Grilled Honey Buffalo Chicken Thighs (Printer-friendly)
Tender chicken thighs glazed with honey and buffalo sauce, grilled for a bold sweet-heat balance.
# What you'll need:
→ Chicken
01 - 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
→ Marinade and Sauce
02 - 1/4 cup hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
03 - 1/3 cup honey
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish (optional)
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives
11 - Extra honey and hot sauce for drizzling
# Method:
01 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, honey, melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
02 - Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken, reserving the remainder for basting later. Seal tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
03 - Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (approximately 375°F to 400°F). Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
04 - Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the used portion. Place the chicken thighs directly onto the hot grill grates. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side, basting occasionally with the reserved sauce.
05 - Continue grilling until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when measured with a meat thermometer at the thickest part. The juices should run clear.
06 - Transfer the grilled chicken to a serving platter. Drizzle with additional honey and hot sauce if desired. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or chives and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce does double duty as both marinade and basting glaze, so you get deep flavor with almost no extra effort.
- Boneless thighs stay incredibly juicy on the grill even if you wander off for an extra minute, making this forgiving for distracted cooks.
02 -
- Never reuse the marinade that touched raw chicken for anything, which is exactly why you reserved half the sauce before it met the meat.
- The honey in the glaze can go from perfectly caramelized to burnt surprisingly fast, so keep a close eye during the last few minutes of grilling.
03 -
- Take the chicken out of the fridge about 15 minutes before grilling so it cooks more evenly from edge to center.
- Basting in the last 3 minutes of cooking rather than throughout gives you that beautiful lacquered finish without burning the sugars.