Cassie’s Ruminations

Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs

This recipe comes from Cooking Light. As we like our food spicy, I’ve upped the amounts for the rub to get a more thorough coating, and my version is below. It makes a wonderfully sweet and spicy chicken. I lack a broiler pan, so I just use a large rimmed cookie sheet lined with foil with a cooling rack that just fits inside. It works quite well, allowing the fat to drain away and the food to brown, and you can’t beat the clean up – toss the cooling rack in the dishwasher and toss the foil in the trash. No soaking, no scrubbing, just a delicious meal!

Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs
Serves 4

2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1 ½ – 2 lbs)
Non-stick cooking spray
¼ cup honey
2 tsp cider vinegar

Preheat oven broiler.

Combine the spices in a bowl. Dredge the chicken thighs in the spice mixture to coat completely. Place them on a broiler pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Broil the chicken for 5 minutes on each side.

While the chicken is broiling, whisk the honey and vinegar together in a small bowl. Remove the chicken from the oven and brush half of the honey mixture over the pieces. Return to the oven to broil for one minute. Remove, flip the thighs, brush the second side with the remainder of the honey mixture, and return to the oven for a final one minute of broiling. Remove the thighs from the oven and allow them to rest for five minutes before serving. These also cook quickly in a grill pan using the same times and instructions.

I served this with some pan fried polenta and sautéed zucchini.

The polenta was premade and shelf stable in a tube, and I don’t think I’ll go that route again. It wasn’t bad, but it was very bland, and Shaun just wasn’t a fan of the texture.