Crispy Honey Buffalo Chicken Thighs

First, let’s talk about the crispy skin. I’m a huge fan of crispy chicken skin. Whether with oven BBQ chicken or whole roast chicken, I always try my hardest to achieve a cracker-like crispy outside and a juicy inside. First of all, it tastes amazing. Second of all, buying bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces will save you a lot of money, and almost always ensures perfectly cooked, juicy meat with less risk of overcooking (especially with dark meat, like these thighs). For this recipe, I first seared the chicken in a stainless steel skillet skin side down in order to crisp it up. Then I finished it in the oven, adding hot sauce and honey at the end and spooning it intermittently over the chicken to create a sweet and spicy glaze.

I don’t want to brag or anything… but I’m going to. This has to be some of the most delicious chicken I’ve ever made. I can’t wait to make it again! Perhaps my favorite thing about this recipe is that it only uses five ingredients, not including salt and pepper: chicken, hot sauce, honey, olive oil, and butter. The olive oil combined with the butter helps the skin of the chicken sear and crisp up perfectly. With only one tablespoon of honey and two tablespoons of hot sauce in the whole dish, it’s not SUPER sweet or SUPER spicy. It’s just right.

Most people in this world crave things like chocolate or ice cream. Not me. Well, I mean… yes, I do. But more often than not, when I have a strong craving, it’s for something buffalo flavored. If you are like me, I’ll point you in the directions of this buffalo mushroom naan pizza and these scratch-made buffalo chicken fingers.

You can cook these in any oven-proof skillet, like cast iron or stainless steel. I preferred stainless steel for this recipe, since you have to transport it in and out of the oven a few times and it’s a bit lighter and easier to maneuver. I have Calphalon Tri-Ply skillets and I LOVE them. They are heavy enough to cook food evenly and food cooks perfectly in them. If you are looking for some new cookware, I highly recommend these! For extra credit, sprinkle the top of these chicken thighs with bleu cheese crumbles. I did that only after I took photographs, which is why it’s not pictured.