Honey Chipotle BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs
Kick your barbecue up a notch with this Honey Chipotle BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe! Made with Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce that’s completely from scratch, it’s a little sweet….a little heat…..the BEST barbecue chicken ever.
BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs
I have a TON of fun summer recipes just waiting to be published here but right now I have something I’m so totally super excited to share and it’s this Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs!!!
OMG….it’s amazing….and easy…..and you get to use that bomb Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce that’s super simple to whip up. (Also good on veggies….if I do say so myself.) AND I got the whole idea back in the middle of winter during a snowstorm when I made these Honey Chipotle Braised Short Ribs!!
I can honestly say I only ever met ONE person who doesn’t like barbecue anything. Isn’t that weird? I’m assuming you all love barbecue chicken as much as I do or else you wouldn’t have clicked over to see the awesomeness that is this recipe. Right? If you’re here because you love my very witty banter *insert eyeroll* and you really don’t like any barbecue chicken recipes then maybe you’ll like this Grilled Caprese Stuffed Chicken….it’s not barbecue but it is grilled….sooo there’s that.
How do you barbecue chicken thighs?
If you’ve never made BBQ chicken on the grill it couldn’t be simpler to do. And almost mess free! Just a few quick tips to keep things safe and ensure things don’t end up charred beyond recognition.
- Be sure to pat the chicken dry before seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Heat the grill to high and place the chicken on the grill. Save the saucing for later to prevent flare ups. Barbecue sauce contains sugar that will cause the chicken to burn and makes it difficult to cook it evenly. Nobody likes burned chicken on the outside and raw chicken on the inside.
- Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Baste the chicken with the sauce and flip. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Baste and flip. I like two coats on each side.
- Check the chicken for doneness with an instant read thermometer (165 degrees is perfect).
- Remove from the grill, rest for 5-10 minutes and serve!
How do you make BBQ sauce?
Homemade BBQ Sauce is made with tomato sauce, seasonings, sugar or honey….most often brown sugar, molasses and other flavors that you can select to satisfy your own palate. Simmered low and slow, the mixture becomes thick enough to coat your favorite foods for the grill.
I have a bunch of recipes for homemade barbecue sauce that are all super easy to make. This Spicy Barbecue Sauce is fabulous on ribs and the Blueberry Chipotle Barbecue Sauce is another one I love for chicken or fish. You could also go with this Carolina Barbecue sauce, it’s mustard based so it’s a bit tangier than the others I’ve made. But my favorite it THIS Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce that you’re going to use for your Grilled BBQ Chicken recipe.
What sides go with BBQ Chicken?
If it were up to me, I’d have a whole summer party with just side dishes but since I have guests to feed too, I like to serve barbecue chicken or these Steak Kabobs.
Some of the things I love to serve with this Grilled Honey Chipotle BBQ Chicken are this low carb Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh Salad and THIS not so low carb Caprese Tortellini Salad. Or you could go classic with this Smashed Potato Salad or this Classic Cole Slaw….it’s better than KFC.
More Easy BBQ Recipes
This Grilled Honey Chipotle BBQ Chicken recipe is filled with epic flavor from the boldness of the chipotle chilis….the smokiness of the adobo sauce….the sweetness of the honey….it’s all in there. Dancing together in perfect summer harmony. Don’t you want to just take a big bite right now? Doncha? And don’t forget to follow along over on Instagram so you can see all our summer fun this year….we have lots of cool stuff planned for the littles.
Get the Recipe: Honey Chipotle BBQ Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
- 2 cups Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
- salt and pepper
- Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Instructions
- Preheat grill on high.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a clean paper towel. (discard the towel immediately) Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Place the chicken on the grill skin side down and cook for 4-5 minutes. If the fat rendering off the chicken causes flare ups, turn the heat to low. When the skin is crisp, flip the chicken over and continue cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Baste the chicken with barbecue sauce on all sides, turn the heat to low if you haven’t done so already and close the lid. Continue grilling the chicken for an additional 4-5 minutes on each side. Test the chicken for doneness with an instant read thermometer. (thigh meat should read 185-205 degrees F)
- Baste the chicken again and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter and rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve with additional sauce on the side and sprinkle with cilantro if desired.