Hot Honey Chicken Thighs with Fried Bread

Stuff You Need

• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
• Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons honey (slight increase for better glaze)
• 1 small red chile, thinly sliced into rounds
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 slices bread (½-inch thick)
• 2 small endive, leaves separated

Marinate the Chicken

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a medium bowl, mix the garlic and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and add them to the bowl. Season with kosher salt and toss to coat.

Let the chicken marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Make the Hot Honey

Meanwhile, bring the honey and chile to a bare simmer in a small skillet over medium-low heat.

Once fragrant, remove from heat and let the hot honey cool.

Cook the Chicken

Drizzle the olive oil into a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron). Place the chicken thighs skin side down in the pan.

Set over medium-high heat and cook until the skin is golden brown underneath, 8 to 10 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through, 16 to 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer it to a plate. Keep the pan juices in the skillet for the next step.

Fry the Bread

Return the skillet with the pan juices to medium heat. Add the bread and fry until toasted and golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer the bread to paper towels to drain and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Dress the Endive

In a medium bowl, toss the endive with the remaining ½ tablespoon lemon juice and a drizzle of the skillet fat.

If the pan is dry or scorched, use a little olive oil instead. Season with salt and toss to coat.

Assemble and Serve

Tear the fried bread in half and poke a few holes in each piece with a paring knife to help absorb juices.

Arrange the bread on plates and top with the chicken thighs. Scatter endive leaves around and drizzle the hot honey over the chicken (and the endive, if desired).

Serve immediately.

Hot Honey Chicken Thighs with Fried Bread

These hot honey chicken thighs are juicy and savory, glazed with a spicy-sweet honey and chile sauce brightened by lemon. Crispy fried bread soaks up the flavorful juices, while fresh endive adds a crisp, slightly bitter contrast.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove finely grated
• 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice divided
• 4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
• Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons honey slight increase for better glaze
• 1 small red chile thinly sliced into rounds
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 slices bread ½-inch thick
• 2 small endive leaves separated

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Mix garlic and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Toss chicken with mixture and salt. Marinate 20 minutes to 1 hour.
• Simmer honey and chile over medium-low until fragrant. Remove from heat and cool.
• Heat oil in skillet. Cook chicken skin side down until browned, 8–10 minutes.
• Transfer to oven. Bake until cooked through, 16–20 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate.
• Fry bread in pan juices until golden, 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, season with salt.
• Toss endive with remaining lemon juice and skillet fat or olive oil. Season with salt.
• Tear bread, poke holes, and arrange on plates. Top with chicken, endive, and drizzle with hot honey. Serve.