Description
This Hot Honey Barbecue Platter features tender marinated chicken thigh skewers glazed with a sweet and spicy hot honey sauce, served alongside charred courgettes and grilled halloumi cheese. Perfect for a summer cookout, the dish combines bold flavors and satisfying textures for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- about 900g boneless chicken thigh fillets, each chopped into about 4 chunks
- 2 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp hot honey sauce (recipe below)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Hot Honey Sauce
- 300g clear honey
- 2 tbsp hot pepper sauce (such as Frank’s)
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp chilli flakes, or to taste
- Two pinches of sea salt flakes
To Grill
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for oiling the barbecue grill
- 2 x 225g blocks halloumi cheese
- 3 courgettes, trimmed
- Sea salt flakes
To Garnish
- Sliced spring onions
- Picked fresh oregano leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the hot honey sauce: Combine the honey, hot pepper sauce, cider vinegar, chilli flakes, and two pinches of sea salt in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Heat gently on the hob or in the microwave until the honey liquefies and all ingredients blend into a smooth sauce. Transfer to a jar and let it cool. The sauce can be kept at room temperature for up to a month.
- Marinate the chicken: Up to two days ahead or at least two hours before cooking, mix the chicken chunks with 2 tablespoons of the hot honey sauce, oregano, crushed garlic, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss well to coat and refrigerate. Reserve two-thirds of the remaining hot honey sauce in a bowl for serving, and set aside the rest for glazing while cooking.
- Prepare the skewers: If using wooden skewers, soak 10 long or 20 short skewers in water for about 20 minutes to prevent burning. Thread the marinated chicken chunks evenly onto 6 or 12 skewers, packing them tightly.
- Prepare courgettes and halloumi: Quarter narrower courgettes lengthwise and cut fatter ones into 6 long wedges, then halve into shorter pieces. Arrange courgette wedges like a raft and skewer horizontally at both ends with two parallel skewers to prevent spinning during grilling. Season with sea salt flakes. Thickly slice halloumi cheese and season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Grill the chicken: Heat the barbecue until hot and oil the grill. Place chicken skewers on the grill, cooking for 6-8 minutes on each side until charred but not fully cooked through. Glaze the chicken repeatedly with the reserved hot honey sauce, turning and brushing frequently until the chicken is cooked through and sticky.
- Grill the courgettes and halloumi: Brush courgettes and halloumi slices with olive oil. Grill courgettes for about 10 minutes, turning halfway, and halloumi slices for 2-3 minutes on each side depending on heat. Brush the courgettes once with hot honey sauce just before removing from the grill.
- Assemble and serve the platter: Transfer halloumi to a platter and pour half of the remaining hot honey sauce over the cheese, tossing to coat evenly. Add the cooked chicken skewers and courgettes to the platter. Serve with the bowl of hot honey sauce on the side for extra drizzling, garnished with sliced spring onions and fresh oregano leaves.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken ahead of time enhances flavor and tenderness.
- Soaking wooden skewers prevents them from burning on the grill.
- The dual skewer method for the courgettes ensures they stay stable while grilling.
- Halloumi is best grilled just until golden and heated through to maintain its texture.
- Adjust the amount of chilli flakes for desired heat level in the hot honey sauce.
- The hot honey sauce keeps well for up to one month stored in a jar at room temperature.
