Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

in Chicken & Turkey

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

An important part of creating a tasty dish is balancing and complimenting flavors and textures. Dishes that take combinations to a bit of an extreme score high in this house. Take french bread: super crusty on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside – french bread knows no stranger in our home.

My favorite flavor combination is sweet and spicy. The spiciness of a dish is usually a pleasant surprise – the initial sweetness slowly overtaken and replaced by a subtle warming. Sweet and spicy come in many forms, one of my favorites being Grilled Honey Peppers (cream cheese and honey whipped until fluffy, piped into a jalapeno pepper, and grilled until oozy… stay tuned – these only make an appearance at summer cook-outs). When I ran across a recipe rave for Cooking Light’s Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs on the cooking forum I frequent, I knew that the chances were pretty slim that we wouldn’t enjoy them.

The chicken bakes under the broiler, singing the higher areas and creating a nice crispy coating. The spices marry with the honey into a sweet and (wait for it…) spicy dish. Served alongside oven-roasted asparagus and garlic-parmesan risotto, the sweet and spicy allowed the flavorful dark meat to shine.

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

Juicy chicken thighs broiled with a sweet & sour marinade.

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
  • Cooking spray
  • 6 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Combine the dried spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle on both sides of chicken thighs, coating well.
  3. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.
  4. Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, microwave for 15 seconds, and stir well.
  5. Remove chicken from oven; brush 1/2 the honey-cider mixture onto the chicken.
  6. Broil 2 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and turn over.
  7. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 2 additional minutes or until chicken is done.

Notes

Yields: 4 servings

Adapted from Cooking Light

Estimated time: 20 minutes

5 comments… add one
  • Laurie

    I have made this recipe as well and it is quite good, yours looks just as delicious as I remember it!

  • The chicken looks so good. The skin is my favorite party and yours is just calling me. Your making me drool.

  • Holy Moly! Instant mouth watering when I clicked over to you! This chicken looks so, so fantastic! 🙂 Thanks!

  • Oh my… that chicken has my mouth watering! It looks great.

  • Love! So simple, but SO delicious. The husband loves dark meat, so he was a very happy man tonight.

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