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Grilled Honey Buffalo Chicken Thighs

Grilled honey buffalo chicken thighs with a sticky honey-buffalo glaze—crispy skin from skin-side grilling and frequent basting for bold buffalo flavor. Bone-in, skin-on thighs come out caramelized and glossy, ready for blue cheese and celery.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the honey buffalo glaze
  1. Mix buffalo sauce, honey, melted butter, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl until smooth and glossy. The mixture should look cohesive, not separated.
  2. Reserve 1/3 cup of the sauce for basting and set it aside. Keep it within reach of the grill.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Aim for even coverage over both skin and exposed areas.
  2. Brush the chicken thighs with some of the sauce. Coat the skin lightly so it can cling during grilling.
  3. Marinate for 30 minutes. Refrigerate while marinating for best flavor.
Grill and glaze
  1. Grill the chicken skin-side down over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the skin is crisp. You should see browning and a tightened, crackly surface.
  2. Flip the chicken and grill for 8-10 more minutes, basting frequently with the reserved sauce. Brush often so the glaze turns sticky and lacquered.
  3. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the glaze is sticky. The surface should look glossy and set, not watery.
Serve
  1. Serve the chicken with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks. The cool, tangy topping balances the spicy sweet glaze.

Notes

For extra crisp skin, let the marinated thighs come back to cold-still (not room temp) and keep the grill at true medium so the fat renders without burning the sugars. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat on a grill or in a hot skillet until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the skin can lose its crispness. For a lower-sugar option, use reduced-sugar honey or a sugar-free honey alternative in the glaze while keeping the buffalo sauce the same.