Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with a Sticky Broiled Glaze
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs baked until golden, then dipped in a boiled honey garlic sauce with a touch of molasses and broiled on both sides for a sticky, lacquered finish. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and a big green salad.
Ingredients
- 3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, see notes
- 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
Honey Garlic Sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon molasses, see notes
- 4 cloves garlic, grated with the small holes on your grater
- 1 teaspoon grated onion, grated with the small holes on your grater
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place one oven rack in the middle and another rack in the top third. For easy cleanup, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the baking sheet, skin-side up, and bake for 35 minutes.3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- While the chicken is cooking, bring the honey garlic sauce ingredients to a boil for 2 minutes in a small frying pan to thicken the sauce.3 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon molasses, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon grated onion
- Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully drain any oil from the pan. Using tongs, dip each piece in the sauce and then put the chicken back on the sheet pan, skin side down. Broil (on the top oven rack) for 5 minutes.
- Turn the chicken over and baste the skin with the remaining sauce, then broil for 5 minutes more, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn't burn
Notes
Broil temperature: If your oven broils above 500 degrees Fahrenheit, watch the chicken VERY closely so the sugars in the sauce don't burn.
Chicken: I like to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. If you'd rather not eat the skin, season the meat underneath and leave it on for cooking (it will protect the meat). Peel it off before adding the sauce. If you only have boneless thighs on hand, bake them for 15 minutes before dipping them into the honey garlic sauce.
Onion and garlic: Grating instead of mincing means the flavor infuses the sauce better. You can use a Microplane or the small holes on your box grater.
Molasses: I love the dark color and slightly malty flavor this ingredient adds to the sauce. If you don't have any on hand, you can leave it out.
Serving: 2 chicken thighs with ¼ of the sauce, Calories: 563kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 37g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 221mg, Sodium: 763mg, Potassium: 510mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 177IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 2mg