Honey Chipotle Chicken: Smoky, Sweet BBQ Thighs Off the Grill
Master honey chipotle chicken thighs with smoky BBQ sauce and a sticky honey glaze that caramelizes on the grill for a weeknight backyard BBQ favorite.
Honey Chipotle Chicken: Smoky, Sweet BBQ Thighs Off the Grill
This recipe comes to us from Hannah Sattelmaier, culinary specialist with The Bearded Butchers and friend of Montana Knife Company.
4
70 minutes
40 minutes
580
American BBQ
Main Dish
This honey chipotle chicken pairs chipotle seasoning with a smoky BBQ sauce and a glug of honey for a glaze that caramelizes hard on the grill. Boneless thighs soak up the marinade, hit the grates at 350°F, and finish with one more pass of sauce for a sticky, mahogany finish.
Serve it over white or coconut rice with grilled pineapple, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. It’s the kind of honey chipotle chicken recipe you can pull off on a weeknight that looks and tastes like a backyard BBQ centerpiece.
Ingredients
You’ll need these ingredients for the honey chipotle chicken and sides:
For the honey chipotle chicken:
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (I like The Bearded Butcher BBQ Sauce)
- 2 tsp. of your favorite chipotle seasoning (I like The Bearded Butcher Chipotle Blend)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cups fresh pineapple (cut into spears or rings)
For serving the honey chipotle chicken:
- White rice or coconut rice
- Fresh lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro, chopped with a sharp, clean kitchen knife
Directions
Follow these six steps to marinate, grill, glaze, and serve your honey chipotle chicken.
Trim and marinate the honey chipotle chicken
- Trim any excess fat off the chicken thighs with a sharp blade and drop them into a large bowl. Add the chipotle seasoning, half of the BBQ sauce, and the honey.
Toss until every thigh is evenly coated, then cover and marinate for at least one hour. If you have the time, four hours gives you noticeably deeper chipotle flavor.
Preheat the grill for the honey chipotle chicken
Bring your grill or smoker up to 350°F. Hardwoods like hickory, apple, or cherry all pair well with the chipotle and honey glaze.
Make sure the grates are clean and lightly oiled so the chicken doesn’t stick and tear when you flip.
Grill the honey chipotle chicken
Lay the marinated thighs on the grates and cook for about 30 minutes total, flipping every 10 minutes for even color. Pull each thigh once the thickest part hits 165°F on a digital thermometer.
Boneless thighs cook faster than bone-in, so start checking temps early to keep this honey chipotle chicken juicy.
Glaze the honey chipotle chicken
In the last few minutes on the grill, brush each thigh with the remaining BBQ sauce and drizzle a little extra honey across the tops. Let the glaze caramelize for two to three minutes without burning.
The sugars in the BBQ sauce and honey can scorch fast, so keep the lid cracked and watch for color, not time.
Rest and serve the honey chipotle chicken
Pull the chicken off the heat and rest for five minutes so the juices redistribute. Slice or serve thighs whole over a bed of warm rice.
Finish with a generous handful of fresh chopped cilantro and a few lime wedges on the side.
Grill the pineapple for the honey chipotle chicken bowl
Cut the pineapple into spears or thick rings on a clean cutting board, then lay them on the hot grates. Grill for two to three minutes per side, until you’ve got dark char marks and the edges soften.
Cube the grilled pineapple and scatter it across each plate alongside the honey chipotle chicken.
