These grilled honey sriracha chicken thighs are the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and smoky. They’re tender, flavorful, and so easy to make. You’ll love how these grilled chicken thighs make for a quick weeknight meal, weekend cook-out, or as a meal prep.

Simple but delicious, this grilled honey sriracha chicken recipe is one of those that I make on repeat. It doesn’t require a ton of work, and it comes out juicy and flavorful every single time.

Overhead view of a platter of grilled honey sriracha chicken thighs with lemon slices.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The marinade for the chicken thighs is made with kitchen staples, so you’ll likely have everything on hand for last-minute grilling. You can also marinade your chicken before work and throw it on the grill once you’re home for a quick weeknight meal!
These chicken thighs come together very quickly on the grill. They come out juicy and tender every time.
I love how flavorful they are. You get some sweet heat from the sriracha, some extra sweetness from the honey, and the lemon cuts through it all with some delightful brightness.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make grilled honey sriracha chicken thighs.

olive oil — or a neutral oil of your choice.
honey — I use runny, liquid honey.
soy sauce — I use low-sodium soy sauce.
sriracha — you can’t swap sriracha for standard hot sauce. Sriracha is more heavy on the chili flavor and thicker. It also has a tangy-sweet flavor profile along with hints of garlic.
lemon — I always use freshly squeezed lemon juice over bottled lemon juice. It has a brighter flavor profile.
chicken thighs — I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs but you can also use chicken breasts. You just have to adjust the cooking time so the chicken breasts cook through.
seasoning — I season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

How to Make Grilled Honey Sriracha Chicken Thighs

Set of two photos showing sauce mixed together and seasoning added to chicken thighs in a bowl.

In a bowl, combine the oil, honey, soy sauce, sriracha, and lemon juice.
In a mixing bowl, add the chicken thighs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

Set of two photos showing the meat marinaded in sauce.

Toss well until the chicken thighs are evenly coated with the seasoning.
Add the honey sriracha mixture to the chicken thighs and set aside in the fridge to marinate for an hour or overnight.

Set of two photos showing chicken on the grill then plated.

Heat the grill to 400F.
Place the chicken thighs onto the grill, smooth side down. Discard any leftover marinade in the bowl. Grill the chicken thighs on direct heat for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the thighs, making sure to flip the chicken thighs at the halfway mark. Keep the lid of the grill closed between flipping.
Remove the chicken from the grill and allow to rest for at least five minutes before serving. If possible, cover with foil.

A close up view of three grilled honey sriracha chicken thighs with lemon slices in between with a baked potato beside it.

Recipe Tips and Notes

If you’d like to finish the chicken thighs by brushing them with more honey sriracha sauce, use a new batch instead of the one that was marinating the chicken to prevent cross-contamination. You can also set aside a couple of tablespoons beforehand and use that instead.
Make sure to pat the chicken dry before adding to the seasoning, so it will stick better.
Always allow the chicken to rest before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute and keep the meat moist. Slicing too early will cause the juices to run out.
You can make this on a grill pan as well. Cook over medium-high heat. I don’t add oil to my grill before placing the chicken thighs onto the grill. However, if you’re using a grill pan, you might need to add some oil to the pan and heat it up before adding the chicken.

My Recommendation

This is my go-to meat thermometer for making sure that the internal temperature of my meat is good to go. It’s also magnetic so I have it on my fridge door to save drawer space!

Get it Now!

The internal temperature of the chicken thighs should reach 165°F (74°C). If you are using chicken breasts instead, make sure they also reach the same internal temperature. It usually takes me 15 to 16 minutes to grill chicken breasts.
When you grill the chicken thighs, keep the lid on. This will trap the heat so the chicken will cook evenly.
If the chicken is getting too dark too quickly, you can move it to indirect heat. My grill has a second set of grates on the lid to pop the chicken onto, so it still cooks but not directly over the flames.
If the chicken thighs are stuck to the grill, give it a few more extra minutes. Similar to pan-searing chicken, the chicken should release once it’s ready to be flipped. If you try to flip the chicken thighs too early, the exterior will tear as it sticks to the grate.

A plate with three grilled honey sriracha chicken thighs with a baked potato and grilled corn.

Serving Suggestions

Here are a few things I like to serve my grilled chicken with:

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: once cooled, store the honey sriracha grilled chicken thighs in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Freezer: allow the grilled chicken thighs to cool before transferring them into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer. They can last for up to 3 months.

Grilled Honey Sriracha Chicken Thighs Recipe

These grilled honey sriracha chicken thighs are the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and smoky. They're tender, flavorful, and so easy to make. You'll love how these grilled chicken thighs make for a quick weeknight meal, weekend cook-out, or as a meal prep.

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Marinade Time: 1

Total Time: 1 20

Servings: servings

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil, or neutral oil
⅓ cup honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium
2 tablespoons sriracha, or more
½ lemon, juiced
8 to 10 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

In a bowl, combine the oil, honey, soy sauce, sriracha, and lemon juice.
In a mixing bowl, add the chicken thighs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Toss well until the chicken thighs are evenly coated with the seasoning.
Add the honey sriracha mixture to the chicken thighs and set aside in the fridge to marinate for an hour or overnight.
Heat the grill to 400F.
Place the chicken thighs onto the grill, smooth side down. Discard any leftover marinade in the bowl. Grill the chicken thighs on direct heat for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the thighs, making sure to flip the chicken thighs at the halfway mark. Keep the lid of the grill closed between flipping.
Remove the chicken from the grill and allow to rest for at least five minutes before serving. If possible, cover with foil.

Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

Nutrition Per Serving

Author: Carmy

Course: BBQ, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian

Nutrition Disclaimer

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