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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Hiii, your side looks amazing too! May I have the recipe for that as well?
So so good!!! I let the chicken marinate for a while and used Cajun seasoning instead of the paprika. This is definitely going into my rotation.
I have another question. To broil, the rack should be at what position? The top position or in the middle or below or which ?
Hi Emre, The rack should be in the top position.
I have a question. My broiler has two settings – HI and LO. Which one should I choose to broil ?
Hi Emre, I’d use high. Enjoy!
I was reluctant to make this since my husband isn’t a fan of chicken thighs, honey or vinegar BUT I tried it anyhow! He loved it and I did too. I did not add the last 2tbs of vinegar but other than that made exactly as the recipe stated. I also liked how quickly this can be prepared so its perfect for a weekday meal. Paired with quinoa and a salad. Thank you!!
Delicious! Quick and easy to prepare with excellent results. The skin was crispy and the meat was moist and tender. I didn’t have thighs so used leg quarters which were huge. Instead of broiling I roasted the quarters at 375° for 40 minutes, then brushed both sides with the honey-vinegar glaze and broiled until the skin was charred. I didn’t divide the vinegar but mixed 2 tablespoons of vinegar with the honey for the glaze and didn’t sprinkle any additional vinegar on the chicken after it was done.
Another fantastic recipe! The whole family loved it–even my pickiest of eaters! Nobody found it too spicy. I followed the recipe exactly and paired it with a pearl couscous flavored with lemon and cilantro,
I was a nervous cook…..having guests for dinner was traumatic…until I made this chicken dish for first family…then friends…then a business gathering (that was a break thru!). This dish is easy, can be altered to fit personal tastes….and goes well with many side…I usually go quinoa and asparagus. This is the dish that helped me discover Once Upon a Chef! My go-to website for a nervous chef!
I made this for my adult grandson one day when he surprised me with a visit. So simple, quick and delicious. He loved it! Me, too! And I solved the side/veg problem by serving it with frozen cauliflower rice. Thanks, Jen.
I doubled the rub and tweaked a few of the spices (because I was low on one and completely out of another) and it came out fantastic. Even my kiddos loved this with the full spice of the cayenne. Easy enough for week night dinners but tasty enough for dinner guests.
Have you ever tried the recipe with bone-in chicken pieces?
Hi Sharon, I haven’t made this with bone-in chicken but a number of readers have commented that they have and have been happy with the results. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I bought the wrong chicken- I bought bone-in rather than boneless. This recipe (one of our family’s favorites) came out great anyways. Took maybe 1-2 minutes longer to cook. No difference in taste 🙂
Hi Jen, can you recommend a different side to the quinoa with peaches? I’m not a big fan of fruit with meat/chicken…. PS EVERY recipe I have tried of yours is fabulous – thank you for the inspiration!
Hi Alison, Glad you like the recipe! 🙂 You could go with simple couscous here as the chicken is full of flavor. If you want a veggie too, these French Green Beans with Shallots would be nice. Hope that helps!
I am allergic to paprika unfortunately, because I love the flavor. Could I just leave it out and use Cayenne instead? I am cooking my way through your blog and cook book and can’t wait to try this one!
Hi Tegan, You can omit the paprika. If you LOVE heat, then you can up the cayenne pepper, but a little of that goes a long way! You may have better luck replacing the paprika with more chili powder. Hope you enjoy!
After a first bite, husband asked me if I saved the recipes and will be able to make it again!!! This one is one of favorite
I finally tried this recipe and everyone is correct. OMG it’s so yummy. I usually avoid recipes that mention a “glaze”. I’m not big on my meal being sweet. This had a really nice balance of flavors. I prepped the chicken about 90 minutes before broiling so it had good flavor. I used a natural , raw honey which isn’t as sweet so that may have helped but either way, we will definitely eat this many more times. I served it with a squash/apple slaw dish I saw on the Today show. Thank you so much!!!!
Amazing!! I’ve love every single recipe I’ve tried but this is one of my favourites 🤤
This is a regular weeknight meal in my home, so quick and easy. Very rich in flavor. I liked the smoked paprika but my girlfriend doesn’t so it’s no longer included. Also, it’s a quick clean up as long as you put foil on your baking sheet.
How do you get the chicken to have such a red color? I’ve made this recipe at least 15 times now and every time I make it the spices/color runs. 🙁
Hi Nick, That’s a really old picture and I think it’s probably just poor photography as the chicken is not that deep red that you see there. (I’ll likely be reshooting that one soon.) 🙂
My broiler doesn’t work so i set the oven to max at 550 degrees but did not get crispy. I used skinless thighs. However, they were good.
So, you remove two stars in your review just because YOUR broiler doesn’t work???
I don’t think it’s fair.
I’ve made this recipe so many times now. The combo of spices makes the chicken very tasty, and the honey and vinegar are an added bonus. An easy, no fail recipe that you can pair with anything really!
I love this quick and easy recipe – I used bone in ,skin on and baked at 350 for about 25 min before quickly broiling and basting served with rice and a tomato, corn, cilantro, avocado, red onion salad with lime dressing
Totally yummy
Loved it! Another great recipe – Jenn’s recipes never fail and are always become a repeat. thank you Jenn!
I have been making this recipe for 2-3 years now, and it’s been my go-to for a quick, fool-proof, and easy dinner. As long as you stick loosely to the proportions and follow the timing, you get the most delicious and juicy chicken thighs. Thank you, Jenn!
Hey Jen,
I’m making this tomorrow. Do you think it would be okay if I marinated the chicken in the morning before work?
Thanks.
Definitely — Hope you enjoy!
Forgot to rate this fantastic recipe.
This was so delicious and unbelievably quick. I followed the recipe exactly. Wouldn’t change a thing. Preordered your cookbook cannot wait to try something new.
❤️Hope you enjoy the book, Teresa!
I’ve made this a few times now and enjoy it better than pretty much any other oven thighs recipe. I keep forgetting to ask what oven temp you set the broiler to.
Have had your new book on pre-order and looking forward to it.
Hi Kev, I set mine to high which is about 550°F. Hope you enjoy the cookbook!
What a great recipe, Jen! Thanks so much for sharing this. It was delicious and easy to do on a worknight even after a long commute. I’m cautious about broiling since it’s easy to burn food. Your cook times were spot on for 550 degrees and the chicken turned out fantastic. Loved the honey-ACV glaze. This is a winner!
Thanks, Jen. Loved this recipe. It’s perfectly balanced on flavor and the best part is it’s so easy and quick (even using bone-in thighs). I had some leftovers and ate it cold for lunch the next day. It was equally delicious and would be terrific on salad. Can’t wait to make it again.
Very easy to make and lots of flavor (love the cumin)! Thanks for another great recipe.
Made this dish using bone in skinless thighs and it turned out perfect. I didn’t add the glaze though. We like spicy food at our home. My husband who likes everything fried actually loved the dish and said that he could eat this every week.
So easy and delicious. Add all of the cayenne, even my 6yr old son said it is his favorite. Going to make it again for dinner. 3rd time in 2 weeks and the quinoa salad goes so well with this. I am impressed every time I try a new recipe.
Made this for dinner last night and everyone loved it. So simple and delicious. Will be adding this to our weeknight round-up. The only thing I didn’t do was add extra vinegar at the end. It tasted so good as is, I didn’t want to touch it. Maybe we’ll try the extra vinegar next time.
Hi! How would you change things if you were to make chicken wings (instead of thighs) with the marinade? Thanks!!
Hi Allison, for wings, I would bake (instead of broil) them — Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and set an oven-proof rack over top. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray or grease with vegetable oil. Bake the wings in a 450-degree oven for approximately 35 minutes (but keep an eye on them). Then move the chicken to about 6 inches under the broiler and broil them for 3 – 5 minutes until lightly charred and crispy.
A couple of questions: After baking, the pan contained a lot of liquid. Is this typical? I’m wondering if it was because the meat had been frozen and thawed. Should I bake them on a wire rack? They were delicious anyway.
Also, I barely had enough spices to cover the thighs and just rubbed it over the meat. Should I have doubled the spices?
A great recipe that I will make again.
Hi Eloise, if the chicken was still a bit frozen, the liquid may have been a little water. It may have also been a little of the chicken’s natural juices. If you’d like to put the chicken on a rack next time, that would be perfectly fine. And If you felt like you had to spread the spices too thin for your liking, perhaps you had particularly large chicken thighs. In that case, you may want to use 1.5 times the spices.
I’ve doubled the spices, not cayenne, and it tasted really good. I also like the tang of vinegar so i bumped it up a little to taste. We love this recipe.
This recipe is perfect! I have made it several times now and even my 2 year old loves it (minus the cayenne). We also love the pickled red onions in the linked side dish. Can’t wait til peach season to try it as pictured!
This has to be the best way to fix boneless chicken thighs. Such enjoyable flavor. Served with scalloped potatoes and broccoli. Had daughter and family for dinner.
Amazing. I don’t think I can make chicken thighs any other way now.
Hi Jennifer, my husband is allergic to honey. Could I use maple syrup instead?
Hi Deniza, I’ve never tried it with anything but honey, so I can’t say for sure, but I think maple syrup (or a fruity jam) would work here. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you make it!
Love this delicious juicy chicken dish but I halved the honey to 3 tablespoon and found it to be just right.
I love this recipe. It is perfect on a night when time is short! My kids love it too.
I don’t leave reviews but this was good. Really good. Can’t believe I’m saying that about boneless skinless thighs.
This is such a quick and easy weeknight dinner for us and it provides lots of flavor and color on the plate.
This is a very quick and delicious meal. My girlfriend doesn’t care for the smoky flavor so I generally just use the regular paprika. The flavor is so tangy it can please anyone.
We made this last week for the first time and the whole family loved it! I didn’t do the final sprinkling of vinegar at the end, but it was still great! This is a perfect weeknight easy meal!
Recipe was great. My wife and kids really loved it. I’ve made it several times and have also added into a cast iron pan with some veggies to make it a one pot dinner.
I have made this recipe about 15 times now. It is my go to recipe whenever it’s my turn to cook for friends and I always have to give them the recipe after. The recipe spices work well for other meat too! I have used it on pork and it comes out phenomenal. When I make the chicken I usually pair it with baked sweet potato fries.
I have made this many, many times and it is fabulously received by young and older guests. The chicken comes out juicy, tender, and flavorful, yet not heavy on the spices. I usually use cut up chicken on the bone and put the chicken with the ingredients in a plastic bag to marinate overnight, but even when time is short, even a half hour will do the trick. I made this using the broiler and sometimes on the BBQ. It’s a winner of a recipe and has never failed.
The second time I made this, I took the glaze a bit further and made a gastrique, adding some blackberries for just a touch of fruitiness that really made the chicken pop and, as an added bonus, paired up pretty nicely with the quinoa salad too!
I am just learning to cook at 65 but, I discovered a blackberry bush pirate in my garden. Can yo explain gastrique and what would I do to try this. I live the recipe as is but I’m game for new flavors and techniques. Thank you.
Jen, again, thanks for teaching this old gal how to cook. 😁
My broiler works only with a set temperature. At what temperature would you recommend to use the broiler? Would 400F work or is this too hot? Thank you
Hi Mim, actually I think you should go higher; the average broiling temperature is about 500 degrees. Just keep an eye on it as all ovens are different.