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Grilled Honey Buffalo Chicken Thighs

Grilled honey buffalo chicken thighs with a sticky honey-buffalo glaze and crispy skin. Marinated for 30 minutes, then grilled skin-side down until browned, then basted until the sauce clings.
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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: 380
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Method
 

Make the honey buffalo glaze
  1. In a bowl, mix buffalo sauce, honey, melted butter, and apple cider vinegar until smooth. The glaze should look glossy and evenly combined.
  2. Reserve 1/3 cup of the sauce for basting. Keep it separate so you can use it during grilling.
Season and marinate
  1. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then brush with some of the sauce. Coat the skin side lightly so it clings as it cooks.
  2. Marinate for 30 minutes. Chill the thighs while they sit so the flavors set without drying the skin.
Grill and glaze
  1. Grill the chicken skin-side down over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the skin is crispy. Do not move the thighs too soon so the crust browns.
  2. Flip the thighs and grill for 8-10 more minutes, basting frequently with the reserved sauce. Brush often so the glaze turns sticky and caramelizes.
  3. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the glaze is sticky. The surface should look tacky and lacquered rather than runny.
Serve
  1. Serve the grilled honey buffalo chicken thighs with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks. Add the dressing on the side for dunking.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve the sauce before it touches raw chicken, and baste often during the final grilling so it becomes sticky instead of watery. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently so the skin stays crisp. Freezing is not recommended because the glaze can lose its texture. For a lighter option, use light butter and reduce honey slightly while keeping the vinegar for balance.