Grilled Honey Buffalo Thighs (Printable)
Spicy-sweet grilled chicken thighs glazed with honey-buffalo, marinated and basted for juicy, caramelized results.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
→ Marinade & 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
# How To Make It:
01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, honey, melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until well combined.
02 - Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable bag or shallow dish. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken, reserving the remainder for basting. 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 grates to prevent sticking.
04 - Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the used portion. Place the thighs on the grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side, basting occasionally with the reserved sauce, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
05 - Transfer the grilled chicken to a serving platter. Drizzle with additional honey and hot sauce if desired, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chives.
06 - Serve hot alongside your favorite side dishes such as roasted vegetables, coleslaw, or a crisp green salad.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The honey buffalo glaze creates this candy like crust that cracks when you bite into it while the meat stays impossibly juicy underneath.
- It requires almost zero prep work and the marinade doubles as your basting sauce so nothing goes to waste.
- Everyone from spice lovers to cautious eaters finds their happy place here because you control the heat level with a simple tweak of the hot sauce ratio.
02 -
- Never reuse the marinade that touched raw chicken as a finishing sauce, which is why you reserve half before it makes contact with the meat.
- The honey in the glaze burns easily so keep a close eye on the chicken during the last few minutes and move pieces to a cooler spot if they start to blacken too quickly.
- A meat thermometer is the single tool that separates slightly pink safe chicken from genuinely undercooked chicken so trust the numbers over the color.
03 -
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels before marinating so the sauce clings to the meat instead of sliding off on a layer of moisture.
- Baste only during the final minutes on each side because applying sauce too early causes the sugars to burn before the chicken cooks through.