So, I got a really excellent deal on chicken thighs this week – $0.99 / lb. Ironically, the regular 2 lb. package was the same price as the large, 5 lb. “value pack.” No sale or anything! Sometimes you just need to look a little closer!
Obviously, not every store will have this fantastic deal on chicken thighs, but this recipe will probably be pretty inexpensive either way. The other ingredients required are also fairly inexpensive.
I used 8 of the 10 chicken thighs in the package and froze the other two for later use. The thighs were pretty big, so I am costing it out at one thigh per serving. Also, I experimented with skin-on and skin-removed thighs and, I have to say, the skin-off was much better!
If you’re not into spicy, you can leave out the cayenne and this recipe will still be excellent! The seasoning glaze is a great mix of sweet, smokey, and garlicky. The cayenne just gives it an extra kick.
This recipe is super easy to prepare and requires little attention, so you can use the extra time to prepare a salad or whatever side dishes you want!
Honey Spice Chicken Thighs
Servings 8Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs (about 4 lbs) ($4.16)
- 1/3 cup honey ($0.59)
- 1 Tbsp cider vinegar ($0.06)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder ($0.15)
- 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder ($0.08)
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp cumin ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.02)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine everything except the chicken thighs (honey, cider vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, and salt). Stir until combined.
- Remove the skin from the chicken thighs if desired. Place the chicken thighs either on a roasting pan or a baking sheet covered with foil. A roasting pan can be simulated by placing wire cooling racks over a baking sheet to allow juices to fall below the chicken. Brush the honey spice mixture over the surface of the chicken thighs, using about half of the total honey mixture.
- Place the chicken thighs in the fully preheated oven. Roast for about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs from the oven and use the remaining honey spice mixture to brush on a second coat. Return the chicken to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes. Serve hot.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
Step By Step Photos
This is the chicken that I bought. I think I stared at the prices at the store for a good 2-3 minutes in disbelief. It was seriously the same price for a 2lb. package of four chicken thighs. Ha! I used 8 of the 10 and froze the other two.
I made my own roasting pan by placing two wire cooling racks over a baking sheet. I used the foil for easy cleanup. You can also cook them directly on the baking sheet if you don’t have the wire racks. I experimented with skin on and skin off. The skin off was definitely better and more flavorful. The honey does a great job of keeping the chicken moist even without the skin there.
The honey spice mixture includes: honey, cider vinegar, chili powder (not spicy), garlic powder, cumin, cayenne (spicy), smoked paprika, and salt.
Stir everything together.
Brush about half of the honey spice mixture onto the chicken. Place it in a fully preheated, 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, take the chicken out and use the rest of the honey spice mixture to brush on a second coat.
After you’ve fully coated the chicken with the rest of the honey spice mixture, put it back in the oven and let it roast for another 20 minutes.
And then it looks like this and tastes delicious! Serve hot.
YUM.
Loved this recipe! I used boneless thighs, which “unfolded”. So I brushed the inside of the thighs with the honey mixture and then folded them back up for baking. It carried the flavor all the way through! The honey definitely does keep the moisture in.
Thanks, Beth for all of the amazing recipes!
Beth, thank you for all these amazing recipes! I recently took a $10,000 pay cut and have never had to think about budgeting for groceries. I’m trying to spend $30 or less a week on food. Your stories and meals have inspired me to not live off rice and beans. I look forward to creating many of your dishes. A HUGEEEE hug to you for sharing them with all of us ♥️
Thank you, Jodi!! I hope you find some recipes that serve you well. :) You can do it!
Can you freeze the cooked chicken and for how long
I haven’t tried freezing this one, so I’m not sure how it would hold up.
Why do you find it necessary to include your little “sale” anecdote in this recipe? I hate these stupid stories. Post your recipe and move along
If you don’t want to read it, scroll past or move along.
I really appreciate the writing Beth includes with her recipes. As someone who has been following this website for years (and never commented until now), I appreciate sharing the journey through her very clear and engaging writing. The mission of this website is to making cooking more approachable and budget friendly and her writing gives readers a chance to see how they can adapt and better utilize their resources to cook on a budget as well as let us as readers share in the excitement of a good deal and recipe! Thanks for your hard work, Beth! I certainly appreciate it and know you do what you do for your readers!
Kelly – It’s so great how you’ve taken time out of your day to be nasty to someone. What a great human specimen you are.
I love the recipes on this site! They are consistently good and I can’t say that for many sites.
It truly amazes me that someone could be so critical. This site/page belongs to Beth, not you nor I and she shares with us so many simple and cost effective and new ways to create meals for our families that are truly different than what many of us have thought of. I know for myself, I have found many recipes that have become family favs. I do like to hear the stories behind the recipes and the shopping trips because, to be honest it makes the recipe more personal to Beth and in turn she is sharing with us.
Might I suggest to you, if you “hate these stupid stories”….. maybe it is YOU that should move along…. or better yet why don’t you share with us your blog of recipes that you take your time and energy to create and share with us and don’t forget that you do not find it “necessary” to bother us with any of the sweet and personal anecdotes that make it more than just any old recipe we can find in any cook book or online…..
Bottom line…… appreciate what is shared with you asking nothing in return and if you do not like it or cannot be bothered…. move along and it is ALWAYS okay to keep your negative thoughts to yourself in cases like this………..
p.s. I am making these again tonight. Thank you Beth! :-)
I can’t even with this rude comment. Thank you Beth. You are by far one if my Favorite food bloggers and I’m quite sure many others can say the same. Keep up the Great work and the stories in as many DETAILS as you desire!
Hey Kelly Curmudgeon ! I loved this site at first sight because Beth makes it easy to just get right to the recipe, unlike many other sites, you can easily go directly to the ingredients and the directions, that is why I really appreciate this site, plus it is budget friendly and I love her recipes . So na na boo boo you curmudgeon!
I agree with move along. I look forward to seeing what Beth posts each week
This recipe was so easy to follow and was easy even for a beginner cook. It is so good and filling. Made enough for 5 meals.
This recipe is definitely a keeper. I used Blue Agave syrup instead of honey and poured it all over chicken breasts in a baking pan. Cooked them 20 minutes, turned them over and cooked another 20. Delicious! Thank you!
Hi, this might be a silly question but what is cider vinegar? Is that short for ACV?
Yes apple cider vinegar.
I’m excited to try this for dinner tonight, with moroccan crockpot lentils and naan. A bit of an odd mix, but I love your flavors and I think this will pair nicely.
I never comment, really.. some people just say that to compliment.. but really, this is a first. I comment because the recipe is so easy, and delicious. Thanks! Will make again, again and again
Excellent chicken! Followed directions with no changes, loved it! This ones going on the rotation list. Next time I may make 50% more sauce so I can cover the underside of the chicken as well!
Anyone tried this with turkey? have lots of pieces from after thanksgiving sale. wonder how I would have to adjust ecipe
I can’t tell from the photos but are you brushing this on both sides of the chicken?
I’d brush it on both sides before baking, but when you do the extra layers just brush the top to make it easier.
So I don’t normally comment, but this recipe was amazing! I switched out the thighs for breasts and cut the cooking time by about 5 minutes, and we all loved it! Just the right amount of sweet and spicy. We will be making it again. Thanks!
Hi Beth,
Can you help me troubleshoot something? I primarily use your website as my main cookbook, inspiration board, kitchen guide, etc, and pretty much everything I’ve made from this site is a winner. However, this recipe came out kind of blah, and I’m not sure what I did wrong. It’s got all the things I love – spice! chili! honey! chicken thighs – but all I can taste is chili powder, which is not great on its own. It just tastes like dry chili powder. The only big difference I can note between our two preparations is that I used boneless thighs. Should I maybe try cooking the spices first for a minute or two with a little oil to cook out the powder taste? Or toast them in a dry skillet?
Thanks so much!
Hmm, you could try that, but be very very careful not to burn them. I think I would just try reducing the chili powder a bit. It may be that the one you have is just not very flavorful (tastes more powdery than spice-like)? How old is the bottle? Spices will lose flavor over time and then you might be left with just a powdery taste.
Oddly, it was a brand new bottle. Purchased and opened the day I made this recipe; could that account for the overwhelming flavor? It was pretty cheap…
Hmm, I’m going to say fault is the fact that it was a cheap chili powder. Sometimes cheaper brands use lesser quality ingredients and may even use fillers.
These were great grilled! My family can’t wait to eat the leftovers,
I made this recipe..so delicious!
Can you use boneless chicken thighs????
Yes, although they’ll probably cook faster. :)