Smoky BBQ Chicken & Corn
|HALO
Smoky BBQ Chicken & Corn
HALO
4 people
15 minutes
20 minutes
American
Main
Charred corn cut straight from the cob, smoky spiced chicken thighs with a BBQ glaze, and a chipotle butter finish that ties it all together. The fall cookout recipe worth keeping the griddle out for.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
BBQ Glaze
- 4 tablespoons smoky BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey
Corn
- 4 ears of corn, husked and cut in half
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
Chipotle Butter Finish
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or 1 chipotle in adobo, finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
- Pinch of salt
To Serve
- Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- Lime wedges
- Extra BBQ sauce on the side
- Flaky sea salt
Directions
Make the chipotle butter first — it needs time to come together. Combine softened butter, chipotle powder, lime juice, grated garlic, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated. Roll into a cylinder in cling film and refrigerate until needed. This goes over both the chicken and the corn at the end — make enough.
Mix the BBQ glaze. Combine BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, and honey in a small bowl. Set aside within reach of the griddle. Divide into two portions — one for basting mid-cook, one reserved for finishing. Never apply the same brush back to raw chicken and then use it on cooked chicken.
Combine all dry rub ingredients. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Coat generously on both sides — press the rub into the surface. Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes at room temperature.
Heat the Elite Griddle across two zones — high on the left for the corn, medium-high on the right for the chicken. Allow the full surface to reach temperature before anything goes on.
Place the corn halves cut-side down on the high zone. Leave alone for 3–4 minutes — you want deep char marks and real caramelization on the contact sides. Turn every few minutes to char on all sides. Total corn time is about 10–12 minutes. In the last 2 minutes, add butter and smoked paprika to the surface alongside the corn and baste continuously. Push to a low zone to hold when done.
While the corn works, add the chicken thighs to the medium-high zone. Leave completely alone for 5–6 minutes. The rub needs sustained contact with the hot steel to form the crust. Flip once when the thighs release naturally.
In the last 3 minutes of the second side, brush the reserved BBQ glaze generously over the top of each thigh. The sugar in the glaze will caramelize quickly — watch it. It should look lacquered and slightly darkened, not burnt. Check internal temperature — 74°C (165°F).
Remove the chicken and rest for 3–4 minutes on a board. While it rests, return the corn to a medium zone for 60 seconds to reheat with a final baste of BBQ glaze over each piece.
Slice the chipotle butter into rounds. Place one round on top of each chicken thigh while still hot — let it melt slowly down the sides. Place another round over the corn pieces. The chipotle butter is the finish that pulls everything together.
Plate the chicken and corn together. Finish with chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime over everything, and flaky sea salt over the corn. Extra BBQ sauce on the side.
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