Chicken:
- 6-8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- olive oil
- sea salt
- black pepper
- Chocolate BBQ Sauce:
- 4 ounces 62% semisweet dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper (more if desired)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- sea salt
- black pepper
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pat the chicken thighs dry, rub them with olive oil, and season generously with sea salt and black pepper. Arrange the thighs skin-side up on a baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet and roast for 25 minutes to crisp the skin. While the chicken roasts, make the sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, cumin, cinnamon, onion powder, and chili pepper, then simmer for 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and add the dark chocolate, stirring until smooth, then mix in the chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. When the chicken has roasted for 25 minutes, remove it from the oven, brush the thighs generously with the chocolate BBQ sauce, and return them to the oven for another 10–15 minutes, until the glaze caramelizes and the chicken is fully cooked. Serve with extra sauce spooned over the top.
