By Vallery Lomas

Sensational recipe! If you are not a fan of chicken thighs, you can use skin on, bone in breasts. Not sure how long to bake, but I would go with the time for the thighs, and then check. It would be better to use breasts that are not too thick. (I checked how to know when chicken is fully cooked: when it reaches 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.)

Generously seasoned with salt, pepper, and onion and garlic powders, these sweet and spicy chicken thighs are roasted at a high temperature to maximize the crispiness of the skin. Halfway through cooking, the chicken is brushed with a butter-and-hot-sauce blend. Finally, honey and lime zest are whisked into the remaining hot sauce butter to coat the fully baked chicken thighs. A squirt of tangy lime juice provides balance and the perfect finishing touch.

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 servings

  • 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Salt and black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted or salted), melted
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce (see Tip)
  • 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons mild honey
  • PREPARATION
  • Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, season the chicken all over with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Arrange the chicken skin side up then roast until browned, 20 minutes.
  • While the chicken is roasting, combine the melted butter and hot sauce and whisk to combine; transfer half to a separate bowl and set aside for later. After the chicken has roasted for 20 minutes, brush the chicken all over with the remaining butter mixture. Continue roasting until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove the chicken thighs from the oven. (Chicken should be fully cooked, but if not sure, you can roast for another 5-10 minutes.)
  • Zest the lime, then cut it in half. Add the honey and 1 teaspoon lime zest to the reserved butter-hot sauce mixture and whisk to combine, then brush over the chicken thighs and squeeze the lime juice on top. Serve immediately.
  • TIP
  • Different hot sauces have different levels of heat; choose one that suits your heat tolerance. Tabasco will be quite spicy, while a brand like Louisiana will yield a milder result.