Description
Baked Balsamic Chicken features tender chicken thighs, drumsticks, or wings coated in a sticky, flavorful sauce made from balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and garlic. This easy-to-make recipe requires no marinating, just baking in the oven until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens to a luscious glaze. Perfect for a delicious, comforting dinner with minimal preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 kg / 2 lb chicken thighs (5 pieces, bone in, skin on), or drumsticks or wings (any combination)
Sauce
- 1/4 cup (65 ml) balsamic vinegar
- 2 1/2 tbsp / 50 ml soy sauce (all purpose or light, not dark soy sauce)
- 1/4 cup (85 g / 65 ml) honey
- 1/4 cup (45 g) brown sugar (loosely packed)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 1/2 tsp garlic paste from jar)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the chicken evenly.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Line a baking dish with foil and then baking or parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Make the Sauce: In a bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and minced garlic until well combined to create the marinade and glaze.
- Arrange Chicken: Place the chicken pieces in the baking dish skin side down (for thighs and wings). Make sure the pieces are close together but not more than 10 cm (4 inches) apart to allow the sauce to properly reduce and coat the chicken.
- Apply Sauce and Bake: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered, allowing the flavors to infuse and the chicken to begin cooking thoroughly.
- Turn and Glaze: After 30 minutes, turn the chicken over to skin side up, spoon the sauce over the pieces, and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened into a sticky glaze.
- Rest and Serve: Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes out of the oven. Spoon additional sauce over the chicken before serving to maximize flavor and juiciness.
Notes
- This recipe requires no marinating—just mix the sauce and bake the chicken for an easy, flavorful meal.
- The sauce becomes wonderfully sticky and sweet thanks to the honey and brown sugar.
- If using the recipe scaler, please note changes in quantities can affect cooking times and sauce consistency.
- Using bone-in, skin-on chicken ensures juiciness and flavor; you can use thighs, drumsticks, or wings in any combination.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 255 g
- Calories: 475 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
