If you love cozy, comforting meals that also happen to be good for you, this easy chicken shakshuka is going to be right up your alley. It’s that kind of healthy comfort food that makes you slow down, enjoy your meal, and feel genuinely nourished. This high protein shakshuka is made with minced chicken and peppers cooked in a warmly spiced tomato sauce, with eggs gently nestled in at the end—all in one pan. Serve this spicy chicken shakshuka with warm pita, flatbread, or any crusty bread, and you’ve got an easy weeknight meal that leaves you feeling comfortably full.
A Better-For-You Chicken Shakshuka
How so? Because it’s:
- An easy one-pot chicken dinner: minimal prep, minimal cleanup
- High-protein & balanced: minced chicken and eggs, with veggies keep you full and satisfied
- Healthy comfort food: warming spices without excess oil or cream
- No ultra-processed ingredients: just real, everyday pantry staples
- Low in calories, big on flavor: nourishing without feeling heavy
- Perfect with bread: ideal for scooping up with pita, naan, or crusty bread
- Weeknight-friendly: simple enough for busy days, special enough to enjoy slowly
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken: Minced chicken cooks faster and easily absorbs the flavors. You can either buy chicken mince or mince chicken using this method.
- Bell peppers/capsicum: Use multicolored peppers for variety, color and nutrition.
- Shakshuka spice blend:
- Cayenne pepper: You can adjust the quantity or skip entirely, if you’re not a spice person.
- Paprika: I prefer smoked paprika for this recipe. You can use others like regular or sweet paprika as well.
- Coriander and cumin give this shakshuka its characteristic flavors, so try not to skip those.
- Herbs: I’ve used both cilantro and mint here. You can use either one or parsley, too.
- Other flavor makers: onions, garlic, tomatoes and tomato paste. Tomato paste is the secret ingredient here that helps the sauce thicken and balances the whole dish with a tangy sweetness.
How to make chicken shakshuka: Step by step
(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page. Here are step-by-step instructions with pictures to help you easily understand the recipe.)
1. Make shakshuka spice blend
Mix the spices together in a small bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of the spice blend to minced chicken in a large bowl and mix well.
2. Cook the chicken mince
Heat oil in a pan and add the chicken. Stir until it turns opaque.
Remove the chicken and keep aside.
3. Make the sauce
Heat more oil in the same pan. Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
Add finely chopped jalapenos and minced garlic. Stir for a few minutes until you get a nice aroma.
A quick note: Remove the seeds and veins from the jalapenos if you don’t want your shakshuka spicy.
Add finely diced bell peppers. Sauté for a couple of minutes, then add finely diced tomatoes.
Sauté until the tomatoes break down and the sauce slightly thickens. Add tomato paste and the remaining spice blend.
Stir on low heat until it reaches saucy consistency.
4. Finish with chicken and eggs
Add the cooked chicken mince back to the pan and stir until well combined.
Make small “wells” in the sauce.
Crack the eggs into the “wells”.
Cover the pan and reduce the flame. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
If you want the yolks gooey but not runny, cook for a couple of minutes more.
Garnish with mint leaves and cilantro. Serve immediately.
What to pair with this high protein shakshuka
- The obvious choice would be pita or crusty bread to soak up all the saucy goodness.
- This spicy chicken shakshuka tastes amazing with Mediterranean rice or quinoa.
- Mediterranean hummus salad tastes great as a side with shakshuka and pita.
- You can pair it with a side mezze platter with hummus, pita chips, paprika feta dip and fresh veggies.
More chicken mince recipes
- Chicken taco bowls
- Minced chicken kebabs
- Thai-style chicken mince stir fry
- Chicken lettuce wraps with peanut sauce
Easy Chicken Shakshuka Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 500 grams/18 ounces minced chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions
- 2 jalapenos
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 heaped cup finely diced bell peppers/capsicum preferably multicolored
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped mint leaves
STEP BY STEP IMAGES
Scroll back to find detailed recipe photos!
Instructions
1. Make shakshuka spice blend
- Mix the spices together in a small bowl: 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Add 2 teaspoons of the spice blend to 500 grams/18 ounces minced chicken in a large bowl and mix until combined.
2. Cook the chicken mince
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan and add the chicken.
- Stir until the chicken turns opaque. Remove the chicken and keep aside.
3. Make the sauce
- Finely chop 2 onions and 2 jalapenos. Mince 4 cloves garlic. Finely dice 4 medium tomatoes and bell peppers.
- Heat the remaining oil in the same pan. Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
- Add chopped jalapenos and minced garlic. Stir for a few minutes until you get a nice aroma.
- Add the diced bell peppers. Sauté for a couple of minutes, then add tomatoes.
- Sauté until the tomatoes break down and the sauce slightly thickens.
- Add 3 tablespoons tomato paste and the remaining spice blend.
- Stir on low heat until it reaches saucy consistency.
4. Finish with chicken and eggs
- Add the cooked chicken mince back to the pan and stir until well combined.
- Make small “wells” in the sauce and crack 4 large eggshe eggs into each one of them.
- Cover the pan and reduce the flame. Cook on low heat for 4 to 6 minutes until the egg whites are set.
- If you want the yolks to be gooey but not runny, cook for a couple of minutes more.
- Garnish with ¼ cup chopped cilantro and ¼ cup chopped mint leaves.
- Serve immediately with warm pita or any crusty bread.
Notes
- Remove the seeds and veins from the jalapenos if you don’t want your shakshuka spicy.
- The cooking time ((after you add the eggs) depends on the size of the eggs and the efficiency of your stove, too. The rule of thumb is to wait for the egg whites to set and turn off the stove. It’s better to use a glass lid so you don’t have to peek often. It took a couple of trials for me to get it right. You will also, eventually!
- Shakshuka is best served immediately. The eggs will get well-cooked in the residual heat if they are left too long in the pan.
★★★★★Did you try this recipe? Please give a star rating in the comments below ★★★★★
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Join over 1000 home cooks like you who subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get all the latest recipes right in your inbox. Or follow me on your favorite social media: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. Thank you and happy cooking!
