This Grilled Hot Honey Chicken is the best combination of sweet and spicy — perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a weekend cookout. It can be marinated, grilled, and ready to serve in just 40 minutes.
You’ll love this recipe if you enjoy recipes like Pollo Asado and Garlic Butter Chicken Bites.
This one is really easy to make. You’ll start by making your homemade hot honey sauce, marinate the chicken in half of this sauce for 15-30 minutes, then grill the chicken until it’s cooked through, brushing it with some extra remaining sauce in the last few minutes.
The hot honey sauce can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to a week, or you can marinate the chicken ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to grill.
The chicken stays juicy and flavorful, even when reheated, so it’s perfect for leftovers or packed lunches.
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To make grilled hot honey chicken, whisk a hot honey sauce from honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and spices, spoon out half to save for later, and marinate boneless chicken thighs in the rest for 15 to 30 minutes; then grill the thighs over medium-high heat (about 375°F to 450°F) for 4 to 7 minutes per side until they reach 165°F, brushing on the reserved sauce in the last few minutes to glaze. Splitting the sauce before it touches the raw chicken gives you a fresh, safe glaze for the finish, so you get that sticky sweet-and-spicy coating without any cross-contamination. It serves 4.
💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Really easy to prepare.
- Simple ingredients you may already have on hand.
- Ready in only 40 minutes.
- Great for grilling season.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this hot honey chicken recipe
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Make Hot Honey Sauce: In a large bowl, combine the honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, Kosher salt, onion powder, smoked paprika, and pepper. Stir well. Spoon half of the sauce into a separate small bowl, and set that small bowl aside.
- Prepare Chicken: Blot all sides of the chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
- Marinate: Add the chicken to a large bowl of marinade, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and marinate for 15-30 minutes in the refrigerator. (You can marinate the chicken for as little as 15 minutes or as long as 24 hours.)
- Preheat Grill: While the chicken marinates, turn on the grill and set it to medium-high heat (around 375 degrees F to 450 degrees F).
- Oil Grates: Brush grill grates with olive oil to prevent chicken from sticking.
- Grill Then Glaze Chicken: Place chicken thighs on the grill. Cook with the grill lid closed for about 4-7 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. During the last few minutes of grilling, brush each piece of chicken with the remaining hot honey sauce from the small bowl you had set aside, flipping the chicken over to coat both sides.
Recipe Tip: To get those perfect grill marks and prevent the chicken from sticking, avoid moving the chicken around too much while it’s grilling. Place the chicken on the grill and let it cook undisturbed for 4-7 minutes per side.
- Rest Chicken Then Serve: After cooking, transfer chicken to a plate and let it rest for a few minutes, then serve.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Honey: Try maple syrup for a different sweet flavor.
- Hot Sauce: Use sriracha or chili paste for varying heat levels.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Substitute with white vinegar or lemon juice.
- Garlic Powder: Use fresh minced garlic.
- Smoked Paprika: Regular paprika works, or you can omit this.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: Bone-in chicken thighs, boneless chicken breasts, or drumsticks will also work, but note the cooking time may change.
〰️ How to serve
- Salads — Serve with refreshing salads like this creamy dill cucumber onion salad, fresh corn salad, coleslaw, cauliflower potato salad, or quinoa chickpea salad.
- Side dishes — Plate alongside veggies like baked sliced zucchini, loaded tater tots, air fryer twice backed potatoes, or broccoli risotto.
- Bread — Serve with cornbread, garlic bread, or soft rolls.
💬 FAQs
What temperature do you grill hot honey chicken?
Grill hot honey chicken over medium-high heat, about 375°F to 450°F, cooking 4 to 7 minutes per side until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
Do you save some hot honey sauce for after grilling?
Yes — spoon half the sauce into a separate bowl before adding the chicken to the marinade, so you have a fresh, safe glaze to brush on in the last few minutes of grilling.
What cut of chicken is best for grilled hot honey chicken?
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are best because they stay juicy on the grill, though bone-in thighs, chicken breasts, or drumsticks will also work with an adjusted cook time.
How can I prep this advance to serve later?
Prepare the hot honey sauce and marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours in advance of grilling. Store the other half of the hot honey sauce for glazing in a separate container. Use a food-safe container or resealable plastic bag for marinating, and discard any leftover marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken. When ready to cook, simply grill the marinated chicken and glaze it as directed.
How do you store leftovers?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in a microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat.
📚 More chicken recipes
🍽 Recipe
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Grilled Hot Honey Chicken
Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce, (adjust based on taste preferences)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, (optional for a smoky flavor)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- ~2 Tablespoons olive oil, (enough to coat grill grates)
Instructions
- Make Hot Honey Sauce: In a large bowl, combine honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, Kosher salt, onion powder, smoked paprika, and pepper. Stir well. Spoon half of the sauce into a separate small bowl, and set that small bowl aside.
- Prepare Chicken: Blot all sides of chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
- Marinate: Add chicken to large bowl of marinade, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and marinate for 15-30 minutes in the refrigerator. (You can marinate the chicken for as little as 15 minutes or as long as 24 hours.)
- Preheat Grill: While chicken marinates, turn on grill and set it to medium-high heat (around 375 degrees F to 450 degrees F).
- Oil Grates: Brush grill grates with olive oil to prevent chicken from sticking.
- Grill Then Glaze Chicken: Place chicken thighs on grill. Cook with grill lid closed for about 4-7 minutes on each side, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. During last few minutes of grilling, brush chicken with hot honey sauce from small bowl you had set aside, flipping chicken over to coat both sides.
- Rest Chicken Then Serve: After cooking, transfer chicken to a plate and let it rest for a few minutes, then serve.
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