Spicy Honey BBQ Chicken Legs with Charred Corn and Poblano Salad

These chicken legs are the perfect balance of sweet, spicy and smoky. A sticky hot honey barbecue glaze coats crispy-skinned chicken, while a vibrant salad of charred corn, blistered poblano and roasted sweet potatoes adds a fresh, tangy contrast. It’s a dish that’s both comforting and exciting, ideal for shaking up your dinner routine.

This recipe comes together in under an hour with simple ingredients. The chicken gets a quick sear for crispy skin, then finishes in the oven under the broiler for that irresistible tacky glaze. Meanwhile, the vegetables are charred in the same pan, building layers of flavor. Serve with a squeeze of lime and extra sauce on the side.

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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

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in upper position. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut sweet potato into ½-inch cubes. Drain and rinse corn. Core, seed and dice tomato. Halve and peel shallot, then slice into ½-inch-thick pieces. Core, seed and dice poblano. Finely chop cilantro. Halve lime.
2. On one side of the prepared baking sheet, toss sweet potato cubes with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pat chicken legs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken legs and cook until skin is golden and crisp, 5-6 minutes per side. Remove sweet potato from oven, toss and push to one side. Place chicken legs on the other side of the sheet. Roast until sweet potato is tender and chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F), about 15 minutes.
4. While chicken roasts, add corn and 1 tablespoon butter to the same pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred, 5-8 minutes (cover if corn pops). Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add poblano, shallot and a drizzle of oil to the pan. Cook, tossing, until blistered, 4-5 minutes. Season and add to the bowl with corn.
5. In a small bowl, combine barbecue sauce, a squeeze of lime juice and hot honey (start with half, add more to taste). Set aside half for serving. Once chicken is cooked, switch oven to broil. Brush chicken with remaining sauce mixture. Broil until sauce is tacky and charred, about 3 minutes.
6. Add diced tomato, cilantro and another squeeze of lime to the bowl with vegetables. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Divide salad and chicken among plates. Drizzle reserved sauce over chicken. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken thighs instead of legs?

Yes, chicken thighs work well. Adjust cooking time as needed; thighs may take a few minutes longer to cook through.

What can I substitute for hot honey?

Mix regular honey with a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to taste.

Can I make the salad ahead?

The charred corn and poblano can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated. Add fresh tomato and cilantro just before serving.