We love this hot honey BBQ chicken with citrus slaw — sticky, flavorful chicken thighs paired with a crunchy, refreshing slaw. It’s a quick, flavorful weeknight meal everyone will enjoy.
I have a really delicious dinner idea for you today.
These saucy, sticky BBQ chicken thighs are served over a crisp citrus slaw for a satisfying but light meal. The combination of warm, caramelized chicken and bright, tangy slaw is one of my favorite warm-weather dinners.
This broiled-chicken-thigh method is something I’ve used for years. Broiling gives the thighs a charred, sticky finish that tastes like they’re straight off the grill — and it only takes about 15 minutes. Chicken thighs are my go-to for flavor and tenderness.
You can serve the chicken and slaw in many ways: plated as a salad, piled on rice or grains, or stacked on a bun for a sandwich.
To create the sticky, tangy sauce I whisk together apple cider vinegar, hot honey (or regular honey if you prefer less heat), and your favorite BBQ sauce. Brushing that glaze on while broiling builds layers of caramelized flavor.
Serve the chicken whole or sliced over the slaw, and finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds for extra texture. It pairs well with many sides and keeps well as leftovers.
The slaw is incredibly crunchy and bright — it becomes a satisfying base when the warm chicken is piled on top. The contrast of textures is the best part.
What goes into the slaw
Thinly sliced green cabbage
Shaved carrots
Fresh cilantro
Thinly sliced red onion
Sliced almonds
Mandarin oranges or segmented fresh oranges
A bright lime vinaigrette
Tossed in a tangy lime-honey dressing, this slaw stays crisp and flavorful in the fridge, so leftovers are excellent the next day.
Once the slaw is dressed, slice the broiled chicken thighs and arrange them on top. The slaw provides plenty of bright flavor, so no additional dressing is needed for the chicken — the honey-BBQ glaze is enough. A final sprinkle of sesame seeds adds a nice finishing touch.
It tastes fantastic.
Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Thighs with Citrus Slaw Salad
Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Thighs with Citrus Slaw Salad
1
30 mins
15 mins
45 mins
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Ingredients
Chicken thighs
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hot honey (or regular honey)
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Citrus slaw
- 1 small green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, shaved with a vegetable peeler
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1–2 oranges, segmented and chopped (or mandarin segments)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Big pinch of kosher salt and pepper
- ¼ cup avocado oil (or neutral oil)
Instructions
Chicken thighs
- Preheat the broiler to high and position a rack directly beneath it.
- Place the chicken thighs on a baking sheet and season generously with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
- Broil for 6 minutes, then flip and broil another 6 minutes. While the chicken broils, whisk together the hot honey, BBQ sauce, and apple cider vinegar.
- Brush the chicken with the honey-BBQ mixture and broil 1 minute. Flip, brush the other side, and broil 1 more minute. Repeat until the chicken has a nicely caramelized, slightly charred glaze.
Citrus slaw
- In a large bowl combine the cabbage, carrots, cilantro, red onion, almonds, and orange segments.
- Whisk together lime juice, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the avocado oil until the dressing is emulsified.
- Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss to coat. Slice the cooked chicken thighs and arrange on top of the slaw. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
Did you make this recipe?
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Can’t you just taste the crunch?