Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken
These chicken breasts are bursting with so much vibrant deliciousness! We’ve oven-roasted them until juicy and tender coated in a gorgeous blend of smoky harissa and tangy-sweet pomegranate paste. If you’re not typically a fan of spice, don’t worry – harissa has a smokiness to it that adds a kick without overpowering things. There’s no shortage of flavour in every colourful serving, with a fluffy bed of minty couscous and a cooling yoghurt drizzle.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories409
- Carbs38g
- Protein52g
- Fat4.5g
- Saturates0.9g
- Sugars12g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
This Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken recipe is the perfect blend of sweet, spicy and smoky flavours. We’ve served them over a fluffy bed of minty couscous, with pomegranate seeds tossed in for pleasantly surprising, moreish bursts of sweetness.
There’s no need to worry about the fiddly faff of deseeding fresh pomegranate. We’ve used freshly-prepared pomegranate seeds that you can find in the chilled aisle at most supermarkets.
If you’re sat there wondering what harissa paste is, don’t worry – we’ve got a whole blog for you to read through that tells you exactly what it is, where to buy it and how to use it. It’ll soon become a store cupboard staple if you love spicy, smoky flavours!
Now’s the time to crack out your favourite airtight containers. This meal-preppable lunch or dinner is sure to brighten up your meal plan – make it once and enjoy it twice or more throughout the week.
What diets is this Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken recipe suitable for?
This Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken recipe can be made dairy-free as long as you use a suitable alternative for fat-free Greek yoghurt.
As always, take extra care when cooking for people with allergies and be sure to use different utensils, cookware and preparation areas.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken?
You don’t need any fancy ingredients to make this beautifully simple recipe.
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A durable ovenproof dish will come in handy for this recipe and so many others.
Couscous makes the perfect flavourful accompaniment for our harissa-coated chicken.
How many calories are in this Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken recipe?
There are 406 calories per portion in this Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken recipe, which means it falls into our Weekly Indulgence category.
To cut down the amount of calories even more, you can simply halve the portion size and serve with a healthy accompaniment!
This Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken is perfect if you’re following a calorie-controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 190°C and spray an oven dish or roasting tin with low-calorie cooking spray.
Step 2
In a small bowl, combine the harissa paste, pomegranate juice and tomato purée. Leave to one side.
Step 3
Score the surface of the chicken breasts diagonally. Add the onion, peppers and chicken to the oven dish or tray.
Step 4
Pour over the harissa mixture, coating the chicken breasts well. Cover with foil and pop into the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a further 20-25 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through with softened vegetables just starting to brown around the edges.
Step 5
Add the couscous to a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Step 6
Add the pomegranate seeds and mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 7
In a small bowl, add the yoghurt, harissa and honey and mix well. Leave until ready to serve.
Step 8
Remove the tray from the oven. Serve alongside the couscous. Drizzle over the yoghurt and sprinkle over the remaining pomegranate seeds.
What could I serve with Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken?
Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken goes down a storm with any of these slimming-friendly side dishes:
How do you know when Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken is cooked?
You should cook this Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are softened and browned. This will take around 35-40 minutes.
Here in the UK, the standard advice is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and maintained that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep you and your family safe!
How long can you keep Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken in the fridge?
Once you’ve served this recipe, you’ll ideally need to eat it within 4 hours.
You can store any leftovers of this Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken in the fridge for around 3 days. Make sure that you allow them to cool before putting them in an airtight container with a lid.
Can I freeze Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken?
Yes, you can! The chicken from this recipe can be frozen, but the couscous can’t. Please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough in individual portions.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label telling you the name of the recipe and the date you’re putting it in the freezer.
How do I reheat Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken?
From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken
This slimming-friendly Pomegranate and Harissa Chicken recipe is bursting with so much vibrant deliciousness! It's served with minty couscous.
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Prep Time
20 MINS
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Cook Time
40 MINS
- KCals 409
- Carbs 38G
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C and spray an oven dish or roasting tin with low-calorie cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the harissa paste, pomegranate juice and tomato purée. Leave to one side.
- Score the surface of the chicken breasts diagonally. Add the onion, peppers and chicken to the oven dish or tray.
- Pour over the harissa mixture, coating the chicken breasts well. Cover with foil and pop into the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a further 20-25 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through with softened vegetables just starting to brown around the edges.
- Add the couscous to a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
- Add the pomegranate seeds and mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, add the yoghurt, harissa and honey and mix well. Leave until ready to serve.
- Remove the tray from the oven. Serve alongside the couscous. Drizzle over the yoghurt and sprinkle over the remaining pomegranate seeds.
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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2 comments
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KarenMonday 24th March 2025
Can you add instruction to cook the chicken in the air fryer?
HollyMonday 31st March 2025
Hi Karen, we have an air fryer conversion guide HERE which you may find helpful
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