Macheesmo

Chicken thighs rank very highly on my list of cuts of chicken. I like them because they are really hard to over-cook and have lots of flavor. This Honey Sriracha Chicken Thighs are one of the best chicken thigh recipes I’ve tried.

There is only a few ingredients here and they are all in the title of the recipe. Ha!

While the ratio of honey and sriracha is fairly important, what’s more important is the order. If you add the honey too soon it’ll burn. If you add it too late, it’ll be too sweet and won’t caramelize on the chicken.

If you are a chicken thigh fan, this is a must try. If you aren’t (like my wife) this might just be the recipe to show you the light!

Honey Sriracha Chicken Thighs

by Nick

Serves:

Serves 4

Prep Time:

5 mins

Cook Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

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These baked honey Sriracha chicken thighs have just a few ingredients and are my new favorite way to cook chicken thighs! Sweet, savory, and spicy!

Ingredients

5-6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Sesame seeds, garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Season chicken thighs well with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Place chicken thighs in a cold cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, skin-side down. Cook for 15 minutes without touching.
3. Flip chicken thighs. Baste the thighs with half of the honey sriracha sauce and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Test chicken thighs for doneness. They should rich 165˚ F. in the thickest part of the thigh.
5. If chicken is within five-ten degrees of being done, baste a second time with the remaining sauce and return to the oven for five more minutes.
6. When chicken is done, let rest for a few minutes before serving and garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Starting the Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are really easy to cook once you learn a few tricks. First, season them well. Rub them with some olive oil and season them liberally with salt and pepper. Not only will this season the chicken, but it will also actually prevent sticking in the pan.

The most important step: Start the chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet, skin-side down, in a COLD skillet. Do not preheat the skillet!

Starting them in a cold skillet and then placing them over medium-low heat will allow the fat to slowly render out as the chicken cooks. It should take a least fifteen minutes to get a good sear on the first side of the chicken thighs.

Once you flip the thighs, you should see something like this!

Making Honey Sriracha Chicken Thighs

Two ingredients here: Honey. Sriracha.

I’m not going to pretend that this ratio is set in stone. If you want it spicier, try a 1-1 ratio. If you want it less spicy, but the sriracha back to 1 tablespoon. I think the 1/3 cup to two tablespoons is a good start though.

Once the sauce is mixed up, drizzle it on the seared chicken. At this point the chicken is still basically raw on the inside, but that sear is what you are looking for right now.

Once the thighs are drizzled heavily with the sauce, stick them in a 350 F. oven for 15 minutes. That should be enough to get them to 165 F in the thickest part, or close.

Then I’d recommend glazing them a second time and putting them back in the oven for another five minutes. Don’t worry. It’s pretty hard to overcook chicken thighs.

The finishes thighs should have a beautiful glaze on them!

Let them rest for a few minutes before serving and garnish them with some sesame seeds.

You could serve these Honey Sriracha Chicken Thighs with so many side dishes. Try them with rice, mashed potatoes, grilled or sauteed vegetables, or just with a big salad on the side!

They are incredibly juicy and flavorful. A big, big hit at house Macheesmo!

Here are a few other great chicken recipes!

• Grilled Chicken with Cantaloupe Salsa
• Dijon Braised Chicken Thighs
• Chicken Saltimbocca
• Melt in Your Mouth Caesar Chicken from The Cookie Rookie