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Grilled Honey Buffalo Chicken Thighs

Grilled honey buffalo chicken thighs with crispy skin and a sticky honey-buffalo glaze. Bone-in, skin-on thighs are marinated, then grilled skin-side down until blistered and finished at 165°F for bold spicy-sweet flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 8 chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on
  • 0.5 cup buffalo sauce
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp butter melted
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 blue cheese dressing for serving
  • 1 celery sticks for serving

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the honey-buffalo marinade
  1. In a bowl, mix buffalo sauce, honey, melted butter, and apple cider vinegar until smooth and glossy.
  2. Reserve 1/3 cup of the honey-buffalo mixture for basting, then set the rest aside with the chicken.
Season and marinate
  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then brush with some of the honey-buffalo sauce.
  2. Marinate for 30 minutes so the thighs absorb flavor before grilling.
Grill and glaze
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat, then grill the thighs skin-side down for 8–10 minutes until the skin is crisp and browned.
  2. Flip the thighs and grill for 8–10 more minutes, basting frequently with the reserved sauce.
  3. Continue grilling until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the glaze looks sticky and clings to the chicken.
Serve
  1. Serve the grilled honey buffalo chicken thighs with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.

Notes

Pro tip: marinate at room temperature for the first 15 minutes, then refrigerate for the remainder to keep the chicken safe and help the glaze set. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat gently until hot throughout. Freeze cooked thighs up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge overnight. For a lower-sugar option, use sugar-free honey or a honey-style syrup in the glaze while keeping the rest the same.