Tender and juicy Chicken Thighs smothered with a flavorful sweet, spicy and smoky sauce, These Honey Chipotle Chicken Thighs are wonderfully easy and delicious!
I have leftover chipotle peppers from another recipe and I thought I will use that to make a simple dish that I can easily make for dinner.
If you have not enjoyed the flavors of chipotle peppers before, I strongly suggest that you try them. Chipotle peppers in cans are tiny stuff filled with amazing flavors- smoky, hot, sweet and savory. There is nothing quite like it.
This is one of those simple dish you can make for a weekday, like this Baked Chicken Meatballs, Instant Pot Korean Beef and these Baked Chicken Shawarma.
Easy Honey Chipotle Chicken Thighs
These Chicken thighs are smothered with a rich honey chipotle sauce- yielding such tender and juicy meat. I especially love the good sear on the chicken with lots of flavors from the seasonings.
The Process
Cook the Chicken Thighs
This dish is pretty simple. It starts by cooking the chicken in a wide skillet. You want the chicken to be nicely golden, and with some parts caramelized.
Make sure you do not overcrowd the pan. This will ensure the chicken gets a nice sear and caramelization, instead of steaming. So, cook your chicken in batches.
Make the Honey Chipotle Sauce
For a more saucy consistency, puree the chipotle peppers in a small food processor or food chopper. If you do not have it, simply chop the peppers into small bits.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft and aromatic. Lower heat.
Stir in, honey. Then add the chipotle peppers. Stir everything well to combine. Next, add all the chicken to the saucepan, and toss them around so they get a nice coating of the sauce.
Cook for a few minutes more, or until heated through. Transfer everything to a serving plate and enjoy!
Enjoy this warm with steamy rice. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Or green onions. You can also chop the chicken into bite size pieces and serve this rice bowl style!
Frequently Asked Questions
Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeno peppers. It has an intense spicy, smoky and sharp flavor, that is almost tangy. These are often canned and you can find them in International aisle. Mexican cuisine part of supermarkets.
Because of the lean nature of chicken breast, it will not be as tender as the chicken thighs in this recipe. Also the caramelization of the seasonings will be tricky to achieve in a chicken breast without drying the meat.
More Delicious Food
Honey Chipotle Chicken Thighs
Tender and juicy Chicken Thighs smothered with a flavorful sweet, spicy and smoky sauce, These Honey Chipotle Chicken Thighs are wonderfully easy and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless and skinless chicken thighs
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- olive oil
For the Honey Chipotle Sauce
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup chipotle peppers in adobo ( canned)
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and flour. Add the chicken and toss everything around to fully coat with the seasonings. Let this stand for 10 minutes.
- In a wide pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook the chicken in batches as needed, until it is nicely golden and a bit caramelized, and a thermometer inserted at the thickest part reads 165 F. Set aside and keep warm.
- Using a food processor or chopper, puree the chipotle peppers until a thick paste is formed. If you do not have a food processor, simply minced the peppers.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add garlic and cook until soft and aromatic but not browned. Lower the heat and stir in the honey well. Immediately add the chipotle peppers and stir everything to combine.
- Add the cooked chicken to the saucepan and cook for a few minutes, until the chicken is well coated with the sauce. Turn off the heat and serve.
Notes
Garnish with your choice of herbs, I love cilantro or parsley. You can also use green onions!
Serve this with steamy rice. Yum!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 337Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 554mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 29g
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