Description
Honey Chipotle Chicken is a flavorful and spicy grilled chicken dish featuring tender boneless, skinless chicken thighs marinated in a sweet and smoky blend of honey, chipotle peppers in adobo, lime juice, and spices. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or weekend barbecue, this recipe combines the perfect balance of heat and sweetness, garnished with fresh cilantro for a vibrant finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Marinade
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the can)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish
- Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper to create the marinade.
- Marinate Chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight to allow flavors to penetrate.
- Preheat Grill or Skillet: Heat a grill or skillet over medium-high heat and brush the cooking surface with olive oil to prevent sticking and promote browning.
- Cook Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Grill or sear chicken thighs for 5–6 minutes per side until fully cooked through and slightly charred on edges.
- Rest and Serve: Let cooked chicken rest for a few minutes to retain juices before slicing. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro if desired and serve hot.
Notes
- This recipe works well with chicken breasts or drumsticks as alternatives to thighs.
- For extra flavor, reserve some marinade before adding chicken and simmer it to create a glaze for serving.
- Marinating overnight intensifies the smoky and sweet flavors for best results.
- Use gloves when handling chipotle peppers to avoid irritation to skin and eyes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 125mg
