Grilled Glazed Chicken Thighs on the Big Green Egg
Juicy grilled chicken thighs glazed with a buttery hot sauce, served over crispy couscous cakes with arugula, blue cheese, and fresh pear.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the Glaze
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Couscous Cakes
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Salad
- 3 cups baby arugula
- 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1 ripe pear thinly sliced
Dijon Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- pinch kosher salt
- pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Set up your Big Green Egg for raised direct cooking. Preheat the dome temperature to 400°F.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Add the hot sauce and butter to a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by about half.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Bring the chicken stock, butter, salt, and pepper to a boil. Stir in the couscous.
- Remove from heat, cover, and let sit until tender.
- Spread the couscous out and cool to room temperature.
- Transfer cooled couscous to a bowl.
- Add the egg, chopped green onions, and Parmesan cheese.
- Mix until fully combined. Form into 4 evenly sized patties.
- Place the chicken thighs skin side down on the Big Green Egg.
- Cook until the fat renders and the skin becomes crispy. Flip the chicken.
- Begin brushing with the hot sauce butter glaze. Continue cooking and glazing in layers.
- Cook until the internal temperature reaches 175°F–185°F. Remove and rest.
- Heat a cast iron skillet on the Big Green Egg. Add olive oil.
- Cook the couscous cakes until golden brown and crispy. Flip and repeat.
- Whisk together olive oil, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.
- Toss the arugula with the vinaigrette. Add the blue cheese.
- Place the couscous cakes on serving plates.
- Top with the dressed arugula salad. Add thinly sliced pear.
- Top with the glazed chicken thighs. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chicken thighs are best cooked hotter than breast meat. Aim for 175°F+ for best texture.
- Let the couscous cool completely before forming patties.
- Any favorite hot sauce works here.
- This also works beautifully with boneless chicken thighs.