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!

Barbeque-spiced chicken thighs with tangy honey glaze on a plate.

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.

“Super Easy! Super Quick! Super Yummy! A winner on all fronts! Thank you!”

Kathy

What You’ll Need To Make BBQ-Spiced Chicken Thighs With Tangy Honey Glaze

ingredients 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.

olive oil and spices in a large bowl

Whisk to combine.

whisked oil and spices

Add the chicken thighs and toss with the spice rub to coat evenly.

tossing the chicken thighs with the spice rub

Arrange the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy clean-up.

chicken thighs on foil-lined baking sheet

Broil for 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

Barbeque-spiced chicken thighs on a lined baking sheet.

Meanwhile, combine the honey and cider vinegar in a small bowl to make the glaze.

tangy honey glaze in a small bowl with a fork

Brush the cooked chicken with half the glaze, then broil for 1 to 2 minutes.

brushing the chicken thighs with the glaze

Flip the chicken over, brush with the remaining glaze, and broil for a few minutes more until the chicken is nicely caramelized.

broiled chicken thighs with pan sauces

Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining cider vinegar and serve with the pan sauces.

Barbeque-spiced chicken thighs with tangy honey glaze on a plate.

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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!

Servings: 4-6
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 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

  1. Set an oven rack in the top position and preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
  2. 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.
  3. Broil the chicken for 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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

  • I made this last night – fantastic! Fun and easy to make and simply delicious! My bf thinks I’m a great cook thanks to you 🙂

  • I love this recipe. I like the dark meat and this was easy and so delicious. I added a little more olive oil and marinated the thighs for about a half hour. The end result was a very tender, very tasty lunch served with cole slaw. Can you tell me the calories per serving? I had two pieces.

    • Hi Ginny, Glad you enjoyed this! I just added the nutritional information (immediately below the recipe).

  • Love this recipe. Have also used this for chicken wings and was tremendous. I just let them bake away, stirred now and again, and super simple, and yummy!

  • This recipe is delicious! I have never tried cooking with chicken thighs and this dish has easily won me over. The chicken was moist and flavorful while the sauce was just the right amount of sweet. Definitely add this to your recipe book!

  • These chicken thighs were fab!! I didn’t quite get the same colouring that you did but I will certainly be making these again, just the right amount of spicy and sweet.

  • I never had chicken thighs before making this recipe – I make these once a week now and my whole family loves them! So easy to make!

  • Beautiful tasty recipe for chicken! I served with a crunchy salad and potato salad! Yummy!!!

  • Made this last Saturday and it was so good! Thanks Jenn!

  • We loved your Spicy Chicken Thighs with Sweet & Tangy Honey Glaze.Can’t wait to make these for company with a green salad with lemon vinaigrette.

  • Yum! Simple and delicious. I marinated chicken for two days, doubling smoked paprika and omitting regular papeika.
    My teenage son gave reviewes roo.

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