Spicy Honey BBQ Chicken Legs with Charred Corn &Amp; Poblano Salad

These chicken legs are all about balance: a sticky, sweet-and-spicy glaze meets crispy, juicy meat, while the side salad brings smoky, charred veggies and tender sweet potatoes into the mix. It’s a dish that’s both comforting and a little adventurous-perfect for shaking up your weeknight routine.

The magic happens under the broiler, where the hot honey barbecue sauce caramelizes into a tacky, slightly charred coating. Meanwhile, the corn and poblano get blistered in a hot pan, adding depth and a touch of heat. Tossed with fresh tomato, cilantro and lime, the salad is a bright, refreshing counterpart to the rich chicken.

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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

3 teaspoon 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 racks in upper and middle positions. Wash and dry all produce. Cut sweet potato into ½-inch cubes. Drain and rinse corn. Dice tomato. Halve and peel shallot, then cut into ½-inch-thick wedges. Halve lime. Core, seed and dice poblano. Chop cilantro.
2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss sweet potato with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Place seasoned chicken, skin side up, on a separate foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Place chicken on top rack and sweet potato on middle rack. Roast until chicken is cooked through and sweet potato is browned and tender, about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred in spots, 5-8 minutes. (If corn pops, cover pan.) Season with salt and pepper. Transfer corn to a medium bowl. Add poblano, shallot and a drizzle of oil to the same pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until slightly blistered, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl with corn.
5. In a small bowl, combine barbecue sauce, a squeeze or two of lime juice and as much hot honey as you like (start with half and add more to taste). Remove sweet potato from oven once tender and transfer to bowl with veggies. Heat broiler to high. Set aside half the barbecue sauce mixture for serving, then brush chicken with remaining half. Broil until sauce is tacky and beginning to char, about 3 minutes.
6. Toss tomato, cilantro and a squeeze or two of lime into the bowl with the veggie mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Divide salad and chicken among plates. Serve with reserved sauce on the side for drizzling.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken thighs instead of legs?

Yes, chicken thighs work well. Adjust cooking time as needed until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

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 this dish ahead of time?

The salad components can be prepped in advance, but the chicken is best enjoyed fresh from the oven for maximum crispiness.