Braaied Harissa-and-Lemon Chicken with Flatbreads & Watermelon Salsa

Spicy Easter Feasting in Rustenburg: Braai’ed Harissa-and-Lemon Chicken with Flatbreads & Watermelon Salsa

If you’re over chocolate bunnies and marshmallow eggs (no judgment), we’ve got the kind of Easter meal that really brings the heat — straight off the braai. Forget hot cross buns… This year, let’s talk hot coals, harissa spice, and homemade flatbreads.

This braaied harissa-and-lemon chicken, served with fire-charred flatbreads and a zesty watermelon salsa, is basically April on a plate — bold, juicy, fresh, and just a little bit cheeky.

And yes, it sounds fancy. But it’s easier than convincing Ouma not to bring boiled eggs to the braai.

🍗 The Chicken (a.k.a the hero)

Ingredients:

• A lekker bag of dry @Braai Kameeldoring hout and some firelighters
• A match or 3 (depending on the wind conditions)
• 1 kg chicken portions (thighs, drumsticks, wings – mix it up!)
• 2 tsp Harissa spice (or make your own: a smoky blend of cumin, coriander, smoked chilies & caraway seeds)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1 fresh chilli, chopped
• 10 g fresh rosemary, chopped

Method:

1. Mix together all the marinade ingredients and slather it over the chicken like you’re showing it some love.
2. Rub it in well, cover, and marinate for at least an hour (overnight if you want full flavour fireworks).
3. Braai over medium-hot coals, basting as you go with leftover marinade, until cooked through and slightly charred. Juicy perfection incoming….

🍞 The no-sourdough Flatbread (because every spicy hero needs a sidekick)

Ingredients:

• 260 g flour
• 200 g plain yoghurt
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and knead into a smooth, elastic dough.
2. Let the dough rest while the chicken’s sizzling.
3. Roll into rough rounds (they don’t have to be perfect — rustic = delicious).
4. Braai on a grid over medium coals, turning until bubbly, slightly charred, and ready for action.

Find us on the R24, Rustenburg

🍉 The Watermelon Salsa (because balance, darling)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup watermelon, chopped into chunks
• 1 green chilli, thinly sliced
• 10 g fresh coriander, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Taste. Add more lime or chilli if you’re feeling spicy.
2. Let it chill while everything else cooks — it’ll bring that sweet heat when served.

🐔 Why Chicken is Best Braai’ed on Kameeldoring Hout 🔥🌳

Let’s be honest — not all wood is created equal, especially when it comes to braaing chicken. And if you know, you know: Kameeldoring is the king of the coals. 👑🔥

Here’s why your braaihoender loves Kameeldoring as much as you do:

1. 🔥 Long-lasting, steady heat
   Chicken needs consistent medium heat to cook through without burning on the outside. Kameeldoring burns hot and slow — like that uncle who tells the same joke every braai but somehow makes it funnier every time.
2. 🌬️ Low smoke, big flavour
   It gives off minimal smoke, so your chicken won’t taste like it fell into a campfire. Instead, you get a subtle, rich, smoky flavour that enhances your marinade — not masks it.
3. 🌳 Natural, dry, and clean-burning
   Kameeldoring has low moisture content, meaning less steam and more flame. That equals crispy skin, juicy inside — the holy grail of braai chicken.
4. 🇿🇦 It’s proudly local
   Grown right here in Southern Africa, it’s the real deal for proper Mzansi braais. Plus, it makes you look way more legit than using old fence planks or wet wood from last week’s storm. 💁‍♂️

Share the chicken-love!