Raspberry Sriracha Glazed Chicken Thighs: Sweet Heat And Sticky Fingers

Kind of odd I suppose, to start a barbecue post off talking about jelly donuts, yet here we are, right?

It’s just that I’ve been thinking about that delicious raspberry filling that is pumped into the fluffy donut through that little porthole on the side.

That porthole is the best, isn’t it?

It’s the place I always started, so if the donut was to squirt raspberry filling due to bite pressure, it was going into my mouth instead of my shirt. That kind of stuff is a concern, sometimes.

You won’t have that concern with this barbecued chicken dish either, because even though every juicy bite of these chicken thighs will fill you with the same satisfaction of the raspberry filling of a good ol’ jelly donut, that flavor is glazed on, then finished with the kick of sriracha, balancing out in a perfect flavor marriage of sweet and heat.

With mouths already watering, let’s get after it.

Now, I know you can get boneless, skinless, chicken thighs at your local market, but I like to get the original bone in, skin on packages and do the dirty work myself. It’s generally cheaper, but It also gets me in the right frame of mind, and makes me feel like I’m really accomplishing something in the process. I know what you’re thinking though-and hey, you may be right-I may be crazy. But it just might be a lunatic you’re looking for. Oh wait, that’s a Billy Joel song. Anyways, it makes me feel a tad bit more accomplished if I do the deboning and skinning myself, OK?

OK.

Bone and skin a package of chicken thighs, or you know, buy a package of boneless, skinless, thighs, you slacker…

Get them covered in your favorite rub and escorted back into the fridge for a couple of hours. Just a general barbecue rub is required here, since you’ll be adding the flavor with your glaze.

We’ll let those beauties set for a bit while we prep our raspberry sriracha glaze. Gather up sriracha sauce, about 3 tablespoons butter, a teaspoon each of smoked paprika, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Add a couple of tablespoons of orange juice and 3/4 cup of your favorite raspberry preserves. Make sure it’s the unseeded variety, because no one wants to see, or hear you sucking your teeth to get rid of those pesky little seeds that will be extra sticky when made into a glaze. Just don’t do it.

Use as much sriracha as you’re comfortable with. I used about 3 Tablespoons and it was good and zippy, if you’re looking for the technical term. One tablespoon is the norm, so go from there based on your tolerance.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then add in the garlic and ginger. Sauté that a bit and add the rest, mixing well. Let that whole gooey creation simmer and get nice and sticky. Even more than it already is. It’ll be so pretty!

Now back to those chicken thighs while the glaze is set aside. Throw them on the grill over medium heat. This wasn’t totally direct or indirect heat, but instead located just on the outside of the hardwood fire, in-between direct heat and indirect heat. Grill them up normally, flipping halfway through the cook.

Once flipped, it’s showtime. Get that raspberry sriracha glaze, and slather those beauties from edge to edge.

Let them be while enjoying their soak, about 3-5 minutes. Flip them again, and go for it. Edge to edge.

Wait for the glaze to start setting up. Don’t be afraid to slide the thighs right on over the flames to promote caramelization of the sugars. You know you want too, so here’s your chance.

When grilled to a nice shellac type of finish with grill marks, it’s time to pull them off the grill.

Stack them on a plate, with some greenery if you wish. I personally like a little parsley or cilantro in my presentation, so here are the thighs with a spattering of fresh parsley.

Time to enjoy these juicy chicken thighs, used as a delicious vessel to deliver this outstanding combination of sweet and heat. You’ll first notice that sweetness of the raspberry preserves, but slowly slide into the spiciness of the sriracha sauce that lingers in the back of your throat, with a sticky finish that lingers on the lips and reminds you that you are in fact, still eating good ol’ fashioned, sticky barbecued chicken.

Because Life Is Better Wood Fired