Baked Honey Chili Chicken Thighs

Honey Chili Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are a great item to cook for a crowd.  They're cost efficient, time efficient when baked or bbq-ed, and pretty forgiving since dark meat tends to be moist even if you overcook it a few minutes.  I was looking for a recipe for an 8 person potluck and found this one after browsing one my favorite food sites, The Kitchn.  The name is a bit misleading since it wasn't spicy at all, but that's probably because I used mexican chili powder instead of red chili powder.  The honey and beer caramelized while baking and added a subtle sweetness to the dish.  I couldn't really taste the beer, so just open up whatever you may have on hand.  The accompanying cilantro sauce goes great with the chicken, with vegetables, and even by itself over rice.  I made the sauce once with sour cream as the original recipe called for and once with plain yogurt.  I liked my yogurt version better since it's healthier and has more of a tang to it.  This reheats pretty well so if you're like me you'll make a big batch to send some home with your guests or have leftovers for lunch the next day.

Great for feeding a crowd!

Baked Honey Chili Chicken Thighs
Adapted from The Kitchn      
Serves 8 to 10

For the chicken thighs:
2 Tbsp cider or white vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Mexican chili powder
1/4 cup beer
10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Roughly chopped cilantro, for garnish

For the sauce:
1 cup (8 ounces) Greek yogurt
2 cups loosely packed cilantro
1 lime, zest and juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 
2. Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, honey, chili powder, and beer in a large mixing bowl.  Tip: Use your tablespoon to measure out oil first and when you go to measure out honey it won't stick inside the spoon. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and stir until the thighs are evenly coated.  Place in the fridge for up to 24 hours or bake immediately.
3. Arrange the chicken thighs on a baking sheet, spaced out with about an inch between each piece.  Drizzle any dressing remaining in the bowl over the chicken pieces. Roast for about 30 minutes, until cooked through and the thickest part of the thighs reaches 165F.
4. While the thighs are roasting, make the cilantro sauce. Combine yogurt, cilantro, lime zest and juice, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until cilantro is finely minced and sauce is light green in color.  Taste and add more lime juice, salt, pepper, or cilantro according to your tastes.  This sauce can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge.
5. Serve the chicken thighs immediately after roasting. Spoon any extra juices from the pan over the hot chicken and garnish with roughly chopped cilantro. Serve with cilantro sauce on the side.