Honey-Mezcal Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3 pounds total), patted dry
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest (from 1 lime; reserve the lime for the sauce, below)
• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 6 tablespoons Cajun pepper hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes, including above)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 6 tablespoons mezcal

Method

1. Make the chicken: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, paprika, fine salt, chili powder and cumin until combined.
2. Line a large sheet pan with foil and set a large wire rack on top. Season the chicken thighs all over with the baking soda mixture. (You will likely have extra.) Transfer the thighs to the wire rack, skin side up and evenly spaced. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the skin is somewhat browned and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each thigh away from the bone registers at least 165 degrees.
3. In a small bowl, microwave the lime zest on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes in 30-second increments, stirring after each burst, until dried out. (Alternatively, if you don’t have a microwave, you can dry the zest on a small sheet pan in the oven for a few minutes while it starts to preheat.) Add the flaky salt and Aleppo pepper and mix until fully incorporated.
4. Make the sauce: While the chicken is roasting, in a medium (3-quart) saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the honey, stirring occasionally, until it starts to darken and caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the hot sauce and butter and cook, stirring, until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, vinegar and cornstarch to create a slurry. Whisk into the honey mixture, increase the heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the mezcal and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens but remains slightly thinner than a bottled barbecue sauce; the goal is to cut the harshness of the alcohol, but it will not all burn off. (Feel free to taste as you go to ensure the alcohol level is to your liking.) You should have about 1 1/3 cups of the sauce. Transfer half (about 2/3 cup) to a small bowl for brushing onto, or serving with, the cooked chicken.
6. Remove the chicken from the oven. Carefully move an oven rack to about 6 inches from the broiling element and turn the broiler to HIGH, if you have a choice. Using tongs, dip each chicken thigh into the sauce in the pot, coating completely. Return the thighs to the wire rack, skin side up, and brush with any remaining sauce left in the pot, if desired.
7. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the crispness and char desired. Remove from the oven and brush the reserved sauce onto the chicken, if desired, and sprinkle with the lime salt. If you haven’t brushed it on, drizzle the remaining sauce over the thighs or serve it on the side.