Honey Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thighs

These easy Honey Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thighs are a sweet and spicy masterpiece! Juicy, smoky, tender grilled chicken is slathered in a homemade honey sriracha sauce that you’ll be licking off your fingers after every bite.

Want more honey sriracha flavor? Try these Honey Sriracha Grilled Shrimp!

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Chicken Thighs

It takes some serious self-control to refrain from devouring each and every one of these honey sriracha chicken thighs. The skin is charred and crispy while the insides are tender and juicy – it’s grilled chicken at its finest. The sweet, salty and spicy honey sriracha sauce takes these bad boys over the edge into utter perfection!

First, you’ll get fresh pops of ginger and garlic, then the sweetness from the honey and the heat from the sriracha will kick in. Each layer of flavor is more irresistible than the last! I originally made these chicken thighs for a Super Bowl party, and everyone went absolutely bananas for them – they disappeared from the serving tray in a matter of minutes. Even the smallest taste is guaranteed to get you hooked for life.

What You’ll Need

With all the flavor packed into these juicy grilled chicken thighs, it’s hard to believe they’re not even marinated! You’ll just have to wait and see for yourself.

• Chicken Thighs: I highly recommend checking out the brand Just Bare. Their chickens are vegetable and grain fed, raised in a good environment, and never given hormones or antibiotics. This makes their meat incredibly juicy and delicious – you really can tell the difference.
• Unsalted Butter
• Minced Ginger
• Minced Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is preferable to the bottled stuff.
• Smoked Paprika: This adds a hint of heat to supplement the sriracha.
• Ground Cloves: You’ll love the warmth and subtle sweetness that ground cloves provide.
• Honey: I like using raw, unprocessed honey to keep my chicken free of preservatives.
• Sriracha Sauce: Use your go-to brand.
• Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed.

Can I Use Another Cut of Chicken?

The thighs are among the most flavorful parts of the chicken – even Bobby Flay prefers to use thighs over any other cut. They’re extra tender, juicy and rich, and they stay that way for days even after they’re reheated.

That being said, there are other options for those of you who are trying to use up that chicken you already have in your fridge. Just adjust the cook time accordingly depending on the cut you’re using. Dark-meat options like thighs take longer to cook than light-meat cuts like breasts.

How to Make Honey Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thighs

While the grill is preheating, the sauce comes together in a few minutes over the stove. If you’d like, you can cook the chicken over the stove as well using an indoor grill pan or a large skillet. Either way, it’s best to take the chicken out of the fridge 15-30 minutes before you cook it.

Heat Grill: Heat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400ºF.

Cook Ginger & Garlic: Add the butter to a small saucepan. Once it’s melted, add in the fresh ginger and garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add Remaining Glaze Ingredients: Add the smoked paprika, ground cloves, honey, sriracha and lime juice. Stir to combine and let the sauce simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Season Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season them with salt and pepper on both sides.

Grease Grill: Spray the grill grates with cooking spray or rub them with an olive oil-soaked rag.

Grill Chicken: Place the chicken thighs onto the grill, skin side down. Grill them for 4-5 minutes, then flip the thighs over and grill them for another 4-5 minutes.

Continue Cooking & Flipping: Continue to grill the chicken, flipping it over every 3-4 minutes so it doesn’t burn, until its internal temperature reaches 165ºF. This should take about 25-30 minutes.

Add Glaze: During the last 5 minutes of grilling, brush the glaze onto both sides of the chicken.

Remove From Heat & Let Rest: Remove your chicken from the grill and let it rest for at least 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle in.

Enjoy! Serve the chicken with your favorite sides such as Grilled Corn on the Cob or Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Fries.

How Can I Tell When My Chicken is Done?

Using a meat thermometer is a surefire way to determine the doneness of your chicken. Once the internal temperature registers at 165°F, remove the chicken from the heat.

Tips for Success

The advice below will help you knock your honey sriracha grilled chicken thighs out of the park. Let’s jump right in!

• Trim Off Excess Fat or Skin: Be sure to remove any extra fat or skin that’s hanging off your chicken. Otherwise, it could drip down to the grill and cause flare-ups.
• Don’t Forget to Grease the Grill Grates: It’s important to either spray your grill grates with nonstick cooking spray or (carefully) rub them with an oil-soaked rag. This prevents your chicken from sticking, which is especially important as the glaze caramelizes.
• Flip the Chicken Frequently: I like to flip my chicken over every few minutes to ensure even cooking on both sides. I suggest doing this with tongs to avoid burning yourself.
• Add the Glaze Toward the End: Don’t brush the sriracha sauce onto your chicken until about 5 minutes before you remove it from the heat. The honey caramelizes very quickly, and you don’t want the glaze to burn.

Serving Suggestions

There’s so much you can do with this honey sriracha grilled chicken. Don’t hold back! Remove the bone from the chicken prior to cutting it up for your convenience.

• Add it to Salads
• Put it in Wraps
• Mix it Into Mac and Cheese
• Use it as a Pizza Topping
• Add it to Quesadillas
• Make Chicken Kebabs
• Put it in Sandwiches
• Use it as a Nacho Topping

Storage and Reheating

Grilled chicken should be refrigerated in an airtight container after it has cooled completely. Enjoy it within 4-5 days of cooking it. Reheat it for a minute or two in the microwave or warm it up over low heat until it’s warmed through.

Do These Freeze Well?

Yes, you can freeze your grilled chicken thighs for up to 2 months if you’d like. Simply place the cooled thighs into a heavy-duty freezer bag, squeeze out all of the air, seal the bag and store it in the freezer. Thaw out frozen chicken in the fridge overnight before reheating it.

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More Flavorful Chicken Recipes

Tons of my top favorite weeknight meals incorporate chicken. The dishes below are among them!

• Skillet Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs
• Spice-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri
• Pan-Seared Chicken with Peach Salsa

*** This recipe was sponsored by Just BARE Chicken. However, like always all opinions are 100% mine! Thank you for supporting the brands that support Joyful Healthy Eats. ***

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