Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
The best and easiest chicken ever, baked to crisp-tender perfection along with the most amazing sweet garlic sauce!
So I’ve been on a major chicken-thigh-kick lately. It’s weird because I never even thought I liked chicken thighs until I used it in this slow cooker honey sesame chicken. From there, I was hooked. But then I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for the very first time in this pan roasted lemon chicken and I was in heaven.
From the honey mustard chicken to the chicken and mushroom skillet, I’m just loving the whole sear-first-then-roast method since it makes the most crisp-tender chicken thighs ever. It’s unbelievably juicy and yet you still have that amazing crust on top too.
And this sweet brown sugar, garlicky crust is to die for. I seriously wanted to guzzle it down. Or triple the sauce so I can serve it over everything and anything. I’m actually bummed that I didn’t because there was absolutely no sauce leftover here. I licked the plate clean and a single drop wasn’t left at all!
Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; set aside.
- Melt remaining tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir in brown sugar, honey, oregano, thyme and basil until well combined. Return chicken to the skillet.
- Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
Excellent recipe! I’ve been in a food rut lately and this recipe revived the dullness.
I almost never comment on blogs, but I found this recipe on Pinterest and made it tonight. Holy crap, it’s good. Some of the best chicken I’ve ever made (or had). Thanks for this!
I am doubling this recipe for a family dinner, and I was wondering if I can transfer the chicken from the skillet to a glass baking pan and bake the rest of it that way?
Yes, that should work just fine.
This looks and sounds delicious! In your picture it appears as though the sauce was on top of the chicken also. Do we baste the chicken with the sauce before baking? Thanks…and Merry Christmas!
You can baste before or after or even both – it’s really up to you!
Just cooked this tonight, and very tasty still licking my fingers.
Do you think this would be tasty using cornish hens instead? Would it cook in the same way (adjusting cooking time obviously)?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I do not have any experience cooking with cornish hens. Please use your best judgment to make the appropriate substitutions.
If you butterfly the hens, you could do the pan to oven like above. But if you want the hens to stay whole, you’ll have to go from oven to stove top, get your crisp after the baking time. (I love game hens for entertaining as well as adult nights in with hubby, they are super fun and easy to cook up)
much prefer chicken thight to breast, I prefer the redder meat, its so much more tasty!
I am trying this tonight with split chicken breasts (not a thigh fan). I can’t wait! We are totally stuck in a chicken rut and I think this is just the thing to wow the family. 🙂
I’ve used soooo many of your recipes for an in-class assignment, and they all look so yummy! I haven’t tried any out yet, but I really want to. Your recipes are all so easy to make and they all look delicious! This one in particular looks sooooo yummy! I’m gonna make this one day, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out!
How well would this recipe work for someone who is diabetic? Are there any recipes that give a similar flavor with out having so much sugar?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise an appropriate substitute that will not alter the overall taste/texture of the dish. Please your best judgment to make the appropriate substitutions to fit your dietary restrictions.
There is a sugar free brown sugar made by Splenda. I use it on my food.
Hi! Just wondering what you served with this chicken!?
We served this with roasted potatoes and a salad.
I made it in a cast iron skillet and the sugar burnt completely black and yucky.
The only oven safe skillet I have is a cast iron skillet. Will that be ok?
Yes, that should be just fine.
I’m going to try this tonight. Once the chicken is seared, can I transfer it all to a glass baking dish? And does the sauce need to cover the chicken? Thank you
Yes, absolutely! A baking dish will work just fine. And no, the sauce does not have to completely cover the chicken.
I made this last night and it was really great! The perfect amount of sweetness for the dish. Question though – does this reheat well? I stored the leftover thighs with the sauce in the fridge, but have now found that since the base of the sauce is chicken grease, it has hardened up in the fridge like grease usually does. Will it reheat OK or will it be way too greasy?
Maggie, it will reheat just fine.
is having the bone in important or is it just your preference can you use boneless if you wanted to?
Yes, having bone-in is important as it brings a lot more flavor than boneless chicken thighs (or breasts).
Chicken skin side up or down?
Skin side up.
Can this be made with all parts of the chicken?
Side note…I love your recipes! I’ve made so many of them, they are all so good!
Yes, absolutely! Although you may have to adjust cooking time as needed.
This is cooking in my oven at this very instant.
I LOVE your website! All of your recipes are so beautifully photographed, it makes me want to make everything.
I plan to try this recipe this coming Wednesday–thatistge day I choose for new additions. Looks really good with a little salad plus rice. Thankyou for posting it.
I did fix the garlic brown sugar chicken tonight. It was perfect. My picky husband even asked for seconds. I plan to fix this for company too. I will definitely try more of your recipes.
Chicken Thighs are my favorite, but since we’ve been trying to be healthy & watching our diet since last Mar – Thanksgiving included & BTW was my best holiday meal ever! – I’m going to try it with boneless skinless thighs! Bet it will be delish!!! Thanks for another great recipe!