Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs Recipe (2024)

Almost didn't make it because of the negative reviews here, but am glad I persevered. It was easy and absolutely delicious. I did have to cook a bit longer than the directions said, but I had some big pieces. Please, give it a try! You won't regret it.

I have made this a few times without any changes to the recipe, love it. Perfect when I'm short on time and goes great with another super easy recipe, Cider-Mustard Slaw.

We have made this a number of times on the grill. It is one of the best chicken thigh recipes I have ever had. I broiled it once and smoked up my kitchen so we are keeping it as a summer recipe. I didn't change anything as far as directions. It's perfect just the way it is written. Hope you enjoy as much as we do.

Love this recipe! Great flavor and the honey/apple cider vinegar ties it together wonderfully. Even my chicken hating hubby likes it. Thanks.

This was awesome and so easy to make. Had the right amount of spice for my taste. I finished off the chicken in the oven, because I did not want it to burn under the broiler. I will definitely make this again.

I wouldn't serve this to a child but I thought it was super satisfying with my salad!

I made this last night for my neice (2 years old, going on 3) and myself. I am baffled by the reviews that say this was too spicy or sweet or salty! The light seasoning can be described as mild. My neice ate the chicken without comment or complaint. I served the chicken with steamed broccoli and baked sweet potatoes. I am not exaggerating when I say that the side dishes that I didn't season had more flavor than the chicken. I followed the recipe exactly and got every bit if the rub on the thighs (I had 6 pieces not 8). I'm giving it 3 stars because of the simplicity and the cooking method. Boneless, organic thighs are so much thinner than the huge, thick hormonal breast that is so popular that this short cooking time was perfect. It was cooked all the way through and juicy on the inside while crispy on the outside.

I had my misgivings about the combination of spices and honey/vinegar, but I thought I'd give it a shot just to see. I should have trusted my instincts. This recipe tastes like someone tried to fuse Tex-Mex and Asian, and it just doesn't work. The flavors didn't blend together, so all I tasted at first was a blast of sweet (too sweet), followed by the dusky taste of comino. That and the chile powder are the culprits here, I think. Take those two things out, add some five-spice and more salt, up the vinegar a bit, and mix the spices and honey/vinegar together for a marinade before you GRILL the thighs, and you might have something tasty. This was utterly forgettable, like two people who should never date trying to make their relationship something it was never meant to be.

Really good and easy to make chicken meal i doubled spice. yummy

This is one of our go-to recipes. It is quick, easy, and delicious. During the summer, we cook the chicken on the grill. Additionally, we tend to double the spice mixture to get more of a coating and more flavor on the chicken.

These were great! Despite smoking up the apartment with my broiler at 11pm, I'm glad I made this recipe. Would make again, just with the doors open ;) Perfect combo of spicy and sweet. I served with fresh ripe peach slices and CL's swiss chard w/ creme fraiche (basically tasted like gourmet creamed spinach) and it was a really great meal. These also reheat great for leftovers. The boyfriend made a salad with it the next day and topped with homemade spicy salsa.

Really liked this recipe and will try it with legs and wings also.

Excellent taste! Easy to do, broil, and clean up! Rave reviews from picky eaters!

Other than being hot, I did not feel it had much flavor. Did not taste the honey at all. I was disappointed and will not make it again.

I love this recipe and so does the rest of my family. It so simple to make and the chicken always comes out so tender and juicy. I use a little less heat (the ground red pepper) than what the recipe calls for, but that's the only thing that I change. It goes great with coleslaw and beans for a quick and simple picnic.

This chicken dish was incredible! Sweet and not too spicy. I used chicken breast and grilled the chicken instead of broiling it.

I've made this recipe at least a dozen times. It's fantastic and easy. I just omit the spices for my 7 year-old. Easy enough.

This turned out to be some of the best chicken I have made in a while. After reading the reviews, I added an additional tablespoon of honey and about half the amount of cumin. I am a bit of a sissy when it comes to spice, so this turned out to be the perfect mix of spicy and sweet. I used a grill pan and added remaining sauce at the very end to caramelize on the chicken (thanks to a reviewer's recommendation). Afterwards I removed the chicken from the pan and deglazed the it with some white wine, adding sliced mushrooms and onions. I let it reduce until the onions and mushrooms were soft and then served them with the chicken. It was so good that I am about to make more, due to popular demand.

Just finished these and they were a big hit. I doubled the spice and basting ingredients to have ample flavor. Quick easy and spicy!

Really really spicy. The heat hit hard in the after taste. I used chipotle chili powder so maybe that was my problem. What have others used? I've been trying to find a good chicken thigh recipe. This one is very similar to the spicy tequila glazed thighs (also too spicy) and not the one for me.

This was good and spicey! If you have a milder taste bud, you may want to minimize the spices a little. I served this with brown rice and cole slaw. It was excellent.

Great recipe! I will definitely make again.

Great easy recipe that's ready in no time! I usually have all of the spice ingredients on hand, so it's just a matter of assembly. Just a hint of spice with the sweet, mixed with the locked in juiciness of the chicken thighs makes this recipe a real winner for a weeknight. Only thing I would improve would be the spice rub getting evenly on each chicken thigh. Some of my thighs were coated on one side with a great mix of spices and others were pretty sparse on the coating. Enjoy!

This was good, plus really quick and easy, perfect for a weeknight dinner. I didn't toss the chicken in the spice mixture, however; I just sprinkled it on like a dry rub. I didn't skimp, but I thought tossing it in the mix might be a bit too much. My method still gave the chicken plenty of flavor, without being overwhelming. I also spritzed a bit of olive oil on the top of the thighs (using an oil mister) before putting the chicken under the broiler. I'll be making this again!

Very very good... I like spicey and this hits the spot.. I agree with someone earlier... I could have used more of the honey and vinegar mix... perfect match.

I baked these instead of broil. Great recipe. The rub and the sweetness of the honey are delicious together. What a cheap and easy meal!

We made these last night and they were far too salty for our liking. I'd recommend eliminating or significantly reducing the salt. Beyond that, the flavour was good and I'd consider making them again.

I love spicy food and this dish has a unique combination of sweet & spicy- Excellent. Great dish to go with my spicy potato wedges and a salad.

I have made these many times since the recipe was originally published. My husband does NOT like spicy food, so I omit the red pepper, but keep everything else the same. We both love it! I get the spicyness I crave but without the heat that he doesn't like. Yummy, yummy...cook up some sweet potato fries with it!

I had these yesterday and they were great! I took the advice from others and cut the cumin in half and grilled instead of broiling. My boyfriend really enjoyed although it was a bit spicy, for him. I will definitely make again!

Cooking times are great on this. The rub is also very good. I used cayenne pepper for the ground red pepper. The flavors in this recipe are just really good. Cannot recommend subbing a breast for the thigh. The thighs just come out so juicy. And the recipe is just so simple. One of my favorites.

This was just OK for me - hubby loved it so I'm giving it 4 stars. Think next time I'll allow the chicken to sit overnight with the dry rub to give it a bit more flavor.

Thought the flavor was really good. Just enough spicy and sweetness. Even my spicy hating family loved it

I absolutetly loved this recipe!!! I used chicken leg quarters, separated the drum from the thigh, trimmed the fat and skinned the peices. I also seasoned my chicken the night before. I didn't have ground red pepper so I substituted cayenne pepper and used red pepper flakes. Chicken came out very flavorful and I loved the sweet/spicey and didn't even miss the skin. The next time I may make extra sauce to use as a dipping sauce.

I've made this twice now in one week using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. My husband LOVES this one. I haven't had chili powder on hand so I've substituted cayenne pepper and also used a dash of red pepper flakes instead of ground red pepper (though in a smaller amounts for both). The chicken comes out nice and spicy for my husband and I just make extra honey mixture to use as a dipping sauce. Has come out great both times - tender, juicy chicken. Definitely a keeper.

One of my favorite recipes! Very easy to make and the chicken comes out tender and flavorful. Careful not to over do it on the spices.

Absolutely delicious. I wouldn't change a thing. The honey glaze added a nice sweetness to offset the spices.

So good! Easy and yummy.

This is a good recipe. Simple and easy to prepare. I used smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a little more spice. I have made this many times and it is always a hit.

This was a good recipe. It was too spicy for my three year old and my husband said it was really spicy. To me it was really good. I made it me with white rice. I use chicken brest tenderloins and let them marinade in the fridge for two days.

This is my all-time favorite recipe. It's SO easy and the chicken comes out amazingly tender, flavorful, and delicious every time! I've made this for friends, family, dates, and even potlucks and it always gets rave reviews. Anytime I make it for a potluck, I get several requests for the recipe. Everyone loves it!

Really solid recipe. The chicken was hot and sweet so the spice is not overwhelming. I didnt have vinegar on hand so I used some fresh lemon juice. I made it with chicken tenders and they cooked in about 9 minutes total under the broiler. I flipped and glazed the chicken about 4 times during the cooking process, I will defiantely make this again, and I wont change a thing.

This recipe was AMAZING! If you follow the directions exactly, it will be wonderful! The honey and the spices play SO WELL of eachother. I had 7 thighs, all different sizes and not a single one was raw or overcooked. Made it with couscous and green beans...SO YUMMY!!! This is going to become a regular meal in my house!

Yum! This was great! I was a little meek with the broiler but I think that if I bump it up a rack level it will be even better! The recipe is probably spot on but I have never used the broiler on this oven so I was being careful. The flavor is still wonderful!

I had 12 chicken thighs so I 1.5x the spices except for the red pepper and it was delish! A big hit at my house. I was concerned that the cooking time wasn't enough, after I glazed with the honey I kept in the oven for 2 minutes per side instead of 1 and the chicken turned out just right! I served it with a creamy cucumber salad and potato wedges. This is a recipe I will repeat!

These were easy, delicious, and spicy! I will definitely be making this again regularly.

I really liked how EASY this recipe was. I used chicken breasts so I believe that is why these came out alittle dry. I wonder if I could add anything to fix that? We don't like dark meat...

This recipe was awesome!

I grilled these on the ole weber using hardwood lump. Turned out to be wonerful. Will make again.

These are tasty and serve as a good basis for a quick weeknight meal. Leftovers were good too. I served the chicken with rather bland steamed broccoli and equally bland steamed rice but the meal was still satisfying because the spices on the chicken had a lot of oomph.

Made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit! Very very good. Will be keeping this recipe!

Delicious and spicy. Using items I had on hand (nothing new to buy but chicken!) was a big plus for me. I bought breasts by mistake but they still came out quite juicy. My only complaint was that I discarded a lot of the basting sauce - it was a little runny. I will definintely make this again.

This recipe turned out good after I actually cooked the chicken. That five minutes on each side did not cook the chicken through. I had to remove it from the broiler and stick it in the oven for 30 minutes. It eventually tasted good. Next time, I'm going to bake the chicken almost all the way through before I broil it.

Super good! I have made multiple times ranging many occasions from a weeknight quick dinner to dinner parties and everyone loves!

This recipe had more flavor and kick then I expected (and I even cut the amount of red pepper in half). I will probably make this again because it involved virtually no prep and was very easy. Next time though, I will probably use more honey (the honey seems to be overpowered by the other spices). Also, I found the cooking time to be way off. Altogther, my chicken thighs took about twice the amount of time stated in the recipe.

Very good! Simple to make, quick to cook, and super tasty. I will definitely make this again! I followed the recipe exactly, served it with braised cabbage, and it was a delicious weeknight meal.

This is same recipe as released in 2007 and I wonder why I didn't try it then! Looking for something different to do with boneless thighs and this certainly was it; I usually stay away from recipes with honey as we are not sweet people, but the cider vinegar really took care of any overly sweetness issues. Grilled on propane grill and served w/whole wheat cous cous and green salad with some feta cheese sprinkled over both salad and cous cous. Very tasty and quick for clean up & prep time.

So easy to make and everyone loves this. Good recipe for young helpers as well. I will keep this one in my repertoire.

GREAT recipe! I made it exactly as instructed and it was delicious. Very quick, sooo tasty (spicy-sweet combo is fantastic) and very satisfying. I now need to find a good side to pair it with. Will make this again and again!

This is absolultly fantastic! I didn't change a thing and won't change anything the next time I make it either (I only rate things 5 stars if I don't have to tweak... this doesn't need tweaking). Served this with sauteed Brussels sprouts and it made the perfect cool Fall meal.

I made this last week for my Cooking Light group and was very pleased. Everyone liked it and it is quick and easy. Flavor is definitely spicy-sweet. If you prefer less spicy you could cut down a ittle on the red pepper and chili powder. This will be a quick go-to dish in my book. I made exactly as printed.

I'm doing Weight Watcher's so this recipe worked great - 7 points. I served it with rice mixed with mushrooms and a tossed salad. I would consider making this to serve to company.

This was my first time cooking chicken thighs. It was easy and the meat was amazingly tender and juicy. I made them for some friends at dinner and everyone called to ask for the recipe the next day. I served them with the suggested peach quinoa and would do so again in a heartbeat! I can't wait to try cooking with chicken thighs again now - a cheaper alternative to breasts!

Great fast recipe with just a bit of kick to it. If you want the honey to caramelize a bit then brush it on sooner than called for.

I loved this recipe. I'm not a big meat and potatoes girl so anytime I can make a meat dish and please both me and my hubby, I'm happy. This also made really great leftovers sliced up atop a salad the next day for lunch. I used bone-in chicken thighs (6 large) and it worked just great.

Easy, delicious, and quick. I made this exactly as written. Next time, I'll try some chipotle chili powder in place of part of the chili powder. Mine didn't come out as pretty as the picture, but I'd still serve it to company.

These were easy and delicious. I followed the recipe exactly, except I used 4 thighs instead of 8. It paired really well with the quinoa salad with peaches.

this recipe is awesome. grilled it instead of broiling. everyone loved it. not spicy at all. just delicious. will be making it again. might add more red pepper flake next time.

I have made this recipe time and time again. I love how fast and tasty it is. My little one even eats it. I don't understand what all the complaints are about.

I wound up substituting a mixture of a jalepeno honey mustard and barbecue sauce for the honey glaze, since I didn't realize, in the middle of cooking, that I was out of honey. The result was very good, but I think the spicy flavor would benefit from the sweetness of straight honey. Also, I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, over thighs. I will definitely make these again, with honey next time.

I used thighs, legs, and a couple of chicken breasts. I cooked them on the grill instead of the broiler.They had great taste and looked wonderful. I did not use quite as much pepper due to others tastes. Overall very good.

This was fantastic! Our family voted to keep it and make it again really soon.

This went over pretty well, and I definitely look forward to leftovers tomorrow. I served it with the quinoa salad it was paired with in the magazine (I can't find the Quinoa-Peach dish online, though...) and although the quinoa took a few bites to grow on me, the chicken was great. My only comment is to make sure you use a pan with edges when you add the honey because it spread over the sides of my baking sheet and splattered the bottom of our oven.

I was a little worried about the spices but the blend really enhanced the chicken. I liked the hint of sweetness from the honey. I cooked it under the broiler and it cooked in the stated amt of time in the recipe. I made it exactly as written & served with quinoa and sauteed spinach. I'll definitely make again.

I grilled this chicken outside, it took longer than the recipe said, it was delicious and definitely a keeper. Served it with farm fresh zucchini, yellow squash and corn on the cob.

I eased up just a bit on the chili powder and red pepper for my son's sake. He still thought it was a bit spicy, but it didn't stop him from having 2 pieces! I served this with the herbed potatoes from the same issue, and dinner was quick, easy, and a huge hit. My husband is already requesting we have it again.

Great recipe! Very easy and delicious. Great mix of spice and a little bit of sweetness from the honey. We grilled the chicken but I'm sure it's good broiled, too. I served with rice. Hubby says it's a keeper.

I made this recipe for a family get together and everyone enjoyed it. I seasoned the chicken thighs ahead of time with the spices and cooked it over the barbeque instead of under the broiler. It took a bit longer but as it's summertime that made more sense to cook it that way. The honey glaze made the chicken have a nice taste combination of spicy sweetness! Would definitely make again.

I made this chicken dish exactly as stated and my family and I loved it. I served it with corn on the cob and sugar snap peas. I appreciated that all the ingredients were already oat hand. I'd definitely make this again.

While this dish made an impressive presentation, and was easy, I felt as though the spices overpowered the chicken. I will make it again using less of the spice mixture and will omit the cumin entirely. This was not a hit with my family, but I believe it’s a good base recipe.