Spicy Honey BBQ Chicken Legs with Charred Poblano Corn Salad

These chicken legs are the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, with a sticky honey barbecue glaze that caramelizes under the broiler. Paired with a smoky charred poblano, corn and sweet potato salad, this dish is a flavor-packed weeknight winner.

The roasted sweet potatoes add a tender sweetness, while the charred veggies bring a subtle smokiness. A squeeze of fresh lime and a sprinkle of cilantro tie it all together. Serve with extra spicy honey sauce for drizzling.

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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. Halve lime. Core, seed and dice poblano. Finely 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. Meanwhile, pat chicken legs dry with paper towels and season 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 crisp, 5-6 minutes per side. After sweet potatoes have roasted 15 minutes, toss them, then add chicken legs to the same baking sheet. Roast until sweet potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes more.
4. While chicken and sweet potatoes roast, add corn and 1 tablespoon butter to the same pan used for chicken. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred, 5-8 minutes (cover if corn pops). Season with salt and pepper. Transfer corn to a medium bowl. Add poblano, shallot and a drizzle of oil to the pan. Cook, stirring often, until slightly blistered, 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add to the bowl with corn.
5. In a small bowl, stir together barbecue sauce, a squeeze or two of lime juice and hot honey (start with half, then add more to taste). Remove sweet potatoes from baking sheet and add to the bowl with vegetables. Set aside half of the barbecue mixture for serving. Brush the remaining mixture onto the chicken legs. Broil on high until sauce is tacky and beginning to char, about 3 minutes.
6. Add diced tomato, cilantro and a squeeze or two of lime juice to the bowl with vegetables. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Divide salad and chicken legs among plates. Serve with reserved barbecue sauce for drizzling.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken thighs instead of legs?

Yes, boneless or bone-in chicken thighs work well. Adjust cooking time as needed until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

The salad can be prepared a few hours in advance and stored in the fridge. Reheat chicken in a 350°F oven until warmed through.

What can I substitute for hot honey?

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