BBQ Chicken Thighs with Fresh Coleslaw Recipe
A flavorful BBQ chicken recipe featuring a tangy, smoky glaze served with a fresh, crunchy coleslaw packed with vibrant vegetables and herbs. The chicken is cooked on a hot griddle pan to achieve a deliciously crispy skin while staying juicy inside, complemented by a refreshing and colorful salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Barbecue / American
Ingredients
Scale
For the BBQ Chicken Glaze
- 100ml (3½ fl oz) cider vinegar
- 100ml (3½ fl oz) water
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 boneless chicken thighs, skin on
For the Coleslaw
- ½ small red cabbage, finely sliced
- 2 carrots, coarsely grated
- 1 small or ½ large red onion, finely sliced
- 8 radishes, sliced
- 3 spring onions, very finely sliced
- 2 limes, juice only
- 2 tsp black onion seeds
- 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- Small bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped
- Small bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the glaze: Combine the cider vinegar with 100ml water in a saucepan. Add dark brown sugar, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, and dark soy sauce. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes or until the glaze thickens. Remove from heat and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- Make the coleslaw: In a large bowl, add sliced red cabbage, grated carrots, sliced red onion, radishes, spring onions, black onion seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chopped coriander and mint. Pour over the juice of two limes. Toss everything together until well combined. Season to taste.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a griddle pan on high until it is smoking hot. Open the boneless chicken thighs out flat and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken skin-side down on the hot griddle and fry for 3-4 minutes to crisp the skin.
- Glaze and finish cooking: Brush the chicken thighs with a layer of the prepared glaze. Turn them over and cook for another 3-4 minutes, brushing occasionally with more glaze to build flavor and a sticky coating. Once cooked through, turn off the heat and let the chicken rest for five minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
- Serve: Slice the rested chicken thighs thickly. Serve alongside the fresh coleslaw and drizzle the remaining sticky cooking juices over the chicken for added flavor and moisture.
Notes
- Using boneless, skin-on chicken thighs ensures moist meat with crispy skin.
- The black onion seeds add a subtle nutty flavor and crunchy texture to the coleslaw.
- Resting the chicken after cooking helps keep it juicy.
- You can substitute the cider vinegar with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar if preferred.
- This dish is perfect for grilling or pan-frying as well, but a griddle pan provides a nice char and sear.