Honey Chipotle Chicken

Over the July 4th weekend, Mr. Wonderful and I went to a nearby lake with some of our very dearest friends.  We took our boat and one couple brought their wave runner.  We woke up daily to a view off our balcony of the lake, spent long days at the beach, picnicking, boating and laughing, and at night, we were ravenous for dinner, so one night, we made this Honey Chipotle Chicken.

The ladies mixed up the simple spice rub and coated the glistening chicken thighs, then took it outside to our menfolk, who in the spirit of all men had prepared a bed of coals on the grill mounted in the ground outside the cabins and were ready, tongs in hand and mouths salivating from a long day of watersports and trekking around the state park.

Since we’ve come home, Joy and Dale have confessed to making this at least once a week, and Helen has repeatedly told me “you HAVE to make this on your show!” so today I am obliging them and we are making Honey Chipotle Chicken.

Simple, with only six ingredients, including the chicken, you will want to make this for your family again and again. Let me show you how.

Make the spice rub by mixing together three teaspoons of garlic powder, a teaspoon and one-half of onion powder, a half teaspoon of kosher salt, and one teaspoon of chipotle pepper.

Chipotle chile pepper is God’s gift to the Southwest I tell ya.

 It imparts a spicy sweet smoky flavor that along with the honey (that’s coming later), is divine on the chicken.

Mix all of these spices together well.

And please try to take the blurriest picture possible while doing so.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Sprinkle the spice rub over both sides of the chicken.

Then..are you ready?

Get your hands in there and rub it in really well.

Now, hopefully this is the part where you send out a hungry and carnivorous man to start your grill cuz it’s man it’s ridiculous HOT here in Oklahoma.  Give him your platter of nicely rubbed chicken thighs. If you don’t ever USE chicken thighs, I urge you to just try them once.   Once is all you’ll need to fall in love with them.  On the grill, chicken thighs stay moister and juicier than breasts. Just walk right out on that risky tightrope and TRY them once. I beg you.

Put them on the grill over medium heat.  Not too hot!

Leave them alone for 5 to 7 minutes on the first side.  One of the common mistakes of grillers is to turn meat too soon. When the meat is ready to turn, it releases itself from the grates, allowing it to turn without it ripping off the top layer.

Grill the chicken on the second side for an additional 5-7 minutes.

At this time, it’s time to break out the honey. If you know me, you know I cook with honey OFTEN!

Pour 1/2 up of honey into a cup and take it out to the grill.

Brush the top of the chicken with the honey.  Liberally.  As in DO NOT BE SPARING!

Remove the chicken to a platter and brush the other side of the chicken with more delicious honey.

Doesn’t this look absolutely insanely delicious?

I love these kind of recipes. A few simple ingredients I already have in my pantry. Some simple grilling.

 

And a whole lot of spicy sweet eating.

 

To make the simple rub, mix together these spices…