Stephen Colbert Took Years to Perfect His Spicy Honey-Lemon Chicken Recipe — with Help from His Daughter (Exclusive)

Stephen Colbert and his wife Evie’s love language with their three adult kids is sharing recipes back and forth. 

One dish that’s become especially famous among the Colberts is Stephen’s go-to spicy honey-lemon chicken. The Late Show host shares it in his new cookbook, Does This Taste Funny? — and in this week’s PEOPLE Food section, which he guest edited with Evie.

“Our daughter Madeleine and I have turned this recipe into a game of telephone,” he tells PEOPLE. “Every time we make it, it changes slightly — and now she makes it in a very different way than I do.” 

Madeleine, 28, finishes cooking her version in the oven, but Stephen says his stovetop method (below) ensures an extra-flavor punch from the caramelized onions.

Stephen and Evie’s younger children, Peter, 26, and John, 22, also get in on the kitchen fun in their new cookbook.

“We are very private, and we’ve sort of kept our family and our children and everything away from what you might want to call fame. But they’re adults now, and they all willingly participated,” says Evie.

“It’s a little peek into our family,” she adds. “It’s not like we’re going to be a reality TV show, but it’s just a teeny little bit of hanging out with us in the kitchen.”

Spicy Honey-Lemon Chicken Thighs

¼ cup olive oil, divided

4 medium bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1½ lbs.)

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning chicken

Freshly ground pepper

1½ Tbsp. lemon zest plus ¼ cup juice (from 2 lemons)

2 Tbsp. hot honey (or 2 Tbsp. regular honey plus ½ tsp. red pepper flakes)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 large yellow onion, coarsely diced

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Generously season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides. Gently place chicken, skin-side down, in hot oil; cook, undisturbed, until skin is crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together lemon zest and juice, hot honey, garlic, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 3 tablespoons oil in medium bowl. Set aside.

3. When skin has crisped up, transfer chicken to a plate. Add onion to skillet over medium heat, and stir to coat with the drippings. Place chicken, bone-side down, over the onion. Cook the chicken until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the thigh registers 165°, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a clean plate, leaving the onion and drippings behind. Reduce heat to low; pour the honey-lemon mixture into skillet. (It will foam up immediately.) Stir to deglaze skillet; simmer sauce until thickened, about 6 minutes. Place chicken back into skillet; turn to coat. Serve chicken with pan sauce spooned over the top.

Serves: 4
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Does This Taste Funny?: Recipes Our Family Loves from Celadon Books is available now, wherever books are sold.