Irresistible Chicken Thighs with Tangy Balsamic Barbecue Sauce and Grilled Corn
Have you ever wondered why it took so long for someone to combine the rich flavor of chicken thighs with a vibrant balsamic barbecue sauce? This recipe solves that mystery, offering a meal that is astonishingly simple, incredibly easy, and utterly delicious. Crafted primarily from everyday pantry staples such as rich ketchup, sweet honey, tangy balsamic vinegar, and savory soy sauce, this dish comes together with remarkable speed. It’s an ideal choice for a busy weeknight yet impressive enough for weekend gatherings. To complete this delightful culinary experience, we recommend taking full advantage of fresh, late-season corn, which perfectly complements the savory chicken with its natural sweetness.
If you’re still exploring the wonderful world of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, this recipe is your perfect introduction. These cuts are celebrated for their inherent juiciness and robust flavor, far surpassing breast meat in richness and tenderness. When generously slathered with our homemade, irresistibly tangy sauce, they transform into a truly addictive dish. While making your own sauce from scratch is definitely worth the minimal effort, we understand that time can be a constraint. In such cases, feel free to use your favorite bottled barbecue sauce as a convenient alternative. This versatile dish performs exceptionally well whether roasted in the oven or cooked on the grill, making it an ideal candidate for warm summer evenings when outdoor cooking is a pleasure. This culinary gem comes to us courtesy of Carla Snyder, a master of accessible and flavorful recipes.
Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Barbecue Sauce
By David Leite
Print Recipe
Mains
American
4 servings
445 kcal
20 minutes
30 minutes
50 minutes
Ingredients
For the Barbecue Chicken and Corn
- 4 ears sweet corn
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon store-bought Montreal steak seasoning*
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Barbecue Sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
Cook the Chicken and Corn
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) or prepare your grill for medium-high heat.
- Husk the sweet corn, then generously slather each ear with softened butter. Sprinkle with Montreal steak seasoning and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Individually wrap each ear of corn tightly in aluminum foil. Lightly season the chicken thighs with an additional 1/2 teaspoon of Montreal steak seasoning.
- If using an oven: Line a large, rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil and place it in the preheating oven. Once hot, carefully remove the sheet pan. Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs on one side of the hot pan and drizzle with olive oil. Place the foil-wrapped corn on the other side of the pan. Roast until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) as measured with an instant-read thermometer, which should take approximately 20 minutes.
If using a grill: Place the chicken thighs and wrapped corn on the preheated grill. Cook, turning the chicken and corn once or twice, until the chicken registers 165°F (75°C) on an instant-read thermometer. This typically takes 5 to 10 minutes on a hot grill.
Make the Barbecue Sauce
- While the chicken thighs and corn are cooking, prepare your flavorful balsamic barbecue sauce. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Whisk well until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed and smooth.
Finish the Chicken and Corn
- Once the chicken is nearly cooked through, generously brush the chicken thighs with the prepared balsamic barbecue sauce. Return them to the oven or grill. If using the oven, continue roasting for about 5 minutes more, or until the sauce is lightly charred and caramelized. If grilling, cook for just 1 minute more per side, turning once, to achieve a beautiful glaze and slight char.
- Remove the chicken and corn from the heat. Give the chicken one final brush with any remaining barbecue sauce to enhance its glossy finish and rich flavor. Arrange the beautifully glazed chicken and tender corn on a platter for serving. Offer the rest of the homemade barbecue sauce on the side for dipping or extra drizzling.
Notes
*What is Montreal Steak Spice?
Montreal Steak Seasoning is a robust and savory spice blend originally created to season Montreal smoked meat, a type of cured and smoked beef brisket. While many commercial blends exist, they typically share a common base of ingredients including cracked black pepper, dried garlic, dried onion, dill seed, coriander, red pepper flakes (cayenne), and a significant amount of salt and paprika. Its popularity quickly spread from delis to home kitchens, becoming a favorite for seasoning steaks, ribs, and even vegetables. Don’t limit it to red meat; this versatile seasoning also works wonderfully on chicken, potatoes, and even French fries—seriously, give it a try for an unexpected flavor boost!
Adapted From
One Pan, Whole Family
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Interested in dietary options, ingredient substitutions, or scaling this recipe? Explore our AI-powered tools for personalized assistance:
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Note: While these AI-powered tools provide suggestions, always exercise your best judgment in the kitchen. David Leite and his team have not tested the recipe with these specific modifications.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 445 kcal
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Protein: 36 g
Fat: 21 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 185 mg
Sodium: 438 mg
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 17 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary based on ingredients and preparation methods.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Patty Fabian
Patty found this chicken thighs with balsamic barbecue sauce recipe to be an outstanding and remarkably easy one-pan meal, perfectly suited for a busy weeknight. She praised the chicken thighs, noting they roasted to a wonderfully juicy perfection. The individual foil-wrapped, buttered corn on the cob also received high marks, resulting in exceptionally sweet, tender kernels with that satisfying “pop” she loves. However, Patty had a slight reservation about the Montreal Steak seasoning, finding its flavor too overpowering on both the chicken and the corn for her personal taste, suggesting she would omit it in future preparations. She also provided valuable feedback on the balsamic barbecue sauce, indicating that its flavor profile significantly improved and became more complex after cooking on the chicken, transforming into a thick, delicious glaze. To further enhance the sauce, she plans to substitute powdered garlic for raw minced garlic next time, as the brief five-minute glazing period didn’t allow the raw garlic’s bite to mellow sufficiently. Patty suggests simmering the sauce while the chicken roasts could greatly improve its overall flavor, especially since it’s also served as a glaze. Despite minor tweaks, she concludes this dish is a fantastic addition to any regular meal rotation, especially when fresh corn is abundant.
Allison J.
Allison was absolutely blown away by the homemade barbecue sauce in this recipe, declaring it the best rich and tangy barbecue sauce she has ever tasted! She expressed disbelief that it took her so many years of home cooking to finally venture into making her own barbecue sauce, vowing never to use bottled varieties again. A major highlight for Allison was the recipe’s user-friendliness, particularly its adaptability as a sheet pan dinner, which resulted in virtually zero cleanup – a huge win for any home cook. Both her kids and she enthusiastically rated the sauce and the chicken a perfect 10. The corn, while still good, received an 8, primarily because the store-bought Montreal steak seasoning proved to be a bit too peppery for their family’s palate, which she found surprising given their usual love for black pepper. Overall, Allison highly recommends this recipe for its exceptional flavor and convenience.
Jean Cameron
Jean praised the chicken thighs with balsamic barbecue sauce as a truly lovely recipe, highlighting its ease and speed of preparation. She emphasized the minimal prep time and, crucially for busy families, the minimal washing up afterward, declaring it a “WINNER!” The use of skinless chicken thighs was a welcome option for those looking to reduce fat content or seeking a lighter meal. Jean noted that despite being boneless, the chicken remained wonderfully moist, thanks to the ample glaze. The buttered corn, enhanced by the steak seasoning, was deemed delicious, and she plans to prepare corn this way again in the future. In summary, Jean described the dish as a “delicious, finger-licking crowd-pleaser” and wholeheartedly recommended it to others.
Camilla Maybee
Camilla declared that she would be keeping this chicken thighs with balsamic barbecue sauce recipe specifically for its incredible sauce. She absolutely adored the fact that the sauce is made entirely from ingredients commonly found in her pantry and that it comes together so quickly. Camilla noted its versatility, making it perfect for a casual backyard cookout – envisioning classic grilled chicken and corn – but also efficient enough to be a fantastic weeknight meal or even a last-minute dinner when unexpected company arrives. Her review underscores the sauce’s exceptional quality and the recipe’s practicality for various occasions.
Mardi Michels
Mardi enthusiastically stated that this recipe’s sauce is poised to become her new go-to chicken sauce. She found it highly effective both when brushed on the chicken during cooking, even with limited time, and when used as a marinade for a few hours beforehand, which yielded even better results. The fact that the sauce relies on ingredients she always has on hand was a major plus, making it a quick, flavorful solution for busy weeknights. Mardi experimented with the recipe multiple times and found the most successful outcome when she marinated the chicken for a couple of hours before grilling. To manage the sauce drips on the barbecue, she cleverly used a silicone sheet designed for grilling, which prevented mess and flare-ups. She reiterated that marinating prior to cooking delivered the maximum flavor with the least amount of fuss, making it her preferred method.
Jenny Latreille
Since becoming a tester for Leite’s Culinaria, Jenny has embraced boneless, skinless chicken thighs, now incorporating them frequently into her cooking. She found this recipe for chicken thighs with balsamic barbecue sauce to be incredibly simple and fast, perfectly aligning with the author’s suggestion that it’s ideal for hot summer evenings. As a self-proclaimed “sucker for balsamic vinegar on anything,” Jenny adored the sauce, describing it as perfectly sweet and tangy. She firmly stated she would absolutely make this recipe again, even adapting it for ribs. Regarding the Montreal steak spice, Jenny prefers her steaks “naked” with just sea salt. Instead of buying the seasoning, she opted to make her own, discovering a recipe she particularly enjoyed for its generous use of paprika and dill. The grilled corn, slathered in butter and her homemade seasoning mix, resulted in a delicious, juicy cob bursting with flavor. Lacking a barbecue, Jenny used a cast iron stovetop grill, finding that it didn’t require much extra cooking time, though she humorously noted the necessity of running the exhaust fan and disabling the fire alarm! The final dish was wonderfully sweet and salty, and absolutely delicious. Served with potato salad and pickled red cabbage, it easily fed four people and could comfortably extend to six with sides. Jenny lauded the simple prep and fantastic results, adding that the leftovers were just as good the next day, making it a truly winning recipe.
Carrie Gott
Carrie succinctly described this recipe as “delicious, simple to make, and a family crowd-pleaser!” Her straightforward feedback highlights the dish’s appeal across all key aspects for home cooks. She confirmed its practicality, noting that the recipe successfully fed two adults and one child, indicating its suitability for average family sizes and proving its claim as a satisfying meal. Carrie’s review reinforces the idea that sometimes the simplest dishes are the most impactful and universally loved.
Joel Jenkins
Joel enthusiastically stated that he would “definitely try this recipe again.” He particularly appreciated how the balsamic vinegar introduced just a hint of tanginess, perfectly balancing the otherwise sweet glaze. He noted the efficiency of the recipe, with a hands-on time of about 30 minutes and a total cooking time of around 15 minutes. Joel made a thoughtful modification, opting for low-sodium soy sauce, correctly anticipating that the Montreal seasoning would contribute sufficient saltiness to the dish. He detailed his grilling process, achieving a beautiful char on the chicken after an initial ten minutes on the grill (turning twice), followed by just 1 minute per side once the sauce was applied. Joel wisely observed that applying the glaze any sooner might have led to burning, given its sugar content, thus demonstrating careful attention to cooking technique. His experience underscores the importance of timing for optimal results with sugary sauces on high heat.