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Juicy Grilled Honey Chipotle Chicken thighs with char marks, garnished with fresh cilantro on a white plate.
Linda

Grilled Honey Chipotle Chicken

Sweet, smoky, and just spicy enough - this chicken gets a sticky glaze that caramelizes beautifully over hot coals.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican-Inspired
Calories: 385
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs about 6 thighs, patted dry
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the Honey Chipotle Glaze
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce minced, plus 1 tbsp sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
For Serving
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 lime wedges optional

Equipment

  • Grill (gas or charcoal)
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Small saucepan

Method
 

Prep
  1. In a small saucepan, combine honey, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, garlic, lime juice, vinegar, and smoked paprika. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside half the glaze for serving.
  2. Pat chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature while the grill heats.
Grill Setup
  1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 400 to 450 degrees F) for direct cooking. Oil the grates well to prevent sticking.
Cook
  1. Place chicken skin-side down on the hot grill. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes without moving, until the skin is deeply golden and releases easily from the grates. Flip and cook another 5 minutes.
  2. Brush the reserved glaze (not the serving portion) generously over the chicken. Continue grilling, flipping once more and glazing again, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F at the thickest part, about 4 to 6 minutes more. The glaze should be sticky and slightly charred in spots.
  3. Transfer chicken to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved glaze, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges if desired.

Notes

For less heat, use just 1 tablespoon of chipotle peppers and add extra adobo sauce for flavor without the burn. The glaze can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated - warm it slightly before brushing on the chicken. These thighs are excellent over rice with black beans, or sliced into tacos with pickled onions.