Sweet Tea And Chipotle Grilled Chicken Recipe

This sweet tea and chipotle grilled chicken recipe combines two beloved Southern staples — sweet tea and smoky, spicy chipotle peppers. The resulting main is a sugary and piquant dish that makes you feel like you're part of the best church potluck ever.

According to Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, sweet tea has been a fixture in Southern cooking for a long time, and it turns out to be an excellent brine for chicken. The tea tenderizes the meat, helps crisp the skin, and gives it a deep, golden-brown color when baked. Combined with a glaze that's spiked with rehydrated and chopped chipotle peppers, it makes for a satisfying dish that you could finish in one sitting. This grilled chicken recipe tastes just as good hot or cold, making it perfect for all those summer picnics and potlucks. The combination of the tea's sweetness and the chipotle's heat provides the perfect balance of flavors for a satisfying, more-ish main.

To make this delicious sweet tea and chipotle chicken, you'll need a few key ingredients. Dried chipotle peppers, which are smoked, dried Mexican peppers, provide the signature, smoky, and spicy flavor. You can also use canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce if that's all you can find. If you can't find dried chipotle peppers, you can substitute chipotle powder or even a dash of liquid smoke and cayenne pepper. 

Opt for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs to ensure that your chicken comes out juicy and flavorful. You can also use chicken breasts, but you'll need to cook them about half the time. Orange pekoe tea provides the body of our marinade. It's used as the base in a sweet brewed tea that we mix with honey, vinegar, and spices to make the marinade and glaze. Other ingredients include boiling water to steep the tea and rehydrate the chipotle peppers, apple cider vinegar for tanginess, smoked paprika for that deep, smoky aftertaste, and salt and black pepper for seasoning. 

Soak the chipotle pepper in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Discard the water.

Dice the pepper into small pieces. Set aside about 1 tablespoon of diced pepper.

Add the tea bags to 1 ½ cups boiling water. Let steep for 5–7 minutes, then remove the tea bags.

Stir in 2 tablespoons honey until dissolved, and cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup sweet tea, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons vinegar, most of the soaked and diced chipotle pepper (minus the reserved 1 tablespoon), smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.

Add the chicken thighs to the bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

Preheat a cast iron grill pan to medium heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade.

Place the chicken thighs skin-side down on the grill pan and cook for 5 minutes to sear the skin. Flip and sear the other side for 3 minutes.

Brush the chicken with the reserved marinade.

Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 25–30 minutes, brushing with the marinade every 10 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.

While the chicken is cooking, make the glaze by combining ¼ cup sweet tea, the remaining 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 tablespoon diced chipotle pepper in a small saucepan.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.

During the last 5 minutes of baking, brush the chicken with the glaze on both sides.

Transfer the grilled chicken to a serving platter and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve, with a sprinkle of salt and additional glaze on the side for dipping, if desired.

To really do this chipotle sweet tea chicken justice, we suggest that you lean into the Southern potluck and picnic vibe by pairing it with classic, regional sides. Potato salad is an obvious choice — go for a mustard-based variety or one with eggs, pickles and mayo for a creamy contrast to the spicy chicken. Coleslaw is another must-have, whether you prefer a vinegar-based dressing or a creamier version with a touch of sweetness. Baked beans, especially ones made in the slow cooker, make a hearty accompaniment that you can prep in advance. Collard greens are a favorite that let the chicken shine. 

For a starch, cornbread with sage is an ideal pairing — try adding jalapeños for extra kick. Alternatively, serve the chicken with fluffy dinner rolls to soak up the sweet and smoky juices. Round out the spread with watermelon wedges and tall glasses of spiked sweet tea or lemonade.

Orange pekoe is a particular grade of black tea blend commonly used in the Southern U.S. to make iced tea. The name refers to the size and quality of the tea leaves used — orange pekoe indicates a larger, higher-quality broken leaf. When brewed, orange pekoe tea has a dark, orange-brown color and a rich, robust flavor that makes an excellent base for sweet tea. However, if you don't specifically have orange pekoe, there are easy substitutions. Any basic black tea bags will work here, as will a black tea blend like English Breakfast. For a stronger brew, consider Assam or Ceylon black teas. 

If you want a more delicate flavor, try Darjeeling or Keemun black tea varieties. Green or oolong teas can also be substituted, though their flavor profiles are quite different from the robust black teas traditionally used for sweet tea. We also don't love using Earl Grey for this recipe because the bergamot clashes with the chipotle pepper flavor.