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My fall-apart tender hot honey chicken thighs are cooked to super saucy, slightly charred perfection, y'all!! Ready in about one hour, this ultra-flavorful dish features tender, golden brown chicken in a flavor-popping hot honey sauce with just the right amount of spice. Yep and yay...
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Sizzling Hot Honey Chicken Thighs Feature Spicy Flavors & Luscious Textures
Hot honey chicken thighs are seasoned with a citrus and dried spice-infused wet rub. Then, they're basted with a sweet and spicy sauce throughout the short cooking time. This dish is broiled in the oven. So, it's ready in minutes.
Hot honey chicken thighs are weeknight friendly. You can whip them up after work without much prep time.
They're also quite visually impressive. So, you can use them to wow your weekend dinner guests, as well.
What's great about this recipe is that it doesn't take much planning. And, you'll likely have most, if not all, of the common ingredients already on hand.
And it's honestly one of my favorite dishes, y'all!! The spicy flavor of the hot sauce pairs perfectly with the sweet honey, creating a finger-licking coating for the well-seasoned, perfectly cooked thighs. So, this is definitely a dish your guests will rave about, and ask to leave with the recipe in hand. Indeed.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs become melt-in-your-mouth tender and juicy in no time in the oven. Use them for best results. You can also try the recipe with pounded chicken breasts or even chicken tenders. You'll have to adjust the recipe time significantly and check on them a lot more often, though.
- Fresh lime juice and zest are a must for experiencing this hot honey chicken thighs recipe as intended.
- I use Louisiana-style Crystal hot sauce almost exclusively. It contains aged red cayenne peppers, and is the best tasting regional sauce in my opinion. I also love and use Louisiana hot sauce and TABASCO from time to time.
Storage and Reheating
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. For best flavor results, let the thighs come down to room temperature and reheat them in the oven.
What to Serve with Hot Honey Chicken Thighs
These honey-glazed thighs go with almost anything. I love them with Cajun smothered potatoes and green beans. But, these sides would also work, too.
How to Make Hot Honey Chicken Thighs Step by Step
Step one. Pour the wet rub ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
Then, stir to combine.
Step two. Submerge the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into the rub.
Set aside for 30 minutes while the flavors marry and deepen.
Step three. Pour all of the hot honey chicken thighs sauce ingredients into a small bowl.
Stir to combine.
Step four. Preheat the broiler to high.
Step five. Lightly grease an enameled cast iron skillet or other type of ovenproof dish with high-heat olive oil.
Transfer the seasoned chicken thighs to the pan, then slide into the oven.
Step six. Broil for about 10 minutes. Now, carefully remove the skillet from the oven and baste with about half of the sauce.
Slide the skillet back into the oven and continue broiling.
Step seven. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven after 5 minutes.
Then, baste the chicken with the remaining sauce.
Step eight. Pop the skillet back into the oven and continue cooking until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
And that's it, y'all!!
These hot honey chicken thighs release seasoned pan drippings into the skillet. These scrumptious bits combine with the sauce, creating a uniquely electrifying flavor profile that literally stuns your palate upon contact!!
And the thighs, y'all, the thighs...They're almost unbelievably fall-apart tender and juicy. So, you'll want to keep going back again and again just to savor the succulence. For sure!!
Share these hot honey chicken thighs with those who propel you to push beyond your boundaries with boldness and bravery. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
More Saucy Chicken Recipes
This post was originally published on May 18, 2016, and was updated and republished on August 20, 2025.
Hot Honey Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
For the Wet Rub
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste I used about ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
- Stir all of the wet rub ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the chicken to the bowl, and toss to coat.
- Set aside for 30 minutes.
- Pour all of the basting sauce ingredients into a separate bowl and stir until combined.
- Preheat the broiler to high.
- Transfer the seasoned chicken thighs to a lightly greased enameled cast iron skillet or other type of ovenproof dish.
- Slide the skillet into the oven and broil the hot honey chicken thighs for 10 minutes.
- Use heavy oven mitts to carefully remove the skillet from the oven.
- Baste the thighs with half of the sauce, then place the skillet back into the oven.
- Broil for another 8 minutes, then baste the chicken thighs with the remaining sauce.
- Continue cooking for an additional 2 to 5 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thighs reads at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the thighs rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
I too am no longer afraid of the broiler! This recipe was so simple. The combination of a lil sweet with a lil spicy was awesome. Not too spicy for the kids either. Can't wait to cook chicken this way again!!
Sooo glad you liked it!! It's a favorite of ours now, too.
This is going to be the first of your recipes that I'll try! Sounds wonderful and we are huge fans of thighs, honey, and TABASCO!!! Thanks for the recipe. Will post again after we make it.
You're welcome. This recipe is one of our favorites, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Can't wait to hear how it turned out for you.