I never seem to use a whole can of chipotle peppers for just one recipe, so I make a habit of freezing the rest to save for later. And one of my favorite ways to use up those leftover Chipotle peppers is in this super easy Chipotle Honey Chicken recipe. I love quick pan-seared chicken as a simple dinner main, and this one is made with a simple honey-chipotle marinade, which turns into a light glaze once cooked. The result is sweet-smoky-spicy chicken thighs with the most deliciously caramelized finish. So, if you find yourself with some extra canned chipotle peppers, you’ve got to try this chicken!
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“Just an incredible recipe! I have made this at least once a week since I discovered it. I typically grill the chicken instead of cooking in a skillet but I had done it both ways. My favorite way to serve is as chicken tacos with fresh corn tortillas, guac, salsa verde, and sour cream. Perfection!”
Shane
Sweet and Spicy Honey Chipotle Chicken
This recipe was actually born off the back of my Chipotle peach salsa, when I realized one can of peppers can go a long way. I like to keep things simple, so I whipped up this super simple yet flavorful marinade using the canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, honey, lime juice, salt, garlic, and oil. This easy Chipotle honey chicken recipe has got all the elements: salt, fat, acid, heat…and a little sweetness to round it out. 😉
Recipe Success Tips!
- You can also use this honey chipotle marinade on chicken breasts, but I’d prep them a little differently so they don’t dry out. I’d either filet them into thinner pieces or pound them to about ¾-inch thick so they cook through before the sugars in the marinade burn. That said, thighs are way more forgiving thanks to their higher fat content, which keeps them juicy and tender (I’m definitely team #chickenthighs for this recipe!)
- I suggest marinating this chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes, but if you prep this in the morning or the night before, even better! Just make sure to flip the chicken a couple of times as it marinates to maximize contact with all the flavorful ingredients, and refrigerate it as you marinate if marinating longer than one hour.
- Use a skillet large enough for all the chicken thighs! Otherwise, you’ll need to cook in batches or split the meat between two smaller skillets and cook them simultaneously on the stovetop.
- Your homemade Chipotle honey chicken is done when the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. An instant-read thermometer makes it easy to check!
- Want to make this recipe on the grill? I’d follow the directions up to step 4, then cook on a preheated grill at 375°F for 6–7 minutes per side (like we do in our grilled honey lime chicken thighs recipe).
Honey Chipotle Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (minced (about ¼ cup) $0.35*)
- 2 Tbsp honey ($0.31)
- 1 lime (juiced, (2 Tbsp) $0.25)
- 1 garlic clove (minced, (½ Tbsp) $0.06)
- ½ tsp salt ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil (divided, $0.08)
- 6 chicken thighs (boneless, skinless (850g) $6.19)
- 2 green onions (sliced, $0.22)
Instructions
- Gather and prepare all ingredients.
- Mince the chipotle peppers. Combine the minced peppers in a bowl with the honey, lime juice, minced garlic, salt, and 1 Tbsp cooking oil.
- Place the chicken thighs in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over top. Toss the chicken in the marinade until evenly coated.
- Marinate the chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to one day. If marinating longer than one hour, refrigerate the chicken as it marinates.
- When ready to cook the chicken, heat a large skillet over medium. Once hot, add the remaining 1 Tbsp cooking oil and swirl to coat the surface of the skillet.
- Add the marinated chicken to the skillet and cook on one side until the water released by the chicken evaporates, the marinade has reduced to a glaze, and the chicken has browned. Flip the chicken over and cook on the second side until browned and cooked through.**
- Top with sliced green onions and serve.
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Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Shallow Dish
- Large Skillet
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Honey Chipotle Chicken Step-by-Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Mince the peppers: Mince 3 chipotle peppers (you need about ¼ cup once minced).
Make the marinade: Combine the minced chipotle peppers with 2 Tbsp honey, 2 Tbsp lime juice, 1 minced clove of garlic, 1 Tbsp cooking oil, and ½ tsp salt.
Marinate the chicken: Place 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a shallow dish, then pour the honey chipotle marinade over top.
Toss the chicken in the marinade until they’re evenly coated. Marinate the chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to one day. If marinating longer than one hour, make sure to cover and transfer the chicken to the refrigerator.
Cook the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the remaining 1 Tbsp cooking oil and swirl to coat the surface. Add the chicken thighs and cook over medium heat until all of the water they release evaporates, the marinade has reduced to a glaze, and the chicken has browned on the bottom.
Flip and monitor the color and temperature of the chicken: Flip the chicken thighs and cook until browned on the other side and cooked through. Flip the chicken back and forth as needed to achieve an even level of browning on both sides. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F minimum on an instant thermometer once cooked.
Serve: Top your Chipotle honey chicken with sliced green onions, then serve.
Serving Suggestions
I served my honey chipotle chicken with my favorite bean salad, cowboy caviar, and some rice, but you’ve got lots of options here! This chicken is AMAZING tucked into burritos or tacos, especially with guacamole and pico de gallo, for a take-out-style midweek meal. And since it does bring some spice, I also love pairing it with something fresh and cooling like avocado tomato salad, or even a creamy option like elote (street corn) pasta salad…which is also perfect for BBQs or potlucks!
Storage & Reheating
You can store leftover honey chipotle chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready to reheat, warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave until heated through. I’d consider slicing the chicken before reheating to heat it quicker and avoid the honey marinade from burning. You can also freeze this recipe for up to 3 months, but let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Honey Chicken Recipes
Our Chipotle Honey Chicken recipe was originally published 9/12/22. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 8/25/25.
LOVED the flavors! It’s definitely a repeat recipe
Wonderful honey chipotle chicken Thanks
Love this easy, addictive chicken recipe. Recommend eating with green beans, cauliflower or salad complement the heat of the chipotle peppers.
I think I went overboard with the chipotle, but it was still really good. I only had 30 minutes to marinate; I’m going to leave it longer next time and see if it makes a difference. Very tasty and super easy.
Your chipotle honey chicken recipe is excellent . So easy to make.
fantastic!!
Made this tonight. Best meal I’ve made in a long time! Paired it with zucchini and yellow squash on a bed of rice. So good
Fantastic recipe which I found whilst looking at how to extra chipotle in adobo sauce. A hit with my teenage son and husband – and although my husband doesn’t go for really spicy, he found this perfect. Grilled the chicken instead of frying and heated the extra marinade to serve with rice. Also made your corn salsa and added avocado – another big hit with the flavours going perfectly together. Easy, healthy dinner. Thank you!
11/10 meal. We made it with rice and the cowboy caviar which was SO GOOD together.
Do the chipotle peppers make it really spicy? I want to try it but my husband can’t tolerate it if it’s too spicy.
Yes, chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeños, so this recipe will be spicy by nature. :)
I made this (accidentally) with chipotle sauce and it was still great and not as spicy as the whole peppers in adobo :)
So good, this plus rice and cowboy caviar and you basically have a burrito bowl on your hands! This is going to be one of my go-to chicken marinades now, the left overs are delicious, and the only change I made is doubling the amount of garlic, which I do with basically everything
How much if any Adobo sauce do you add ?
Just what’s clinging to the peppers. You can always add extra sauce if you’d like, but I didn’t. :)
Delicious and very easy, dummy proof!
People want more and selling it for occasions I bet everyone was to do it
Would this recipe work if you baked the thighs instead?
I’m sure it would work with some tweaking! However, since we haven’t tested it ourselves, I hesitate to give you any specific suggestions here that may not be successful. Instead, I will direct you to one of our similar recipes for baked chicken thighs — I’d suggest combining the marinade from this recipe with the cooking method in the other recipe to create something that’s just right for you! ~ Marion :)
https://www.budgetbytes.com/honey-spice-chicken-thighs/