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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My ovens broiler has a high and a low setting. Any recommendations on which setting I should try with this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Morgan, I always use the high setting on my broiler. Hope you enjoy the chicken!
These chicken thighs are phenomenal! Fairly average calories per serving for a dinner, but PACKED with flavor. If you’re tracking meals or counting calories this is an excellent option. I feel like this recipe was almost too easy – like I had missed a step where you need to cook something for like 30 minutes. But nope! It’s just an incredibly easy recipe. I love it and will definitely make it again.
Wow, thank you so much for this recipe. It was quick and easy. Half an hour and dinner is ready. Very tasty. Definite keeper. Spicy, yet not overwhelming. I was afraid of that honey glaze but it is not overpowering, just a perfect compliment to the spice.
Everyone loved this. Even I had a second piece and I don’t usually care for chicken thighs. The only problem I had was my oven began to smoke and I had to move the chicken down to a lower rack.
This was AMAZING!! A huge hit for my family. Tasted like they were grilled! Definitely making this again:)
This is the best! I had chicken I needed to cook for four giant 17-year-old boys in my house. They devoured this (thankfully I was able to double it) and I had two moms text me for the recipe the next day. Thanks, Jenn, I pretty much only cook from your recipes lately!
I love this recipe, and I’m wondering if anyone has tried it in their InstantPot! I’m sure it wouldn’t be the same, but I’d love any tips if you’ve tried it. Thanks!
This recipe was delicious, and it came together and cooked quickly. I’ll be making this again for sure!
I tried the oven method first because we had people over and I was a little hesitant about testing out the broiler with company. I ended up with a lot of liquid and the glaze sort of. washed away. Chicken had great flavor but seemed a little dry. I decided to retry with just my spouse and use the broiler. Success! It was perfect. Juicy, spicy, and a little sweet. Spouse kept saying yum. Will make again for sure.
I made this tonight as directed except I forgot the extra vinegar at the end.
It was wonderful. A delightful blend of sweet and spicy. My husband is a picky eater and went back for seconds. I paired it with air fryer roasted potatoes.
Will definitely make again. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I need to make an effort to leave more reviews on Jen’s website! I have told more people about Jen that in my world, she is simply known as ‘my chef’. This is one of my go to meals for a fast weeknight, don’t know what to make dinner that takes no marinating time and little cooking time. I’ve made it for a dinner party and friends are so impressed (shhhhh). It’s great for camping road trips in the cooler or for picnics on the beach. Forget dragging along a bbq to the beach anymore. Jen, you have changed my cooking forever. It started with me being off work with a bad concussion and then all that time in lockdown. I have made COUNTLESS of your recipes. I used to be so frustrated after having spent the time, effort and money to make a recipe that I thought would be good and it was bad or simply just ok. I know I can count on Jen to have tweaked to perfection everything that is on her site. Our kids gave me her first cookbook as a gift. I think it’s because they love her food! I just keep sending anyone I talk to about cooking to her website and I always hear that they love it. My 19 year old university student son goes to Jen for his recipes every time! He knows they taste so good that I find him cooking! To me, that basically says it all when a young guy is willing to take the time to cook . He and his roommate made the same five meals each week in a different order! He’s in computer science and loves the ease of the interface. Thank you Jen! I’m really hoping that you post more vegetarian mains. We are trying to eat less meat in our house.
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