This easy honey lime chipotle chicken recipe can be made in 30 minutes or less and has a perfect sticky/spicy/sweet sauce that will have you lickin’ your chops for days!
We all could use more easy weeknight meal recipes that are loaded with flavor, only have a few ingredients, and are easy on the pocket book too! Creating delicious sauces for your dishes are an integral part of making food tastes NOT BORING. How about a 3-ingredient Honey Lime Chipotle sauce that will perk up your taste buds and leave a sticky sweet sauce on the already succulent skin-on chicken thighs?
Growing up in the south (southern U.S. states for all my readers across the pond!) chicken and rice is a staple comfort food. If you haven’t made the leap yet to bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, I’m hear to to tell you that you’re missing out. Besides it being half the price of chicken breast, you get the added bonus of crispy skin and the most tender meat possible!
And here is another secret you won’t find: You can do what previous generations have done, and save the rendered chicken fat from the pan (before adding the sauce), and make Rosemary Chicken Fat Biscuits. I would put them up in any biscuit-making competition…they are THAT GOOD!
If you steam rice often, I’m sure you know that it can be gummy and too soft if it isn’t rinsed properly first. I like to rinse mine for about 5 minutes under cold water until most of the starch is washed off. The result is perfectly tender rice that isn’t soggy.
The chicken is so easy to make. First I sauté the chicken thighs over medium heat so as not to burn the skin. Sauté for a total of about 10 minutes on both sides, drain the fat from the pan, add the sauce, and bake in the oven until it’s cooked through.
I served the chicken and rice with a few golden raisins (totally optional) and some sliced avocado. Dinners like this make it possible to cook after a long day!
Bon Appetit Ya’ll,
Leslie O.
Easy Honey Lime Chipotle Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on for best flavor
- 2 limes juiced
- 2 Tbsp chipotle adobo sauce from a can of chipotles
- 4 Tbsp honey
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups water (for the rice) adjust water ratio based on rice package directions
- 1/2 tsp salt for rice
- cilantro for garnish
- 1 Tbsp golden raisins optional
- salt and pepper for the chicken
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Sauté them in a large skillet (two skillets might be necessary to fit them all in) over medium heat. There is no need to add any oil to the pan as the fat will start to render in the pan. Sauté for about 7 minutes skin side down or until the skin is golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side for about 3 minutes until golden brown. Drain the fat from the pan as it will result in a greasy sauce.
- While the chicken is sautéeing mix the lime juice, chipotle sauce, and honey together. If you REALLY like spicy food you can add one of the chipotles to the sauce. If you want mainly a little smoky flavor, just add the sauce from the canned chipotles and remove some of the seeds as they should rise to the top.
- Cover the chicken thighs in the sauce and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until they are cooked through.
- While the chicken is baking, start rinsing the rice under cold water for about 5 minutes until the water runs clear.
- Cook the rice according to package directions. When it's cooked, fluff rice with a fork.
- Serve the chicken and rice with some chopped cilantro and golden raisins if you wish.
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