Chipotle Honey Chicken
This one-pan chipotle honey chicken combines juicy chicken thighs with smoky chipotle, sweet honey and fresh lime. The chicken marinates until flavourful, then cooks quickly in a skillet with deliciously caramelised edges.
Ingredients
- 1 kg boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoon chipotle paste or finely chopped chipotles in adobo
- 80 g honey
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp chipotle paste, 80 g honey, 2 cloves garlic , minced, 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
- Add 1 kg boneless skinless chicken thighs and turn them until completely coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Heat the remaining 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allow the excess to drip back into the bowl, and discard the used marinade.
- Place the chicken thighs in the hot skillet without overcrowding the pan. Cook for 3–4 minutes on each side, adjusting the time according to their thickness, until caramelised and lightly charred.
- Check that the thickest part of each chicken thigh has reached an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. Cook the chicken in batches when necessary.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving.
Notes
Watch the Heat: Honey can catch quickly in a hot pan, so I prefer to keep the skillet over medium heat. If the chicken is browning too fast, lower the heat slightly and let it cook more gently.
Make It as Spicy as You Like: Two tablespoons of chipotle paste give the chicken a good smoky kick. For a milder version, I use just 1 tablespoon, especially when I am serving it to someone who prefers less heat.
Give the Marinade Time: One hour works well when I am short on time, but overnight is my favourite because the chicken absorbs much more of the smoky, sweet and tangy flavour.
Do Not Crowd the Pan: I always leave a little space between the chicken thighs so they can caramelise properly. When the pan is too full, the chicken releases moisture and steams instead of developing those darker edges.
Nutrition
Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 345mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 629IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg
