These Hot Honey Grilled Chicken Skewers are smoky, sweet, garlicky, and glazed with homemade chipotle hot honey. In testing, I found that the key was keeping the marinade low in sugar: only 1 tablespoon of the hot honey goes onto the raw chicken, while the rest is saved for basting and finishing so the chicken has time to cook and brown before the honey caramelizes.
I also tested the heat with 1–3 chipotle peppers, so you can make the same recipe mild, medium, or hot without changing the marinade. For another juicy chicken-thigh option on the grill, try my Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
🔍 At a Glance
- ⏱️ Ready in: 1–4 hours marinating + 30–40 minutes grilling
- 👥 Serves: 6
- 📌 Main Ingredients: Chicken thighs, honey, chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic, lime
- 🔥 Cook Method: Grill
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Sweet, smoky, garlicky, tangy, mild to spicy
- 📝 Great For: Summer dinners, cookouts, grilling season
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- The heat is easy to control: The marinade always gets 3 tablespoons of smoky adobo sauce, while the number of whole chipotle peppers blended into the honey controls whether the finished chicken is mild, medium, or hot.
- The marinade stays concentrated: I found that 2 tablespoons of lime juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil were enough to coat 2½ pounds of chicken without making the marinade overly acidic, thin, or oily.
- Lower heat gives the chicken time to cook evenly: I preheat the grill on high, then reduce it to medium-low—or even low depending on the grill. Lower heat gives the irregular thigh pieces time to cook through while staying juicy and allows the honey to caramelize after flipping without scorching
Ingredients & Why They Matter
- Honey: I landed on ⅓ cup in testing. It gave me enough for the tablespoon used in the marinade plus basting and finishing without leaving an excessive amount of extra glaze.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo: Use 1 for mild, 2 for medium, or 3 for hot. Blending the peppers into the honey distributes their smoky heat throughout the glaze.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Cut the thighs into roughly 1½-inch pieces. Thigh meat is flatter and more irregular than chicken breast, so the pieces will look more like rectangles than cubes; fold thinner pieces in half as needed when threading them onto the skewers. The folds and crevices hold onto plenty of marinade. Chicken breast can be substituted, but it is leaner and will dry out more easily, so start checking it earlier and avoid overcooking it. I tested this recipe with chicken thighs.
- Garlic: I use 12 cloves. Since the food processor does all the work, you only need to peel them—no chopping or mincing.
- Adobo sauce: Three tablespoons was the sweet spot in testing. It gave the marinade plenty of smoky chipotle flavor without needing to blend additional whole peppers directly into the chicken marinade.
- Fresh lime juice: I tested this with about 1 lime, or 2 tablespoons of juice. That amount kept the marinade bright without making it too thin or overly acidic.
- Olive oil: One tablespoon was enough to help the marinade coat the chicken without making it greasy or contributing unnecessary oil to grill flare-ups.
- Prepared chipotle hot honey: Only 1 tablespoon goes into the marinade. The majority stays clean and is used once the chicken is nearly cooked.
- Smoked paprika: Two teaspoons reinforce the smoky flavor from the chipotle and adobo.
- Morton kosher salt: I use 2½ teaspoons for 2½ pounds of chicken. 1 teaspoon of Morton kosher salt per pound of meat is my rule of thumb.
Find the full ingredient list and exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Hot Honey Grilled Chicken Step by Step
- Make the chipotle hot honey. Add the honey and 1–3 chipotle peppers to a food processor and blend until smooth. Use 1 pepper for mild, 2 for medium, or 3 for hot. Divide most of the hot honey into separate portions for basting and finishing, leaving 1 tablespoon in the food processor.
- Make the marinade. Add the garlic, adobo sauce, lime juice, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Marinate the chicken. Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1–4 hours.
- Thread the skewers and preheat the grill. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers. Chicken thigh pieces will be flatter and more irregular than cubes, so fold thinner or longer pieces in half as needed when threading. Preheat the grill on high, clean and lightly oil the grates, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low, around 275–300°F.
- Grill, flip, and glaze. Grill the skewers for 30–40 minutes total. Let the chicken cook undisturbed until it naturally loosens from the grates, usually around halfway through, then flip. Brush the cooked side with the hot honey reserved for basting and continue grilling until browned, lightly charred, and the thickest pieces reach at least 165°F. Remove from the grill and finish with the separate clean reserved hot honey before serving.
💡Bri’s Best Tip
Cook these lower and slower and don’t force the flip. If the chicken is sticking firmly to the grates, give it more time. It should naturally loosen when that side is ready to turn.
Pro Tips for Perfect Hot Honey Chicken Skewers
- Work with the shape of the thighs: Chicken thighs do not cut into neat cubes like chicken breasts. You will end up with flatter rectangles and irregular pieces; fold thinner pieces in half when threading them onto the skewers. The folds and crevices also hold onto plenty of marinade.
- Cook lower and slower: I prefer low to medium-low heat, around 275–300°F on my grill, rather than trying to sear the chicken over high heat. This gives the irregular thigh pieces time to cook through while staying juicy.
- Let the grill tell you when to flip: Do not force the skewers off the grates. Let them cook undisturbed until the chicken naturally loosens, usually around halfway through the 30–40 minute cook time.
- Let excess marinade drip off: The chicken should be well coated but not dripping when it goes onto the grill. This helps limit flare-ups.
- Watch your grill, not just the dial: Every grill runs differently. Medium-low on one grill may be closer to low on another, so adjust the heat as needed to stay around that gentle 275–300°F range.
- Add extra hot honey after reheating: If you have leftover clean finishing glaze, reheat the chicken first and drizzle the honey on afterward so you do not repeatedly heat and darken the sugary glaze.
Common Mistakes
- Trying to sear the skewers over high heat: High heat can brown or burn the outside before the irregular chicken thigh pieces cook through. Preheat on high, but turn the grill down before the chicken goes on.
- Forcing the flip too soon: If the chicken is firmly stuck to the grates, give it more time. Pulling at it too early can tear the meat and leave the browned surface behind.
- Adding too much honey to the marinade: I only use 1 tablespoon of hot honey in the marinade. More sugar makes the chicken more prone to sticking and burning during the longer cook time.
- Relying only on the clock: Grill temperature and chicken-piece thickness vary. Use the 30–40 minute range as a guide and check the thickest pieces for at least 165°F.
- Cross-contaminating the finishing honey: Keep the basting and finishing portions separate from the start. The honey drizzled over the finished chicken should never touch a brush or utensil that contacted raw chicken.
Swap It Up: Variations to Try
- Use chicken breast: Replace the thighs with 2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into roughly 1½-inch pieces. I have not tested this variation. Because breast meat is leaner and dries out more easily, begin checking it earlier and cook just until the thickest pieces reach 165°F.
- Use shrimp: Replace the chicken with 2½ pounds peeled and deveined large or jumbo shrimp. Marinate for 15–30 minutes, then thread onto skewers. Grill over medium-low heat for about 6–8 minutes total, flipping once when the shrimp naturally release from the grates. Brush with the hot honey after flipping and continue cooking until the shrimp are pearly, opaque, and cooked through. Finish with clean reserved hot honey. I have not tested this variation. FoodSafety.gov recommends cooking shrimp until the flesh is pearly or white and opaque.
- Use salmon: Replace the chicken with 2½ pounds skinless salmon, cut into roughly 1½-inch pieces. Marinate for 15–30 minutes, then thread carefully onto skewers. Grill over medium-low heat for about 10–15 minutes total, flipping gently once the salmon naturally releases. Brush with hot honey after flipping and continue cooking until the salmon reaches 145°F or is opaque and separates easily with a fork. Finish with clean reserved hot honey.
- Use prepared hot honey: Replace the honey and whole chipotle peppers with ⅓ cup store-bought hot honey. Leave 1 tablespoon in the food processor for the marinade and reserve the rest for basting and finishing. It will not have the same smoky chipotle flavor as the original.
What To Serve With This Recipe
- The sweet-smoky chipotle flavor works especially well with rice, corn, fresh vegetables, and something bright or creamy on the side.
- Serve the skewers with Mexican Red Rice and lime wedges, or add Roasted Chili Corn Salsa for even more smoky corn-and-chile flavor. Both are already established Bites With Bri recipes.
- For more ideas, see What To Serve With Chicken Kabobs, which includes rice, salads, vegetables, and other sides that work with chicken skewers.
Hot Honey Grilled Chicken Skewers
These Hot Honey Grilled Chicken skewers are marinated with smoky adobo, fresh garlic, lime, and smoked paprika, then grilled and finished with homemade chipotle hot honey for a sticky sweet-and-smoky glaze.
Equipment
Ingredients
Chipotle Hot Honey
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1-3 chipotle peppers in adobo depending on desired heat
Chicken & Marinade
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 12 cloves garlic peeled
- 3 tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers in adobo
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice about 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon prepared chipotle hot honey
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Instructions
- Make the chipotle hot honey. Add the honey and 1–3 chipotle peppers to a food processor and blend until smooth. Use 1 pepper for mild, 2 for medium, or 3 for hot. Divide most of the hot honey into separate portions for basting and finishing, leaving 1 tablespoon in the food processor.
- Make the marinade. Add the garlic, adobo sauce, lime juice, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Marinate the chicken. Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1–4 hours.
- Thread the skewers and preheat the grill. Thread the marinated chicken onto metal skewers. Chicken thigh pieces will be flatter and more irregular than cubes, so fold thinner or longer pieces in half as needed when threading. Preheat the grill on high, clean and lightly oil the grates, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low, around 275–300°F.
- Grill, flip, and glaze. Grill the skewers for 30–40 minutes total. Let the chicken cook undisturbed until it naturally loosens from the grates, usually around halfway through, then flip. Brush the cooked side with the hot honey reserved for basting and continue grilling until browned, lightly charred, and the thickest pieces reach at least 165°F. Remove from the grill and finish with the separate clean reserved hot honey before serving.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below!
Notes
- Chicken thighs: I tested this with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The pieces will be flatter and more irregular than cubes; fold thinner pieces in half as needed when threading.
- Heat level: Use 1 chipotle pepper for mild, 2 for medium, or 3 for hot. The marinade always uses 3 tablespoons of adobo sauce.
- Keep the marinade low in sugar: Only 1 tablespoon of hot honey goes into the marinade. Adding more can make the chicken more prone to sticking or burning.
- Grill low and slow: Preheat on high, then reduce to low or medium-low, around 275–300°F. Grill for 30–40 minutes total.
- Flip, then baste: Let the chicken cook until it naturally releases from the grates, usually around halfway through. Flip, then brush the cooked side with the hot honey reserved for basting. Cook until the thickest pieces reach at least 165°F.
- Keep the finishing honey clean: Separate the basting and finishing portions before grilling so the honey drizzled over the cooked chicken never contacts raw chicken or contaminated utensils.
Nutrition
Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 1714mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQs
Can I marinate the chicken overnight?
I would stick with the tested 1–4 hour marinating window. I did not test an overnight marinade, and this recipe already gets plenty of flavor from the garlic, adobo, lime, and spices within that timeframe.
Can I use wooden skewers?
I developed the recipe using skewers on the grill; wooden skewers should also work, but I did not test them for this recipe. Keep an eye on any exposed ends around direct flames.
What should I do if the hot honey starts to burn?
Move the skewers away from the hottest area or any direct flames. The honey should only be brushed on during the final 1–2 minutes, so there is no need to keep adding glaze while the chicken is still cooking through.
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