Description
This Sticky Pantry Chicken Thigh recipe delivers tender, flavorful chicken thighs glazed in a rich, sweet and tangy sauce made from pantry staples like ketchup, soy sauce, honey, and a touch of hot sauce. Cooking the chicken in a skillet ensures a caramelized, golden crust while the sauce reduces to a sticky, glossy coating that’s perfect for an effortless weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 tbsp oil (for frying)
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets (1.5-2lb / 750g-1kg)
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup water
Sauce
- 1/3 cup ketchup or tomato sauce (Australian)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon or American mustard
- 2 tbsp hot sauce (optional)
- 2 tbsp vinegar (any type)
- 2 1/2 tbsp honey
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together ketchup, soy sauce, mustard, hot sauce if using, vinegar, honey, and crushed garlic cloves until smooth and well combined.
- Season the Chicken: Sprinkle salt and black pepper evenly over each chicken thigh piece to season them thoroughly for balanced flavor.
- Heat the Pan: Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Allow it to heat until shimmering but not smoking to ensure proper searing.
- Coat and Brown the Chicken: Quickly dip each chicken piece into the prepared sauce, shaking off excess, then arrange them in the hot pan without overcrowding. Repeat with as many pieces as fit comfortably.
- Cook First Side: Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 3 minutes until the coated surface caramelizes and turns a dark golden brown, forming a flavorful crust.
- Flip and Cook Second Side: Turn each piece over and cook for an additional 2 minutes until the chicken is nearly cooked through but still juicy inside.
- Add Remaining Sauce and Water: Pour the leftover sauce and the half cup of water into the pan. Bring to a rapid simmer while stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all browned bits for extra flavor.
- Reduce Sauce: Continue simmering for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens into a sticky glaze, then remove the pan from heat.
- Coat Chicken in Sauce: Turn the chicken pieces in the thickened sauce until evenly coated and glossy.
- Serve: Plate the sticky chicken thighs and spoon over any remaining sauce from the pan for an irresistible, savory finish.
Notes
- Brown sugar can be substituted with honey or maple syrup for sweetness.
- Adjust hot sauce quantity based on your desired level of spiciness or omit for a milder taste.
- This recipe works well with any chicken cuts and is suitable for grilling, baking, or stovetop cooking.
- Accompany the chicken with rice following package instructions; typically, 1 cup uncooked rice to 1 1/2 cups water.
- Feel free to swap broccolini or other vegetables for preferred sides; cut them small enough to cook quickly in boiling water or steam.
- Marinating the chicken up to 24 hours is optional but not necessary due to the flavorful glaze.
- For a BBQ option, use this marinade to grill chicken, omit hot sauce for kid-friendly flavor.
- Nutritional info is calculated based on 6 servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
