What is a CAVA bowl?
CAVA is a restaurant chain that features Mediterranean meals mainly served in bowls. Some people call it “the Mediterranean version of Chipotle”. A CAVA bowl is made by assembling various ingredients, starting with a base like grains or greens, adding protein, and finishing with a variety of toppings and dressings. Customers can mix and match the ingredients to their liking or choose from various premade bowls on the restaurant’s menu. As you can imagine, with so many options, the combinations are endless. Below, you will find the list of ingredients you’ll need for my version of the copycat CAVA bowl recipe, but feel free to adjust it based on your preferences and what you have in your pantry.
The Base:
You can combine rice and salad greens or choose one as the base of your bowl. I prefer to use both because I like the variety.
Brown Rice: In classic CAVA fashion, I use brown rice for my copycat recipe. I love the nutty flavors of brown Jasmine rice, which you can cook on the stove or in a pressure cooker. However, brown basmati rice would also work. You can cook the rice in water or use chicken stock or vegetable broth to make it even more flavorful. Salad greens: Use spring mix, chopped romaine lettuce, or baby spinach. Or, if you want to follow in the footsteps of CAVA, mix them all up and make your own “SuperGreens” mix.
The Protein:
I chose their fan favorite, Honey Harissa Chicken, for the protein in my CAVA copycat bowl recipe. You’ll need:
Chicken thighs or breasts: For extra juiciness, use skinless, boneless chicken thighs, or opt for chicken breasts for a leaner option. Harissa paste: This bold and spicy North African condiment is the star of this CAVA harissa chicken bowls recipe, providing its signature smoky heat and bold flavors. You can make harissa from scratch, use a shortcut by making it with harissa powder, or simply buy it from the store. Trader Joe’s and Mina (affiliate link) are two nationwide brands that I recommend. Fresh Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic for its rich flavors, but you can use garlic powder in a pinch. Lemon juice: A small amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a bright, tangy note to balance the spiciness of the harissa. Honey: Adding honey does not make the recipe sweeter. Instead, it helps balance the heat coming from harissa and adds a unique layer of flavor.
The Toppings:
You can add as many toppings as you like! Below are the ones I used in my CAVA bowl at home, but feel free to customize with as many or as few as you’d prefer.
Tzatziki sauce Hummus Pickled red onions or my Mexican pickled onions Crazy Feta or crumbled feta cheese Greek cucumber tomato salad or sliced grape tomatoes and cucumbers Roasted or grilled corn Pita bread or homemade pita chips Pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
The Dressing Ingredients:
While CAVA offers several different dressing options, I always chose their hot harissa vinaigrette because it is truly delicious. You can adjust the spiciness based on your taste buds. You’ll need:
Extra virgin olive oil Lemon juice Harissa powder: You can make your own harissa seasoning or buy it from the store. I recommend Whole Foods’ Harissa seasoning (affiliate link), which is mildly spicy and perfectly balanced. Honey or maple syrup Fresh garlic Kosher salt and black pepper
To Make the Harissa Honey Chicken:
To Cook the Rice
To Make the Dressing
To Assemble the Bowls
To Make ahead: Marinade the chicken and store it in the fridge a day before. Cook the rice ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently in the microwave or stovetop before serving. The CAVA harissa vinaigrette can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge. Give it a good shake before using it. Prep all the toppings (cucumbers, tomatoes, salad greens, hummus, tzatziki, etc.) and place them in separate containers to maintain their freshness for up to 2 days in advance. On the day you plan to serve, bake the chicken, warm the rice, and assemble the bowl according to the recipe. To store leftovers: Store the cooked components (chicken, rice, and toppings) in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Warm the chicken and rice right before you assemble your CAVA bowls. You can warm them in the microwave or a low-heat (300 F) oven until warmed thoroughly, 4-5 minutes. Assemble the bowls just before serving to avoid soggy greens. Leftover bowls can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, but keep the vinaigrette on the side and drizzle just before serving.
Recipe Variations
The good news is that you can take this CAVA copycat recipe as a starting point and turn it into your own masterpiece. Below are a few recipe variations to help you make it your own:
Swap the protein: CAVA changes its menu regularly and offers different protein options. You can, too! During the summer months, I like to use grilled harissa chicken or spicy harissa salmon instead of harissa honey chicken. Alternatively, you can make my Turkish meatballs recipe or Chicken Shawarma for an authentic Mediterranean bowl. Change the base: Cooked black lentils are an excellent alternative to rice. It also works beautifully with salad greens. Toppings: You can take it up a notch and try your hand at making red pepper hummus, roasted eggplant and tahini dip (aka babaganoush), or eggplant yogurt dip. Dressings: While Cava’s Harissa vinaigrette is a classic, you can also use lemon balsamic dressing, red wine vinaigrette, or even pesto vinaigrette as an alternative. Make it vegetarian: Instead of meat, use roasted cubed butternut squash, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, falafel, or baked tofu. If you prefer a dairy-free option, you can simply omit the feta cheese and tzatziki.
Store-bought condiments: If you are short on time, there is nothing wrong with buying some condiments from the grocery store. Nowadays, many options and brands offer high-quality and delicious hummus, tzatziki, and even pickled onions at stores. Prewashed salad greens: Most restaurants use triple-washed (and dried) salad greens. You can, too. It is a big-time saver. Buffet Style: This is a fantastic recipe for serving a crowd. I like to serve it buffet style by placing all the ingredients in bowls and having my guests assemble their own Cava bowls. Serve warm or cold: While you can warm up the leftovers in the oven (or microwave), I usually eat them cold or at room temperature. Since the chicken is fully cooked, serving it without warming up is perfectly fine.
This Recipe is:
