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Glazed Soy Sauce Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs

Glazed soy sauce brown sugar chicken thighs with a mahogany caramelized oven-baked glaze. Marinate for juicy, tender chicken, then baste and broil for extra caramelization.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Glaze and marinade
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar packed
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp ginger grated
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Chicken
  • 1 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs use 4-6 pieces
Garnish
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 green onions sliced

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 baking dish

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, apple cider vinegar, ginger, and red pepper flakes together until the sugar looks mostly dissolved and the mixture turns glossy.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Add bone-in skin-on chicken thighs to the marinade and marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours, covered in the refrigerator.
Bake and baste
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F, place the chicken skin-side up in a baking dish, and reserve the marinade.
  2. Bake for 20 minutes, then baste with the reserved marinade and bake 10-15 more minutes until caramelized and cooked through.
Broil for extra caramelization
  1. Broil for 2-3 minutes until the glaze darkens further and looks caramelized, watching closely so the skin doesn’t burn.
Garnish and serve
  1. Top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, then let the chicken rest briefly before serving so the glaze sets.

Notes

For best results, marinate skin-side up so the sauce clings to the surface, and reserve extra marinade for basting only (not for serving raw). Refrigerate leftovers up to 3-4 days; freeze cooked chicken up to 2 months. For a gluten-free swap, use tamari instead of soy sauce.