This Spicy Honey Chicken is one of my family’s favorite meals. Both kids and adults gobble it up every time I make it. I love the combo of a savory spice rub combined with a sweet, tangy honey glaze and it doesn’t hurt that it’s pretty quick and easy either! You don’t have to think ahead about marinating because you’re just throwing together a spice rub and, after the spices have grilled into the chicken, you just slather on a honey glaze. Even though it has the word spicy in the title, it’s actually pretty mild and you can always cut the chipotle in half if you’re worried about it.
Ingredient Notes
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Vegetable Oil
- Spice Rub
- Granulated garlic
- Chili powder
- Onion powder
- Coriander
- Kosher salt
- Cumin
- Chipotle chili powder
- Glaze
- Honey
- Apple cider vinegar
How to Make Spicy Honey Chicken
- This recipe starts with a simple spice mix of garlic, chili powder, onion powder, coriander, salt, cumin, and chipotle powder. Mix the spices all together in a bowl, then toss chicken with oil and spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there, then pop it on the grill!
- Next, mix up the glaze. While chicken is cooking, warm the honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the honey glaze for serving. (In fact, the sweet, tangy honey glaze is so good that I usually double it to ensure plenty for drizzling on before serving!)
- Take the rest and brush on the chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling. I recommend a silicone basting brush like one of these that can withstand the high heat of the grill. I’m gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It’s sugar, and it’s gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It’s totally worth it once you taste this stuff.
Storage and Other Tips
- If you don’t have a BBQ, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!
- Store leftovers in the fridge and eat within 3-4 days for best results.
- Speaking of leftovers, my absolute favorite way to eat leftover Spicy Honey Chicken is in a salad! If you still have reserved glaze, drizzle a little over your favorite salad ingredients with some glaze and a touch of olive oil and toss it all together with your leftover chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
My family is very sensitive to spicy food. Can I just leave the chipotle out completely?
There are lots of spices here that will still be delicious if you decide to leave the chipotle out completely. It does bring a nice depth of flavor, though, so I’d recommend at least trying half of what’s called for!
Can I make this ahead of time?
This recipe is quick and easy. It is best made and eaten fresh if you are wanting warm chicken. Cold leftover chicken is great in salads and sandwiches!
Spicy Honey Chicken
The best chicken thighs! This recipe combines a savory spice rub with a sweet honey glaze for a crowd-pleasing favorite.
Servings people
Equipment
Ingredients
Thighs
- 8 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless about 2 pounds
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Rub
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
Glaze
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions
Rub
- Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.
Grill
- Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Using a digital thermometer, cook chicken until it is a minimum temperature of 165°. However, you’ll want to aim for between 170-175° for improved flavor and texture.
Glaze
- While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2 tablespoons honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.
- Drizzle chicken with reserved glaze before serving.
Notes
- If you don’t have a barbecue grill, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler.
- Be sure to use a silicon basting brush; a horsehair basting or pastry brush won’t hold up to heat on the grill.
Nutrition
Calories: 108kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 0.5g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 404mg, Potassium: 54mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 251IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 108kcal
Cost: $10
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Questions & Reviews
This is amazing. My husband and my super picky kids all loved it. My husband actually raved about it. Since it's freezing out, I baked this in the oven and it came out great. Thanks for sharing!
Okay, I know that I am a little late with posting a comment (seeing as how I just stumbled upon this site)….BUT my family absolutely loved this recipe! They are hooked…. Thank you , thankyou , thank you for making my family smile at dinner time..
Oh man these were awesome! My husband and 9 year old stepdaughter are a tough crowd and they raved over this recipe. I even went the breast AND thigh route. Oh what we mothers/wives do to keep the peace. 🙂 I agree about the thighs being a must for this recipe. I was just stoked that I had all of the spices on hand already. I did add a smidge of crushed red pepper and paprika. Not sure if it was because I used an indoor grill pan on my stovetop, but I had about 1/4cup of leftover honey glaze. So we just used it to dip our chicken in. I could tell the second I rubbed all those spices on that it was a winner. Winner winner chicken dinner all the way!
I've been lurking for a few months, but I'm out! Erika O. introduced me to your site and I've been cooking my way through and loving everything! This is one of my new favorites! Unfortunately our grill just met it's death during an YM camp out with my husband.
It is great both ways, but it is better to have a little sauce at the end.
The hubs and I made this last night and it was great! He keeps telling me how delicious it was. Thanks for a fabulous recipe!
Angie- thanks for coming back with the results! A lot of people have asked what to do without a grill, so that's helpful. Glad you liked it!
I'm back to report my results. The chicken turned out pretty good sans a grill or broiler, but after making them I can now see why they would be much, much better grilled.
I coated four boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a little canola oil, rubbed with the seasoning, then sauteed them in a skillet. The last few minutes I added the glaze to the chicken and let them stew for about 5 to 7 minutes.
I made the spicy honey chicken salad that you posted May 15, 2009, (my reason for wanting to make the chicken) and it was (and is) delicious!
Not having a grill seriously impedes my cooking experiences, but it can't be helped at the moment. Thanks for the advice. I'll try it on the stove top in the next week or so and report back the results.
I made this with the salad. My mango wasn't ripe and all I had was a nectarine but it worked out just fine that way. I thought the chicken was even better cold the next day in my salad.