Beautiful evening? These hot honey grilled chicken thighs are sweet, sticky & spicy and the perfect recipe to make when grilling out. Marinate them and brush them with the best glaze while they cook.

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The weather is WARMING UP, friends! Praise Jesus, hallelujah.

I’ve been scheduling all of my me time outside and anything I can do to get me out of these four walls is welcome. So, I decided to start grilling! Really, an excuse to work & play outside with the kids.

Chicken thighs are my favorite white meat to cook with. These Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Roasted Bone-In Chicken Thighs are two REALLY popular recipes on the blog, and for good reason. So, I thought we needed a great grilling recipe to balance things out. That’s where these grilled hot honey chicken thighs come in. But we have been grilling up these Honey Mustard Chicken Kebabs and Grilled Chicken and Strawberry Salad for quick, crowd-pleasing dinners. If you need a one-pan wonder, you must try this Sheet Pan Chicken Thigh Dinner With Veggies & Herby Garlic Sauce, it’s one of my go-to chicken recipes.

WHY CHICKEN THIGHS?

I LOVE chicken thighs because they’re SOO juicy. They have a higher fat content which results in more tender meat that doesn’t dry out as easy. I think chicken thighs lost popularity in the 90s, with the whole low-fat movement, but they’re back with a vengeance on Miss AK.

TO MARINATE OR NOT TO MARINATE?

I love to marinate chicken, but I have found that recipes that use a sweetener, like honey, tend to get really sticky when cooked, especially on the grill.

So, we’re just using some olive oil, acid (lemon or apple cider vinegar), spices and seasoning in the marinade. We’re also making a glaze with honey, cayenne, garlic powder, and salt. That gets brushed on one the chicken thighs are flipped halfway through the cooking process. You get the flavor, but the chicken stays completely intact.

INGREDIENTS AND KITCHEN TOOLS

For the chicken marinade:

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (bone on will also work, see note)
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Garlic cloves
• Salt
• Italian seasoning
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional*)

For the glaze:

• Garlic powder
• Honey
• Lemon juice
• Salt
• Cayenne powder (depending on the heat level you desire)
• Red pepper flakes (optional*)

STEP BY STEP

Step 1: Remove the chicken thighs from the packaging and place them in a bowl or large plastic bag.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Pour the marinade over the chicken, toss to coat and let it marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Step 3: After 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it come to room temperature while you preheat the grill.

Step 4: If you’re using a wood pellet grill like a Traeger, preheat to high (450F), and if you’re using a gas or charcoal grill turn the grill to medium heat.

Step 5: When the grill is hot, lay the chicken on the grates and quickly close the lid. Grill for 8-12 minutes per side. If you’re using a gas or charcoal grill, check the thighs at 8 minutes. If you’re using a wood pellet grill, let them go for 12 minutes before flipping.

Step 6: While the chicken cooks, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients.

Step 7: Bring the glaze to the grill. Once the chicken has grilled on both sides and is cooked all the way through (165F internally), brush the chicken with the glaze*.

NOTES:

• You can use bone-in chicken thighs, too. Your cook time will be 5 or so minutes longer, be sure to use a digital read thermometer to make sure the thighs come to 165F internally.
• You can sub apple cider vinegar for lemon, too. Use 1 Tbsp. in the marinade

Cooking Tip

The reason we brush the chicken with the honey glaze is that sugars can cause your meat to stick to the grill and create a mess. Brushing the chicken just as it finishes cooking prevents this.

STORING AND REHEATING

If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days. When ready to reheat, pop into the microwave until wamred through.

OTHER RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

• Skillet chicken thighs with capers and golden raisins
• Dad’s Famous Chicken Cacciatore
• Apricot Braised Chicken Thighs With Traminette Wine & Thyme
• Southwest Pasta Salad With Grilled Chicken

Hot Honey Grilled Chicken Thighs

These sweet, sticky & spicy lemon honey glazed chicken thighs are the perfect thing to make when grilling out. Marinate them and brush them with the best glaze while they cook.

• Author: Allie Doran
• Prep Time: 10 minutes + 30 minute marinade time
• Cook Time: 20-24 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 4-6
• Category: Main
• Method: Grill
• Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

For the chicken marinade:

• 2 and 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (bone on will also work, see note)
• 1/4 cup  olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced*
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional*)

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp. lemon juice*
• 1 and 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2–1 tsp. cayenne powder (depending on the heat level you desire)
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional*)
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

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Instructions

1. Remove the chicken thighs from the packaging and place them in a bowl or large plastic bag.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Pour the marinade over the chicken and let it marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it come to room temperature while you preheat the grill.
4. If you’re using a wood pellet grill like a Traeger, preheat to high (450F), and if you’re using a gas or charcoal grill turn the grill to medium heat.
5. When the grill is hot, lay the chicken on the grates and quickly close the lid. Grill for 8-12 minutes per side. If you’re using a gas or charcoal grill, check the thighs at 8 minutes. If you’re using a wood pellet grill, let them go for 12 minutes before flipping.
6. While the chicken cooks, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients.
7. Bring the glaze to the grill. Once the chicken has grilled on both sides and is cooked all the way through (165F internally), brush the chicken with the glaze*.
8. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and serve!

Notes

• You can sub apple cider vinegar for lemon, too. Use 1 Tbsp. in the marinade
• You can use bone-in chicken thighs, too. Your cook time will be 5 or so minutes longer, be sure to use a digital read thermometer to make sure the thighs come to 165F internally.
• The reason we brush the chicken with the honey glaze is that sugars can cause your meat to stick to the grill and create a mess. Brushing the chicken just as it finishes cooking prevents this.

Nutrition

• Calories: 368
• Sugar: 14 g
• Sodium: 1009 mg
• Fat: 16 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 26 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 36 g
• Cholesterol: 142 mg