Chipotle Honey Chicken Thighs (Print Page)

Baked chicken thighs glazed in smoky chipotle-honey and topped with melted smoked Gouda for bold, comforting flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
03 - 3 tablespoons honey
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Cheese

10 - 4 oz smoked Gouda cheese, shredded

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
12 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together chipotle peppers, honey, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
03 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
04 - Brush the chipotle-honey glaze generously over each chicken thigh, ensuring even coating. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the glaze for finishing.
05 - Bake for 30 minutes until the skin is golden brown and juices run clear when pierced near the bone.
06 - Remove from oven and brush the thighs with the reserved glaze. Sprinkle shredded smoked Gouda evenly over each thigh.
07 - Return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The chipotle honey glaze walks the line between sweet and fiery in a way that makes it impossible to stop at one thigh.
  • Melted smoked Gouda on top of crispy chicken skin is the kind of indulgence that turns a Tuesday dinner into something you actually look forward to.
02 -
  • Do not skip the step of patting the chicken dry because even slightly damp skin will sabotage your crispiness and leave you with rubbery edges.
  • Reserving a bit of the raw marinade for glazing later adds a fresh punch of flavor that the baked on layer alone cannot provide.
03 -
  • Let the baked chicken rest for five minutes before serving so the juices redistribute and do not flood your plate the second you cut in.
  • Shredding the Gouda while it is cold from the fridge gives you finer, more even pieces that melt faster and more uniformly than room temperature cheese.

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