These sweet, Honey Chicken Thighs rank supreme, as one of the most popular Cooking Light chicken recipes of all time – and for good reason. Made in 30 minutes or less, this is the perfect busy weeknight dinner. By mixing a touch of sweet with a hint of spicy, a magical thing happens. Generously seasoned with chili powder, cumin, garlic and cider vinegar, there’s no room for lack of flavor here. Wonder what secret to mouthwatering thighs is? It’s in the broiler; this cooking method adds a distinctive crunchy outer crust and a tender, juicy inside. 

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

garlic powder

chili powder

salt

cumin

paprika

red pepper

skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Cooking spray

honey

cider vinegar

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.


Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well. Remove chicken from oven; brush 1/4 cup honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.


These were delicious. I left out the red pepper because I have kids that don't handle spicy well. I doubled the recipe for my large family and large pack of chicken with 15 thighs. Served it with creamy coconut polenta and garlicky green beans. The leftovers will be great in my chicken enchiladas. 

What a great recipe.  I finally got around to trying it and was thrilled with the results.  I followed the recipe for the rub and had just enough for 6 good size thighs (1.5#).  I let the chicken sit in the rub for an hour or so in the fridge.  We loved it.  We are packing to move to a new house in a few weeks so I am busy but still want to eat a decent dinner.  So this is going to be on the menu a couple times a week for now.  Served with roasted Delicata squash with butter, honey &amp; cinnamon. 

This recipe is in my regular rotation; it's almost impossible to find an easier recipe that tastes this good!

I've made this maybe 10 times, twice for company. Everyone LOVES it! Before this recipe I did not like dark meat chicken. Now we keep a bag of chicken thighs in the freezer just for this recipe! I use 1 1/2 times the spice rub and I double the honey mixture. After broiling, I scrape out the pan drippings that are mixed with the glaze that ran off and serve it on the side. This meal is fantastic with rice and garlic green beans,

  This was so good; makes the best tender tasty chicken thighs. I followed the recipe but didn't put the cumin;not my favourite.I have made it twice and it will repeated often this summer. 

3.5 for me-4 for him.  Not bad even though I am not a fan of thigh meat.  Although it set off my smoke detector we both liked the flavor 

I can not understand why the nutritional info does not list SUGAR,  considering the number of diabetics &amp; pre-diabetic's around, don't you think it is relevant for "Cooking Light" recipes (none of your recipes list it) ?   FYI,  you can not calculate Weight Watcher points without knowing the amount of sugar.   SHAME ON YOU COOKING LIGHT  !!!

We make these a number of times over the summer.  We grill them instead of using the oven. I did that once and smoked up my kitchen really bad. Not sure if it was a weak exhaust but so much better and easier outside. The skin is crisp and the flavors all stand out. One of the best dishes for chicken thighs I have ever found. Easy and inexpensive.

I have made this several times, pretty much as directed. I cut the cayenne a little bit. For best results, make sure you use relatively fresh spices. It won't taste good if your cabinet spices are a year old. Also, stick to the thighs. I have made it with breasts, and it is just not as good. It is quite spicy, so if your family doesn't like spicy, maybe it won't work for you. The honey/vinegar sauce cuts the heat and makes this chicken dish addictive. Great to bring to a gathering. Everyone loves it. Leftovers refrigerate well for lunch the next day.

I do not understand all these 5/5 reviews for this recipe.  There are SO many better chicken recipes.  If the rating was for ease of cooking, it would get 5 stars.  As for taste and being worthy of company, I give it a 3.  It was fine, but nothing to write home about.  I doubt I'll be making this again.  On the plus side, the chicken was extremely tender, which was nice.

Made this for lunch yesterday and it was a big hit. The only thing I omitted was the red pepper (hubby can't tolerate the heat). My daughter and her husband loved it.  After I took them out of the oven, I drizzled fresh lime juice on them for extra flavor. I think I will make the sauce using lime juice and honey, next time I make them.

I reduce the chili powder to 1 tsp, and increase the paprika to 2 tsp and use smoked paprika.  That mellows the burn and the flavor still shines.  Make this often and big batch at a time, the leftovers are great and versatile. 

Includes ingredients that most cooks will have on hand. Very simple to prepare and cook. The chicken comes out very juicy and flavorful.

This is my husband's favorite chicken recipe. It is so moist and tasty. We grill it. Perfection!

We have this all the time and love it. It is a low cost chicken meal since I have almost all the spices on hand all the time. I've made it with and without the ground red pepper. My whole family likes it better without the ground red pepper. It's a little on the spicy side with it and without it is tastes great! We usually bake it in the oven and then broil it the last few mins instead of broiling it the whole time. Super juicy and still caramelized enough to be delicious! We have also tried it on the grill with cooking the chicken and then putting the honey on when it was just about done. Really great as well!! Usually served with red roasted potatoes found in the same cookbook as this recipe!

Ii thought that this recipe was amazing.  Using the broiler means that you can have chicken in less than 15 minutes which is great for those nights where you just do not have a lot of time.  The combination of the spices and the glaze really brings out the layers of flavor.  The use of the boneless thigh makes the meat so tender and juicy.  Combine all these points and you have a great chicken dish.

This is our favorite CL recipe and we've made it dozens of times. I triple the spice rub so the thighs are all well-coated. These are great with roasted potatoes or blue cheese grits, and we always serve with a blue cheese dressing/dipping sauce, which pairs well with the spices.

This recipe was not all that...my kids gave me a thumbs down on this one.  It was easy to prepare though!

My husband loves this recipe and so do I. I've made it numerous times. I used smoked paprika. Will keep this recipe in the rotation.

Really surprised this is so highly rated.  While flavorful, the balance of seasonings is off - too much paprika maybe?  Something was just off.    And the seasonings taste underdeveloped, like they needed to cook longer, although the chicken itself was fully cooked.  It is quick and easy, but I'm not likely to make this again.

Looking for a quick recipe for a last minute dinner? Look no further! This was fast, easy, and delicious! My husband's usually not a fan of chicken, but even he loves it! Perfect amount of heat in my opinion, but next time I'll probably skip the red pepper for the sake of my children. This recipe is staying on the menu!

This was sooo easy to make!  I don't like spicy foods but this was tame. The balance between the heat and the sweet was good.  I made a side of Parmesan noodles and squash.  I will definitely make again!

This was really good and is super easy to make!!  I have made this twice now and cutting 1 minutes off the cooking time kept the chicken nice and juicy...  The flavors are really good but very strong, so I pair it with a plain rice or pasta.

We love this recipe and have made it many times.  We don't change anything.  The flavors and heat are just right.

Really disappointed with this recipe. With all the good reviews I was really expecting something special. All I could taste was harsh chili powder and sweet honey. I was dying for a little acid in this dish. The left overs will get tossed with a homemade vinegar bbq sauce for pulled chicken sandwiches.

This is a GREAT recipe. I altered the spices a bit to my personal taste, and used local honey I get from a bee keeper less than a mile from my house. Also, I didnt mix the honey with vinegar, just spread it on pure. It created a wonderful sweet and spicy flavor. I also paired it with pan fried red potatoes tossed with a bit of garlic and rosemary. This will be made countless times in the future.

This was fantastic and will definitely be added to our rotation.  Even my extremely picky four year old enjoyed it…didn't have any ground red pepper so I just omitted it.  It was still delicious and spicy.

I was disappointed in the flavors. Will modify spices and glaze if trying again.

I thought they were very good. Rated 4 stars because I don't think they were good enough for a special occasion or outstanding. Great week night dinner and fairly quick. Will make again.

The flavour is great, but I find the spices give a weird gritty texture.

Quick and Easy with a dash of delicious! YES PLEASE! no wonder this is a popular dish it was absolutely tasty! The only thing that I did different was add a extra 2 second count of apple cider to really set a good contrast to the sweet and spicy and it was perfect. My other suggestion is to dust the chicken with half the seasoning and to rub/massage it in with your hands. Then dust it with the rest and pat/rub it in. Cant beat a 12min chicken dinner that is this good! TOTALLY recommend!

Loved this simple recipe. I use regular scissors to cut off the fat and veins of the boneless thighs before in season them.

Wow.  This is going to become a staple dish for my family.  Everyone loved it.  I really like the spice combination and it tastes great with chicken breasts too.

Used Trader Joe's organic thighs...thought recipe was super easy and very tasty.
Served once at outdoor BBQ and family raved. For a low calorie dish, there's lots of flavor.
Make extra rub and throw it in freezer, so next time prep. Is a snap!

After reading all of the reviews I was excited to give this recipe a try - sadly, it was very disappointing. It smelled wonderful as it was cooking and I really enjoy spicy/sweet combinations; I think it was too much powdered seasoning that was the turn off. My husband, who will usually eat just about anything, didn't care for it either.

As stated by so many others, great taste, super tender, and very easy.  I browned mine in a skillet, then transferred to a glass baking dish b/c my broiler is terrible.  Baked at 425 and didn't put the sauce on until the end.  Very very tasty.  Add more cayenne if you like it more spicy...otherwise, there is just a hint of spice.

I cut this recipe in half and it was great. Definitely a keeper.

Late night dinner dilemma and found this recipe!  SO FAST! SO DELISH!  
I used crushed red pepper instead of ground it a little too much....it was HOT but fabulous!  My husband doesn't like chicken unless it's buffalo and LOVED This!  I will cut the red pepper down next time so my daughters will like it too.

One of my favorite chicken thigh recipes if not the most favorite!

These were excellent. I was probably a little heavy handed on the spices so it was only enough for the first 4 thighs, but I just mixed the spices again and make the rest. The honey/vinegar sauce had a really nice flavor. Had a little kick but not to spicy.

A weeknight favorite! Quick, easy, and inexpensive.

This was super easy and different. Made it without the paprika as I was out and it came out super tasty.  I added the yummy leftovers to my lunch salad. Will definitely make again.

It is my firm belief that THIS recipe is my family's favorite Cooking Light recipe.  We have broiled it.  We have grilled it.  We love it hot.  We love it cold.  I make it at least once a month and usually more - especially in the summer months.

Really enjoyed this! My very VERY picky younger brother who hates chicken even liked it! I would say to cut back on the cumin a bit and I changed the crushed red pepper for cayenne.

i added the first 6 ingredients into a mixture of honey and vinegar; 
covered the skinless, boneless chicken thighs with the mixture and left to marinate overnight...then just oven baked the with parsnips and sweet potatoes. Delightful! cant wait to make it again

Very easy and excellent flavor.  I cooked them on the grill since It was warm out.  So delicious.

Excellent combination of sweet and spicy. We liked it with the boneless thighs, but it was even better with tenderloins, cut into "nuggets." The only change I had to make was to take  the nuggets out of the pan and toss them in the honey glaze, as it was too complicated to brush the glaze on.

I was really excited about this recipe because it was quick and easy.  That's the only reason I gave this 2 stars.  I usually agree with other reviews when a recipe is rated with at least 4 or 5 stars.  This dish wasn't exactly the case.  Maybe I had higher expectations because of the reviews.  My family didnt care for this dish so this will not be a repeat recipe.  I wish it would have been a keeper because I love quick &amp; easy weeknight meals.

Love this recipe. It is fast and easy to make and my husband loves it.

This was really flavorful and delicious. Now, if only it looked more attractive when served...

This recipe is absolutely awesome. My girlfriend doesn't usually like spicy foods, but I pretty much followed the recipe to a T and she and I both loved it. Even our 2-year-old liked it! 

The only thing I do differently is bake it instead of broiling it. But that's just because my broiler doesn't work quite right.

It's definitely a keeper, and one that I will continue to make in the future.

These are awesome.  I've made them with both bone-in and boneless chicken thighs without a problem.

This is one of my husbands all time favorites. In summer I make on the grill. Use smoked paprika for another shot of flavor.

I have made this three times in the last couple of months.  The flavor is excellent--both sweet and hot.  I made it once on the grill and twice baked in the oven at 425.  I think it is a great complement to the tender texture and richer flavor of chicken thighs.  I did use a bit more honey in the sauce to offset the heat.

This was so good! I didn't have ground red pepper so I used red pepper flakes. I was using chicken breasts instead of thighs (healthier), so I butterflied them to the same thickness as a chicken thigh so they would cook evenly. I made 1 1/2 times the amount of spice and honey-vinegar sauce and it was just about perfect for the amount of chicken I had (3 large breasts). Loved the combination of flavors, and the quick cooking under the broiler really sealed the juices into the chicken. It does not make great leftovers, however, so try to make only what you will use for one night. This will definitely be going in our regular menu rotation.

I had a lot of hopes for this recipe and it didnt turn out as great as I would have liked.  The chilli powder was overpowering, and it has a very distinct taste that comes out in the chicken.  Next time I would swap out the chilli powder for cayenne pepper, use chicken breasts instead, and make more of a honey BBQ time sauce that I can add more of.

Excellent!  Made exactly according to the recipe and loved it.  Very quick to put together, defrosting the chicken thighs was the longest part!

I'd like to try this on regular chicken breasts

My kids loved this.  It had great flavor, I made one ingredient adjustment by using half the ground red pepper.  I made this with  2 large bone- in chicken breasts and put seasoning under the skin but left it on for cooking.   I broiled 5 minutes each side, switched to bake for about 30 min at 350 until the meat almost read 165 with a meat thermometer and broiled each side again after adding the honey vinegar mixture.  I will make this again!
I did not have a broiler pan but used a cast iron pan for cooking as well...

It was pretty good, personally I thought the cumin was a bit strong, but overall good

Good, solid recipe that was delicious! Will definitely make again.

Just made this recipe and let me tell ya...It is quick, tasty and amazingly flavorful. Skinless, boneless thighs are eco-friendly and healthy, which is what attracted me to the recipe.  The sauce left at the bottom of the pan makes a good topping for brown rice!

Added a clove of minced garlic to the honey mix and cooked on the grill instead of the oven - absolutely delicious.

I used the plastic bag to mix it all up as I dont like to touch the raw meat. Also I reduced the vinager for only 1 tablespoon and 2 of honey. Used all up on 4 boneless thights

Yummy.  I tossed the spices into a zip lock bag with the raw chicken then shook it all up.  We then grilled the chicken on our Traeger.  Served along side a Zesty Three Bean salad (also Cooking Light) for a wonderful weekend meal, but it is definitely easy enough for a weeknight meal too.

I was surprised about how delicious this recipe was.  I cooked the chicken on the grill and it was outstanding!

It's a good recipe, but since I didn't have ground red pepper, I used black pepper and it wasn't really spicy at all.  Next time I'll have to add some hot sauce, or ground red pepper and/or pepper flakes.  Very easy recipe.  Loved the fact that the chicken was skinless.  I served it with broccoli and green beans.

My whole family loved this chicken recipe. Even my super picky daughter took a bite and liked it! I'll be making this again no doubt. The sauce left over in the pan was really good over rice!

This was excellant and very easy to make.  Would consider doubling and making for a larger crowd.

One of my favorite easy chicken recipes!  I love chicken thighs anyway, but this got my husband to love them!  I just made this again last night!  Very delicious!  Perfect with a Pecorino Romano, White Bean, and Edamame Salad from Giada.

So easy and so good.  Didn't change a thing!

Easy and very flavorful.  I'll make it again, but next time we'll sear it on the barbeque.

Made these a few times during the winter and broiled them.  The spice and honey made them tasty.  Just did them on the grill and they were awesome.  Chicken thighs are just better on the grill.  Used same cook time.

This recipe was good. I will make it again, but it was not one of our favorites. I made it according to the recipe and did not change anything.  This recipe is a make once every two months or so kind of recipe. Not a once a weeker that everyone wants over and over again.

AMAZING! I could eat this EVERY night! I cut the thighs up in small pieces though .. Instead of basting I poured 1/2 the honey sauce in with the chicken and spices first .. Broied and then added the rest of the honey sauce and broiled til brown. AWESOME! Thanks for the recipe, definately going to share!

This recipe was FANTASTIC. It was fast, scrumptious and virtually no mess. Definitely something to write home about.

Omgoodness, this was so easy, fast and sooo good!  Made this tonight for some friends; I have to give them the recipe now.  :)  A unanimous YUM from all! Served with steamed rice and CL's Sesame-Soy Green Beans, subbing broccoli for the green beans.  I used two breast fillets and deboned two thighs at full spice recipe, smoked paprika, 1 1/4 tsp of cayenne (just the right amount of heat!) instead of chili powder. Let chicken mix with spices for about three hours in the fridge. Used half of honey mixture. I love the combination of the spices and a touch of sweetness from the honey. Cook time was spot on, and the chicken was very juicy and flavorful. Just right for a dinner for four. I would gladly make again (probably many times!) and be proud to serve to company.  Excellent chicken recipe!  Thank you, David Bonom and CL!!!

SO YUMMY!  First off, I hate chicken thighs and talk about unhealthy.  Instead I divided up a chicken breast into equal portions of a thigh (so you don't have to change cooking time and heat) and followed the recipe exactly.  Amazing!  My best friend made them with the thighs after eating mine and said the breasts were just better overall.  Whatever your choice, its wonderful tasting.

Delicious!  Quick, simple, great weekday meal.  Honey mixture gets rather sticky, so definitely use foil if you want easy clean-up.

Very tasty chicken. I cut the pepper in half and it was still plenty spicy.

These were really good. The whole family loved them! I did not use the cayenne pepper or paprika though.

Made this for the second time last night, and it did not disappoint. It's easy, if a little messy, and a crowd-pleaser. The mixture of flavors is fabulous, and the dark meat of the chicken thighs ensures a juicy piece of meat. I served it with homemade mac-n-cheese and sauteed green beans and shallots for a nice, comforting meal on a December night.

Deelish &amp; easy!  We make this one all the time.  It is a bit spicy but we love spicy dishes so it is perfect.

This recipe was a big disappointment. I have made many Cooking Light recipes over the years. I always look for the recipes with the 4 &amp; 5 star ratings and have had great experiences with all but just a few and this is one of them. I made this recipe as indicated but used half of the cayenne since I was serving it to my kids. I cooked it for the specified amount of time but I would say the chicken end up a little overcooked. After just a couple of bites, I couldn't eat any more. My husband and boys ate theirs but agreed that it wasn't very good. We did not like the flavors of the spice mix and the honey really didn't do anything to help the taste.

Easy to make and very flavorful! It was a great balance of sweet and a tiny bit spicy. I accidentally bought bone in skinless thighs but I just let them cook a few extra minutes and otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I made with some roasted fingerling potatoes and a spinach side from cooking light (spinach with a white wine vinaigrette). I'd recommend!

Really good - cooked on gas grill rather than broiled. Bold flavors.

I really really wanted to like this recipe, but somehow it just fell flat.  I would try this one again with chicken breast or pork - something a little leaner than dark meat chicken.  Thighs are juicy as they are, and don't need a whole of of pizzazz in my opinion, so perhaps the meat is just paired wrong for my tastes with the honey.  The spice rub ended up coating 1/2 the thighs with the whole of the rub, leaving the rest of the thighs to have less flavor and taste more sweet from the honey rub.  IF if make again (and it's a big if as of right now), I would not pair with chicken thighs and would double the rub / spices to coat all of the meat evenly

I made the recipe with breasts and baked them at high heat (~450 deg F), because I didn't have a broiling pan and the instructions on my oven said that without a proper boiling pan, the drippings could ignite.  

I liked them.  My dinner companion loved them - and had seconds.  I will make this again, but will probably use a bit less chili powder. I thought the flavor was a bit overwhelming.  The rub followed by the sauce worked out really well.  The chicken was really pretty!

After making a second time (this time broiling), I stand by my original review.  I'd advise lining your pan with foil - it gets pretty mess.  And really stick to the cooking times, or your chicken will end up a bit dry.  Its not the absolute best chicken, but its pretty good - especially for something that can be thrown together in 20 minutes.

This one lived up to its billing. Very easy to put together and delicious!

My family enjoyed this dish. I may go lighter on the cumin next time. But other than that I really like this recipe and will use it again.

This was absolutely delicious. My husband loved the chicken, and he is not a chicken lover. I am usually not a fan of spicy food, but this was superb. I served with broccoli and couscous.

Delicious!  Perfect blend of spices.  I typically ONLY eat chicken breasts but went out on a limb and was pleasantly surprised!  The boneless, skinless chicken thighs were so moist and the rub created a little crispiness.  It was so easy and so quick.  Great for midweek meal.  Served with brown rice and sugar snap peas

I have made this at least once a week since getting the recipe a month ago, have emailed it to all my friends, and stand around the kitchen patting myself on the back.  It's the ideal- something delicious but sinfully easy to make.  

I wanted something healthy but delicious, and easy to stock up on. It doesn't require any odd ingredients, the recipe is perfectly timed, and it works well with chicken breasts (which I usually cut in half, just to be sure they get coated in spice).  This spice mix is a winner!!!

A little kick from the chili powder is matched by the sweetness of honey when chicken thighs are broiled to perfection.

spicy honey-brushed chicken thighs

Servings: 3

Author : David Bonom

Ingredients

Instructions

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