An Easy Honey Chipotle Chicken Thighs Recipe you’ll love! A healthy chicken recipe that’s perfect for a quick dinner or meal prepping!
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If you’re looking for an easy family friendly meal, you have to try these Honey Chipotle Chicken Thighs.
The thighs get seared on the stove, achieving that perfect crispy skin, and then baked to perfection in a delicious honey chipotle sauce that pairs well with your favorite dinner side dish!
Whether you’re super busy, in need of a quick and satisfying meal or a food enthusiast looking for a flavor packed meal, this recipe has the perfect balance of ease and incredible taste.
This is the best Honey Chipotle Chicken Recipe
There is a lot to love about this flavorful chicken recipe!
- Protein-packed – There are 19 grams of protein per serving of this chicken dish, so it is guaranteed to keep you full!
- Lots of flavors – The combination of honey and chipotle is so rich and flavorful! You won’t be able to get enough.
- Super fast to make – This means dinner will be ready super quickly!
Ingredients for Chipotle Chicken
Here’s what you need to make this easy chicken recipe:
- chicken thighs
- salt, pepper
- paprika, garlic powder
- olive oil
- honey
- chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- dijon mustard
- balsamic vinegar
- lime
- green onions & fresh parsley for serving
You can find substitutions for all of these ingredients below in the green shaded box.
What you’ll need to make Chipotle Honey Chicken
- Pat chicken thighs dry and season with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully add chicken thighs, skin-side down. Sear for 3-5 minutes, flip and sear for another 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a 9×13 baking dish.
- Whisk together the honey, chipotles, dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, and the additional tablespoon of oil until smooth. Pour over the chicken thighs.
- Transfer to a 400° preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 165°F.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and parsley. Serve immediately.
Having a meat thermometer is also helpful!
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR CHIPOTLE CHICKEN
Olive Oil: You can substitute avocado oil, butter, or ghee.
Chicken Thighs: Boneless chicken thighs will also work here, they’ll probably need about half the cooking time! Chicken breasts would also work here. Skip the browning step and add chicken breasts to a 9×13 baking dish. Pour the sauce over top and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 165°F. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Honey: We haven’t tried substituting honey with maple syrup but I think it would work!
Mustard & Balsamic Vinegar: We haven’t tried making this recipe without the mustard or balsamic vinegar so I’m not sure how it would taste.
Other Flavors: If you love chicken thighs, this Dutch Oven Maple Peach Chicken Thighs recipe is great!
Our favorite ways to serve Honey Chipotle Chicken
You can serve this chicken with any Delicious Side Dish, but these are some of our favorites:
- a salad (like Easy Kale Salad or Spinach Strawberry Salad)
- over rice
- Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Parmesan
- Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
We love this meat thermometer for checking the temp to make sure your meat is cooked thoroughly!
Chipotle Chicken Thigh Recipe Tips
- For even crispier skin, place the chicken under the broiler for 3 minutes before serving.
- Try it on boneless chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs!
Storing and Reheating leftover Chipotle Honey Chicken
Storing: Leftover chicken will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Leftover chicken is fantastic shredded and added cold to a salad.
Freezing: We don’t recommend freezing this chicken. The topping can get an odd texture when frozen.
Reheating: You can reheat this recipe in the toaster oven, oven or on the stove. We don’t like to microwave chicken because it can give it a bouncy texture.
Other healthy chicken recipes:
Looking for other easy chicken recipes? check out these!
Honey Chipotle Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1-1.5 lbs)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped (about 6 oz)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ lime juiced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced for serving
- Fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Pat dry the chicken thighs with a paper towel. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, carefully add chicken thighs, skin-side down. Sear for 3-5 minutes, flip and sear for another 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, chipotles, dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, and the additional tablespoon of oil until smooth.
- Pour the honey chipotle sauce over top of the chicken thighs.
- Transfer to a preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 165°F.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and parsley. Serve immediately.
Nan Newell says
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Tantalizing combination of flavors.
Kat says
We enjoyed this dish very much-I’ll be making it again! Thank you!