours.
3
Sear the chicken
- Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet or wok over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and swirl.
- Add the chicken in a single layer, leaving the marinade clinging to it.
- Cook without moving for 2 minutes until the underside is browned, then stir and cook another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
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Ready when: Chicken is deeply browned in spots and reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece.
Tip: If the pan smokes heavily, lower the heat slightly; the harissa can scorch and turn bitter.
4
Soften onion and pepper
- Return the pan to medium-high heat without wiping it out.
- Add the second tablespoon of oil, then the onion and bell pepper.
- Cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and the pepper is crisp-tender with a few browned edges.
5
Bloom the harissa
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Push the vegetables to the sides to make a well in the center.
- Add the minced garlic, tomato paste and the remaining 2 tablespoons harissa to the center and stir them for 1 minute, then mix into the vegetables.
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Ready when: Paste darkens to a brick red and smells fragrant and sweet, not burnt.
Tip: Cooking the paste briefly in oil removes its raw tomato taste and deepens the heat.
6
Scramble the eggs
- Push the vegetables to one side of the pan and increase the heat to medium-high.
- Add the final tablespoon of oil to the empty side, pour in the beaten eggs, and stir gently for 30 to 45 seconds, breaking them into small curds.
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Ready when: Eggs are just set, no longer liquid, with small soft curds (160°F / 71°C).
7
Fry the rice
- Add the cold rice and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Stir everything together, then spread the rice flat against the pan and leave it undisturbed for 1 minute.
- Toss and repeat for 3 to 4 minutes total.
- Add the frozen peas for the final minute.
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Ready when: Rice is evenly red-orange, steaming hot throughout, with separate grains and a few toasty crisp bits; peas are bright green and hot.
Tip: Pressing the rice flat gives it contact with the hot pan, which creates the toasty flavor.
8
Combine and finish
- Return the chicken and any juices on the plate to the pan.
- Toss for 1 minute to reheat.
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in most of the scallions and cilantro, then taste and add salt and black pepper as needed.
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Ready when: Chicken is steaming hot (165°F / 74°C) and the rice tastes well seasoned.
Tip: Add salt only at the end; harissa brands vary in saltiness.
9
Serve
- Divide among 4 bowls.
- Top with the remaining scallions and cilantro and serve right away with a lemon wedge for squeezing over each portion.
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Tip: A squeeze of lemon brightens the smoky heat.

Good to know

Tips

Use a very large pan or work in two batches. Crowding steams the rice instead of frying it.
Leave the rice undisturbed for brief periods so it can brown and crisp slightly.
Rose harissa is milder and floral; traditional red harissa is hotter and smokier. Adjust to your preference.
For extra heat, serve with additional harissa stirred with a little olive oil on the side.

Make ahead

"Cook the rice up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Marinate the chicken in the fridge for up to 8 hours. Dice the onion and pepper up to 1 day ahead."

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 1 hour after cooking. Fridge: cool quickly and store in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: up to 2 months in a sealed container. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), or microwave covered in 1-minute bursts.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breast. Cut to the same size and cook 1 to 2 minutes less to 165°F (74°C); it will be less juicy.
caraway seeds → ½ teaspoon ground caraway or ½ teaspoon ground cumin. Ground caraway is stronger, so use less. Cumin gives a similar earthy note.
harissa paste → 1 tablespoon harissa plus 1 tablespoon extra tomato paste. Reduces the heat for a milder dish.
cooked long-grain white rice (such as basmati or jasmine) → cold cooked brown rice or quinoa. Same weight; brown rice may need an extra minute of frying.