Honey-Glazed Chicken Thighs

In this recipe, a skillet full of golden-brown pan-seared chicken thighs turns sticky and sweet in a delectable buttery, garlicky, honey-kissed pan sauce that’s balanced with a hint of heat.  The choice of hot sauce determines the spiciness of the dish. I use green jalapeño hot sauce for its mild heat and almost citrusy flavor. Use a fierier hot sauce to increase the heat or, if you prefer no heat, substitute sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar. 

Being the Southerner that I am, sometimes I serve this recipe by tucking the tender chicken and generous drizzles of the glaze inside split, piping hot biscuits.  

Makes 4 to 6 servings 

Ingredients  

• 6 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup self-rising flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons green jalapeño hot sauce
• Chopped scallions, parsley leaves, and lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Blot the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow pan and lightly coat the chicken, shaking off any excess. Set aside in a single layer.

Place the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, ovenproof skillet, preferably cast-iron, set over medium heat. Once the butter melts and begins to sizzle, add the chicken in a single layer. Depending on the size of your thighs and the size of your skillet, you may need to brown the chicken in two batches. Cook until chicken is well-browned on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip with tongs and brown the other side, 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the chicken sizzling without the flour scorching. Transfer the chicken to a plate in a single layer.  

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Decrease the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook, stirring continually, just until the garlic is aromatic, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the honey and hot sauce to the pan and stir well to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.  

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan and coat it in the sauce. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 160°F.  

Heat the broiler to high. Place the skillet under the broiler until the sauce sizzles and darkens a bit on top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven, garnish with scallions, parsley, and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve immediately. 

©Copyright 2024 Sheri Castle  

Sheri Castle, award-winning food writer and cooking teacher, is known for melding culinary expertise, storytelling and humor, so she can tell a tale while making a memorable meal. Her creative, well-crafted recipes and practical advice inspire people to cook with confidence and enthusiasm. She's written a tall stack of cookbooks and her work appears in dozens of magazines. In 2019, the Southern Foodways Alliance named Sheri among Twenty Living Legends of Southern Food, calling her The Storyteller.

Sheri says that she's fueled by great ingredients and the endless pursuit of intriguing stories, usually about the role that food plays in our lives, families, communities and culture.

When she steps away from the kitchen or a local farm, Sheri enjoys spending quiet time at her home near Chapel Hill. She hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.