Hot Honey Blackened Chicken Sandwich

This is one of the five Overtime recipes from the Flavor Formation BBQ Box, the online-only bonus cooks that didn't fit in the printed booklet. It's a weeknight sandwich that eats like gameday food, and it runs on two bottles from the box that each have a very specific job.

Blackened Seasoning by The Spice Lab builds the crust. Williamson Bros. Hot Honey BBQ Sauce builds the glaze. Get the order right and you get a dark, spice-toasted exterior with a sticky layer of sweet heat on top of it, instead of a sauce that burned before the chicken was done.

Why chicken thighs beat breasts for this sandwich

Thighs carry more fat and connective tissue than breasts, and that makes them forgiving over high heat. A breast is done at 165°F and starts drying out right after. A thigh is safe at 165°F too, but it keeps getting better up to around 175°F as the connective tissue softens, so a minute of distraction at the grill doesn't cost you the sandwich.

Trim any big pockets of fat and pound down the thickest parts so each thigh is roughly even. Uneven thighs finish unevenly, and you'll be waiting on the fat end while the thin end overcooks. An instant-read thermometer takes the guessing out of it.

Blackening on the grill instead of the stovetop

Classic blackening happens in a screaming hot cast iron skillet, and it throws off enough smoke to set off every alarm in the house. Grilling at 425 to 450°F gets you the same dark crust outside, where the smoke belongs. If you want the cast iron version, we walk through it in Pro Tip: Blackening on the Grill, Not in Your Kitchen.

Two things make the crust work. First, a light coat of olive oil, which gives the seasoning something to grab and helps the spices toast instead of scorch. Second, a generous hand. The Spice Lab blend is built on paprika, black pepper and onion with cayenne and chipotle further down the list, so it's big on flavor and mild on heat. Season heavier than feels reasonable, then leave the thighs alone on the grate so the crust can form.

When to add the hot honey BBQ sauce

Last. Williamson Bros. Hot Honey carries real honey, cane sugar and brown sugar, and sugar scorches fast over direct heat. Brush it on too early and you're scraping bitter black glaze off a crust you worked to build. Brush it on in the final one to two minutes and it tacks up into a sticky layer that sits on top of the blackened spices.

The cheese goes on right after the sauce, and the lid closes just long enough for the pepper jack to melt. The glaze and the cheese finish together, which is exactly what you want. If you want to know where the sauce comes from, the Williamson brothers have been serving it at their Georgia pits since 1990, and the full Williamson Bros. story is worth the read.

Round out the gameday spread

This sandwich pulls from the same two bottles as several other Flavor Formation recipes, so it's easy to run it alongside something bigger. If you've got a smoker going, the Hot Honey BBQ Burnt Ends use the same Hot Honey sauce and Blackened Seasoning on a low-and-slow brisket point. For a crowd, add a tray of wings using our guide to grilled, smoked and flat top chicken wings. And if you're more of a burger household, crispy-edged smash burgers fit right on the same table.

For how all five products in the box work together, from crust to glaze to finishing dust, see the Flavor Formation box overview.

Hot honey blackened chicken sandwich FAQ

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes. Pound them to an even thickness of about half an inch and pull them at 165°F. They'll cook a little faster and have less margin for error than thighs, so keep a thermometer handy.

How spicy is this sandwich?

Mild to medium. The Blackened Seasoning is more pepper and paprika than capsaicin, and the Hot Honey BBQ Sauce leads with sweetness before a slow chili warmth builds in. The pepper jack adds a little more kick. Swap in Monterey Jack or provolone to keep it family friendly.

Can I make it on a flat top or cast iron?

Yes. Get the surface very hot, oil and season the thighs the same way, and cook about 5 to 6 minutes on the first side and 4 to 5 on the second. Glaze and add the cheese at the end, and cover with a melting dome or lid. Do it outdoors, because blackening makes a lot of smoke.