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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Hi just a quick question can I use apple cider vinegar or just vinegar as I can’t find at the shops cider vinegar.
Hi Aneta, Yes it’s the same thing (apple cider vinegar).
Followed the recipe as written. This was delicious and easy. Great recipe, thank you.
I made this dish last night and the flavours were GREAT! However, I found it way too salty and will decrease the salt by half next time. Thanks for another great recipe!!
I make this all the time now. It is freaking amazing! Thanks for sharing!!!!
Hi Jenn! I just found your website and am in love with all the recipes!! So simple and easy and delicious for this mom of 4! Quick question on the spice mix: I just made this dish and it turned out delicious but I struggled a bit with getting all the chicken coated. Shall I mix spices, then add oil, and then put chicken in? Or drizzle spice mix on top? Seems basic I realize but I felt so clumsy with it. Thanks and keep the great recipes coming!!!
Hi Emily, So glad you’re enjoying the recipes! I mix the spices and oil in a large bowl, then add the chicken and toss to coat. Hope that helps!
Made these again and they were great!! I love this spice mix so much – do you think it could be used as a marinade (combined with olive oil similar to the way the marinade for the Morrocan Chicken – also a favorite – is made?) Just curious because I love it and wanting to use it for more! Thanks!
Hi Emily, Yes, absolutely. Please let me know how it turns out.
Just a follow up: made this tonight using the dry spices plus 1/4 cup olive oil as a marinade; used it on chicked breasts and then grilled them. AMAZING! This will be a our go-to for cookouts this summer as the flavor was bold but not too spicy; and it was very authentic tasting. LOVE!
I hate dark meat and your recipe converted me! Absolutely delicious!! Thank you.
New to this site, 2nd recipe made – the BBQ short ribs earlier this week (amazing!) and tonight this chicken. The other reviews don’t lie, this is my new favorite chicken recipe and will make often. I followed recipe and cooking instructions exactly; served with roasted veggies and pita bread. Soooo good – Quick, easy, healthy and delicious. Excited to try more recipes from this site. Thank you for another winner!
So good! I appreciated the note about using 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper for young kids…the spice-lovers of the family were satisfied, as were the younger ones who don’t prefer heat. The chicken thighs were so tender and the seasoning was delicious.
DELICIOUS!! Just tried tonight for the first time. This is for sure going to be my new “go to” chicken recipe. So easy and quick to make and still can’t get over how delicious it was! I love spice and this was just perfect.
I just found your website recently and am so so so happy with it! I’ve only tried a few recipes so far but they’ve all been absolutely amazing!!
I served this for a girls luncheon. I tripled the recipe, but didn’t add cayenne. It was a huge hit! I followed the cooking times precisely and I had no problem with the thighs being done thoroughly. Any longer and the thighs would be dry. I will definitely be making these again and will add a pinch of cayenne.