BBQ-Spiced Chicken Thighs with Tangy Honey Glaze
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You can make these flavor-packed, BBQ-spiced chicken thighs in under 30 minutes!
Inspired by one of the most popular Cooking Light recipes, these BBQ-spiced chicken thighs are a huge family pleaser and super-easy to prepare. The chicken is seasoned with a Southwestern rub, broiled for 10 minutes, brushed with an apple cider vinegar-honey glaze, and then flashed under the broiler again until caramelized and juicy. Finally, the chicken is doused with a bit more vinegar to balance the sweetness of the honey and also create a delicious pan sauce.
Start to finish, the recipe takes under 30 minutes! (In case you’re wondering, this recipe will work on the grill, but you’ll definitely miss those tasty pan juices for spooning over the chicken.) Serve the chicken thighs with any simple corn dish: corn on the cob, spoon bread, cornbread, or corn salad, to name just a few.
Table of Contents
“Super Easy! Super Quick! Super Yummy! A winner on all fronts! Thank you!”
What You’ll Need To Make BBQ-Spiced Chicken Thighs With Tangy Honey Glaze
It’s important to use boneless, skinless thighs as opposed to chicken breasts. They stand up better to the bold seasonings, are more flavorful, and won’t dry out. Just be sure to trim off most of the fat; I like to use kitchen shears as opposed to a knife, as it’s much easier.
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, combine the olive oil and spices in a large bowl.
Whisk to combine.
Add the chicken thighs and toss with the spice rub to coat evenly.
Arrange the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy clean-up.
Broil for 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
Meanwhile, combine the honey and cider vinegar in a small bowl to make the glaze.
Brush the cooked chicken with half the glaze, then broil for 1 to 2 minutes.
Flip the chicken over, brush with the remaining glaze, and broil for a few minutes more until the chicken is nicely caramelized.
Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining cider vinegar and serve with the pan sauces.
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BBQ-Spiced Chicken Thighs with Tangy Honey Glaze
You can make these flavor-packed, BBQ-spiced chicken thighs in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2½ lbs), trimmed of fat
For the Tangy Honey Glaze
- 5 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
Instructions
- Set an oven rack in the top position and preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat evenly. Arrange the chicken on the prepared baking sheet.
- Broil the chicken for 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- While the chicken is in the oven, prepare the glaze: In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk the honey with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar.
- Remove the pan from the oven and brush half of the glaze on the chicken; broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the chicken thighs over; brush with the remaining honey glaze and broil for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the exterior of the chicken is caramelized. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the chicken with the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Transfer the chicken and pan juices to a platter and serve.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Serving size: 2 thighs
- Calories: 321
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Sugar: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Cholesterol: 130mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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8 thighs could be anywhere from 1.5 pounds to 4 pounds. Could you tell us the approximate weight for the chicken in this recipe? Thank you.
Yes Cathie, it can vary based on the weight of the thighs. You would do best with about 2 pounds of chicken give or take a bit. Hope you enjoy!
My son who says he hates chicken loved this. He said it was the best dinner ever. My husband and my son were fighting over the last piece! This will be in heavy rotation in my house. thanks Jenn
I think I would like this recipe but the ads make it too difficult to read. Trying to close the ads is also a pain. I would subscribe but it’s too frustrating to work my way to where I can just read the recipe.
Janet, Thanks for your very honest input about the frustration you’re experiencing trying to navigate the site. I recently started working with a new ad network and am in the process of working out some of the glitches. I am hoping that I can get these issues ironed out quickly. Perhaps you can subscribe at some point in the future. Thanks again for your feedback!
I have made this recipe so many times that I couldn’t even count them. I just prepared them again for tonight’s dinner. Delicious! This is a recipe my husband and I never tire of. I have made it for friends and family. Always a hit!
How would these work cold for a buffet?
Sure, that would work!
Delicious chicken! An easy recipe that seems like it took hours to cook–I loved the crispiness of the chicken! I had it with your zucchini-tomato basil recipe and the whole dinner was amazing!
This was AMAZING!!!! Thank you so much!!!
I don’t know how I bumped into this recipe but it changed our life, well.. we really enjoy cooking & eating dinner so much more these days & it sure makes me look like a great cook!
I immediately started trying one after the other of your recipes & I haven’t found one that we didn’t say, WOW! I’m in my 60’s & have cooked chicken every way possible, so I thought. I have used the combination of spices in this recipe for other things..even in some roasted veggies.!
Thank you, thank you Jenn?
I’ve made these several times and my whole family LOVES them. This has to be one of my all time favorite recipes.
I’m making this for dinner tonight, but I am using skin on bone in thighs. Should I broil on medium or high?
Hi Chelsea, I’d broil on medium as they will take longer to cook. Hope you enjoy!
Hey! So I NEVER give reviews on recipes, but I just had to make an exception for this one. This recipe was so yummy! I didn’t have the chili powder or the smoked paprika and it still came out awesome. My husband is from Nepal, so its hard to impress him when it comes to flavor and spices. He loved it. Thank you! 🙂