Sticky Baked Chicken Thighs

Irresistibly Sticky Baked Chicken Thighs: A Quick and Easy Delight

This recipe for Sticky Baked Chicken Thighs is the perfect solution for a fast, effortless, and delicious meal using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Made with common pantry ingredients, it employs a highly effective oven-cooking method. The sweet and savory glaze, reminiscent of your favorite country-style rub, creates a delectable sauce that’s fantastic drizzled over everything on your plate. This recipe also includes instructions for using the same glaze as a marinade for Sticky Grilled Chicken!

Effortless Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs

We all appreciate the beautifully caramelized surface of perfectly cooked chicken thighs, similar to the results achieved with pan-seared Garlic Chicken Thighs. However, sometimes we want to avoid the mess of stovetop cooking. And often, we find ourselves needing a quick meal with chicken thighs we haven’t planned for. This is where Sticky Baked Chicken Thighs shine. These boneless, skinless chicken thighs are oven-baked to achieve a texture and appearance remarkably similar to pan-seared chicken, using ingredients you likely already have on hand.

A Pantry-Friendly, Country-Style Glaze

This country-style sauce, adapted from Baked Pork Chops, utilizes basic pantry staples with numerous substitution options. Its savory and slightly sweet flavor profile offers complex layers of taste. Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients:

Worcestershire sauce: Provides a deep savory note.
Soy sauce: Enhances the savory flavor, adding depth beyond simple saltiness.
Ketchup: Offers sweetness and tang. Alternatively, use Aussie tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, or other similar sauces.
Brown sugar: Adds sweetness. Honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, golden syrup, or other liquid sweeteners can also be used.
Garlic: A classic flavor enhancer.
Vinegar: Balances the sweetness with a touch of tang. Apple cider vinegar is ideal, but any clear vinegar will work.
Oil: Adds richness to the sauce. Omit if desired.

Oven-Cooking Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs

These baked chicken thighs are incredibly simple to prepare: mix the glaze ingredients, drizzle over the chicken, and bake. The key to achieving a beautiful caramelization is baking at a high temperature (220°C/425°F). For optimal results, bake the chicken for slightly over half the cooking time, then finish with a broil/grill. This method creates a wonderfully caramelized surface and is my preferred way to bake chicken thighs.

Ensuring Perfectly Cooked Chicken

Boneless chicken thighs are cooked when their internal temperature reaches 75°C/165°F. However, because thighs are naturally juicier than breasts, they are more forgiving, so precise cooking times are less critical.

Adapting for Chicken Breast

While chicken breast can be used in this recipe, the caramelization won’t be as pronounced. Recipe notes provide adjustments for using chicken breast.

A Generous Amount of Sauce

This recipe yields a generous amount of syrupy sauce, perfect for spooning over the chicken and accompanying dishes. The combination of baking and broiling/grilling is ideal because while broiling alone creates excellent caramelization, it doesn’t produce pan juices. This sauce minimizes the effort required for side dishes. Enjoy it with crusty bread or Garlic Mashed White Beans for a delightful meal.

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Category: Mains Servings: 4 people

This recipe, accompanied by a helpful video, is your go-to solution for a delicious and easy dinner when you have boneless, skinless chicken thighs but no plan. The glaze utilizes common pantry staples, with plenty of substitution options available. The resulting savory-sweet sauce is fantastic drizzled over everything on your plate.

Ingredients

700g / 1.4lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (5-7 pieces) – See Note 1 for variations

For the Glaze (See Note 2 for Substitutions):

¼ cup ketchup
3 tbsp lightly packed brown sugar
1.5 tbsp all-purpose or light soy sauce (NOT dark)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 220°C/420°F (200°C fan).
Prepare Pan: Choose a pan large enough to accommodate the chicken thighs in a single layer (avoid overcrowding). Line the pan with foil for easy cleanup. Place the thighs in the prepared pan.
Glaze Application 1: Combine all Glaze ingredients in a bowl. Spoon approximately two-thirds of the glaze over the top surface of each thigh, reserving the remaining glaze.
Bake: Bake the chicken thighs for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.
Broil/Grill: Turn your oven setting to broil/grill on high. Position the oven shelf about 20cm/8 inches from the heat source.
Glaze Application 2: Spoon the pan juices over the chicken. Then, spoon or dab the remaining glaze onto the chicken.
Broil: Broil the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the surface is nicely caramelized.
Rest: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes (uncovered) before serving with the pan juices.

Recipe Notes

Chicken Variations:
- Small Thighs: If your chicken thighs are small, reduce the oven cooking time slightly.
- Bone-in, Skin-on Thighs and Drumsticks: While this specific sauce hasn’t been tested with bone-in, skin-on pieces, similar sauces work well. Toss the chicken in the sauce (or drizzle/smear), reserving ¼ of the sauce. Place the chicken skin-side down in a foil-lined pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C/350°F. Flip the chicken, spoon over the remaining glaze, and bake for another 30 minutes, or until caramelized, basting with pan juices toward the end.
- Chicken Breast: Chicken breast can be used, but the caramelization won’t be as pronounced in the oven. Broiling/grilling is a better alternative for caramelization.
  - Oven Method: Cut each breast horizontally to create 2 steaks. Spoon all the sauce over one side. Bake at 220°C/425°F for 18 minutes without removing for basting or broiling.
  - Broiling Method: Spoon a bit of sauce on one side. Broil on high for 3 minutes. Flip, spoon over the remaining sauce, and broil for 6-8 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Glaze Substitutions: This glaze is very flexible; feel free to experiment with substitutions:
- Ketchup: Use Aussie tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, or other similar sauces.
- Brown Sugar: Substitute with white sugar, or 2 tbsp of honey, maple syrup, or any other liquid sweetener.
- Soy Sauce: Use light or all-purpose soy sauce. Do not use dark soy sauce, as it will be too intense. Fish sauce can also be used, but reduce the amount to 1 tbsp.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Substitute with any clear vinegar, such as white vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or champagne vinegar.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Add ¼ tsp black pepper and a dash of all other glaze ingredients. A sprinkle of onion and/or garlic powder on the chicken before coating with the sauce is also helpful.
- Add-ins: Add a dash of your favorite hot sauce, a pinch of mixed herbs (oregano, thyme), cayenne pepper for heat, a sprinkle of paprika for warmth, or cumin or coriander for a Southwestern flavor.
General Tips:
- Foil: Using foil is highly recommended, as the caramelized sauce can be difficult to remove from the pan. Do NOT use parchment paper, as it can catch fire under the broiler.
- Glaze Placement: There’s no need to glaze the underside of the chicken, as it will be flavored by cooking in the sauce. Keeping the top side exposed to heat throughout cooking promotes optimal caramelization.
- Serving Suggestion: This dish is pictured in the original post with speedy Garlic White Bean Mash.
  
  NUTRITION INFORMATION:
  
  Calories:297cal (15%) Carbohydrates:13g (4%) Protein:34g (68%) Fat:10g (15%) Saturated Fat:2g (13%) Cholesterol:166mg (55%) Sodium:701mg (30%) Potassium:526mg (15%) Sugar:12g (13%) Vitamin A:120IU (2%) Vitamin C:1mg (1%) Calcium:26mg (3%) Iron:1.9mg (11%)