Spicy Honey BBQ Chicken Legs with Charred Corn and Poblano Salad

Get ready for a flavor-packed dinner that balances sweet, spicy and smoky in every bite. These crispy chicken legs are glazed with a hot honey barbecue sauce that caramelizes under the broiler, while the side dish brings together charred corn, blistered poblano peppers and tender roasted sweet potatoes for a colorful, satisfying salad.

This recipe is perfect for when you want something familiar yet exciting. The chicken is simple to prepare and the vegetable salad adds a fresh, tangy contrast with lime and cilantro. It’s a complete meal that feels special without requiring hours in the kitchen.

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Ingredients

1 unit Sweet PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

13.4 ounce CornView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Poblano PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

16 ounce Chicken LegsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 ounce BBQ SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 ounce Hot HoneyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Cut sweet potato into ½-inch cubes. Drain and rinse corn. Dice tomato. Slice shallot into ½-inch pieces. Halve lime. Dice poblano. Chop cilantro.
2. Toss sweet potato cubes with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper on one side of the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, pat chicken legs dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until skin is crispy, 5-6 minutes per side.
4. After sweet potatoes have roasted 15 minutes, toss them and add chicken to the same baking sheet. Roast until sweet potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through, about 15 more minutes.
5. While chicken roasts, add corn and 1 tbsp butter to the pan used for chicken over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is lightly charred, 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl.
6. In the same pan, add poblano, shallot and a drizzle of oil. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until blistered, 4-5 minutes. Season and add to bowl with corn.
7. In a small bowl, mix BBQ sauce, a squeeze of lime and hot honey (start with half, add more to taste). Set aside half for serving.
8. When sweet potatoes and chicken are done, transfer sweet potatoes to the bowl with vegetables. Turn broiler to high. Brush chicken with remaining BBQ mixture. Broil until glaze is tacky and charred, about 3 minutes.
9. Add tomato, cilantro and a squeeze of lime to the vegetable bowl. Toss and season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken alongside the salad, with reserved sauce for drizzling.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken thighs instead of legs?

Yes, chicken thighs work well. Adjust cooking time as needed until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

The chicken and salad are best served fresh, but you can prep the vegetables and sauce a day in advance.

Is there a substitute for hot honey?

Mix regular honey with a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to mimic the heat.