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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I am such a fan of yours. Everything I make from your recipes is delicious. Thank you so much for all of your effort and fabulous taste!
Amazing! We went all in on the Cayenne Pepper and they turned out great. We love all your recipes – they are so easy to follow and the pictures are so helpful. Thanks!
Fantastic dish, thanks for sharing! I did double the spice mixture and use thighs with bone and skin on. Not only delicious, but beautiful to plate!
Absolutely delish. Followed exact recipe but a lot of the sauce stuck to the aluminum foil. Should I have sprayed the foil with non stick spray or double the sauce. Wanted to mix sauce with chicken and rice.
Also broiled not on the top rack but one under that and it cooked great.
Thank you!!
Glad you liked it! While some of the sauce gets caramelized and stuck to the foil, you should’ve had some pan juices to add to the serving bowl/plates. Next time, you could try spraying the foil with just a bit of nonstick spray or use nonstick foil. Hope that helps!
I was skeptical about this recipe but thought, “What the heck.” OH my goodness it was delicious! I only had breasts but it was still so moist.i dipped each bite into the drippings and it amped up the flavor. Thank you so much for sharing!
I made this for dinner tonight- it was delicious! Looked just like the picture. My family is already asking when I will make this again! Quick and easy to make.
Fantastic and easy! My favorite chicken recipe
We all loved this! Our two guests from Oman said the “spices were on point”! The flavor was perfect! I doubled the recipe and used 7 or 8 chicken thighs, and they had the exact right amount of heat without being “hot”. We served this with rice and a salad. This came together quickly and easily, and we will make this more regular in our meal rotations.
I followed the recipe exactly but it just didn’t taste right. Not enough kick. Next I’ll double the seasoning. It is good otherwise.
Like some other readers, I also was hesitant to use the broiler, but decided to trust in Jenn’s instructions as they have always been perfect, and this recipe was just brilliant! Easy, tasty, and better than you could find at any restaurant.
This recipe is so easy to make and so good. Jen I will buy every cookbook you ever publish. Your recipes always turn out perfect. I made these for a birthday party and they were a hit. They truly were cooked and ready for the table in 30 minutes so I could spend time at the party and not cooking. Thank you.
I tried this recipe and didn’t think I would like thighs but I have to say best chicken I ever made and was easy for someone who doesn’t like to cook. Thank you will definitely make again