Chicken Shakshuka with Harissa
Spiced chicken simmered in harissa tomato sauce with eggs poached in the pan, for brunch or an easy supper.
Made with Basic tomato sauce and Harissa paste. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.54 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan with a lid. Cook the onion and pepper for 6 minutes until soft.
6 min - 2
Add the chicken, cumin and paprika and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is white on all sides.
5 min - 3
Stir in your ready made harissa paste (see the base recipe) and basic tomato sauce (see the base recipe). Simmer for 10 minutes until thick and the chicken is cooked through with no pink.
10 min - 4
Make 4 wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks as runny as you like.
6 min - 5
Scatter over the feta and coriander and serve straight from the pan with flatbread or crusty bread.
Tips
- Cube the chicken small so it cooks fully before the eggs go in.
- Taste the sauce before adding eggs. Harissa varies in heat and salt.
- Eggs cook in minutes, so serve at once. Cook the whites fully for children, older people and pregnant women.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Keep the chicken sauce without eggs in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat until steaming hot, then poach fresh eggs in it.
Questions
Can I make it without chicken?
Yes. Leave it out for classic shakshuka, or swap in a tin of drained chickpeas for a vegetarian version.
How spicy is it?
Moderately. Use 20 g of harissa for mild and up to 60 g for fiery. Serve with yoghurt to cool it down.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes. Make the chicken and sauce up to 3 days ahead, reheat in a pan until bubbling hot, then add the eggs.
More made with basic tomato sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
