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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Could you make this recipe with drumsticks? I’m sure that would change the cooking time, but how? I haven’t tried it yet, so this is 5 stars for how easy it looks!
Hi Katie, I do think it would work with drumsticks. They’ll need about 20 minutes of cooking time under the broiler, and you may need to move the oven rack down a notch or two so they don’t brown too fast; you can always move it up again at the end when you add the glaze. Please let me know how it turns out.
Another FANTASTIC recipe! My son discovered your website, and we have been using your recipes all summer. Everything is so flavorful and delicious! Thanks, Jenn, for sharing your talents! We have really enjoyed family time in the kitchen!
So nice to read, Sarah! I’m so glad you and your family are enjoying the recipes!
Do you have any suggestions for how the coating could be used for chicken strips? I’m hoping to bring this to a party that I’m going to where people will be bringing small plates/finger foods, but I don’t know how to adapt the timing for smaller pieces of chicken or if that would even work!
Hi Blair, Unfortunately, I don’t think this recipe works nearly as well with chicken tenderloins. The following recipe makes better finger food for a party, and you can prepare it ahead of time and reheat in the oven. https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/pecan-crusted-chicken-tenders-with-honey-mustard-sauce.html
I made this for my boyfriend and he said (direct quote), “I’ve been eating chicken my whole life and this is in the top five.” Fantastic recipe! I went against your warnings and used chicken breasts instead of thighs, but it was still amazing! Thanks!
Yum! Just the right amount of sweet and spice. Very easy and delicious.
I’ve now made this recipe for my family twice and it has been a hit both times. The glaze adds enough sweetness for my kids to overlook the extra cayenne I added for my husbands love of heat.
I had never cooked with boneless thighs before trying this recipe, but will be trying to find new ways to cook with them now that I see how they stay moist compared to breasts.
On Saturday night I made this recipe for my family. In the recipe I doubled the chicken, as I hated to leave only four thighs uncooked in a package. To my amazement, we only had four thighs left after the meal. It was a huge hit with my family. The only thing I would say that was complicated about the recipe was the trimming of the thighs. I really appreciated the tip on using kitchen shears to make the process easier
Love this recipe but not great to substitute boneless thighs as it dries out quickly. Next time I will only use bone-in thighs or more closely manage broiler time to avoid burning/dry-out of meat.
My 11 yr old son & I made this recipe tonight. He prepared the chicken marinade & glaze while I did the rest. My guests were impressed such a great tasting dish was simple enough that even an 11 yr old could do it. Definitely a 5 star restaurant quality dish. Thanks for sharing!
We love this recipe! I made this on a beach trip to Mexico for my grandson’s 21st birthday and it was a huge hit with the entire family. We had leftovers and when I woke up the next morning, they were gone! Recently made it again for my mom and sister and again, 5 stars!
Omgosh YUM!!!!!! Followed recipe exactly and all 3 of my kids loved it. Even with the cayenne which adds flavor rather than heat. Maybe the other ingredients calm it down. So so good with mashed potatoes!!!! And don’t forget the pan drippings when you serve it. Super easy to prepare. Love onceuponachef.com!!!! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it, Jemma!