Imagine serving a dazzlingly delicious Sticky Glazed Christmas Chicken that tastes like you slaved away for hours!
This recipe transforms simple chicken thighs into a show-stopping centerpiece with a sweet, savory, and perfectly sticky glaze, and the best part? It's unbelievably easy to make.
Ingredients
Let's collect everything you'll need! First, grab about 1.4 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs—around 700g. Next, for the marinade magic: 1/2 cup of ketchup, that's right, ketchup! Plus, 1/3 cup of packed brown sugar—pack it good!
You'll want 1/4 cup of soy sauce, all-purpose or light, not the dark kind. We're not making a midnight snack here! Then, 2 tablespoons each of apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Don't forget 4 teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce—say that five times fast!
Finally, 4 minced garlic cloves—minced, not mangled! If you are missing sweet soy sauce, regular soy sauce can be adjusted with extra sugar to mimic its flavor. Get these, and you're ready to mix up some seriously sticky, finger-licking goodness. You can always use ingredients that work for you, like swapping white sugar for brown!
Instructions
Now that you've gathered everything, I'll walk you through how to bring it all together! First, mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl – get ready for some serious flavor!
Next, scoop out 1/2 cup of that beautiful concoction and set it aside for basting later. We'll call it our "glaze"—fancy, right? Now, plop the chicken into the bowl with the remaining marinade and toss it around until it's fully coated.
Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the fridge overnight. Can't wait that long? At least 3 hours will do, but up to 48 hours is even better!
Time to grill! Brush your BBQ with oil and preheat to medium. Pick up each piece of chicken, letting the extra marinade drip off. Pop them on the grill and cook for 4 minutes, until beautifully caramelized. Turn the chicken, brush generously with your glaze, and cook for another 4 minutes. Flip, glaze again, and repeat—we're going for sticky perfection! Once cooked, remove the chicken and let it rest for 3 minutes before serving. Perhaps the marinade could use some brown sugar as found in a sticky toffee pudding recipe for enhanced sweetness.
Recipe Notes
As you plunge into this Sticky Glazed Christmas Chicken recipe, I want to share a few essential notes to guarantee your dish turns out as amazing as possible!
First, let's talk chicken – boneless thighs work best 'cause they caramelize perfectly. Bone-in pieces might take too long, and the glaze could get too dark! Breast works too, just pound it to an even thickness!
Now, about the marinade/glaze. Feel free to swap things out! Ketchup? Try Aussie tomato sauce. Brown sugar? White sugar or honey works! Just don't use dark soy sauce; it's way too intense!
Worcestershire sauce not your thing? Add a dash of black pepper and extra of everything else! A pinch of herbs or some hot sauce can add a fun twist, too. Experiment and make it your own!
Nutritional Information
If you are curious about the nutrition in this Sticky Glazed Christmas Chicken, I've got all the deets for you! We're talkin' about calories, carbs, protein, and all that good stuff.
Each serving packs around 297 calories. Not bad, right? You'll also find 14 grams of carbs—fuel for all those Christmas carols! Protein? A whopping 35 grams! That's gonna keep you going!
Now, about fat—there are 11 grams. And I'll tell you there are 2 grams of saturated fat! Cholesterol clocks in at 166 mg – keepin' it real! We've got 743 mg of sodium and 528 mg of potassium.
Don't worry, I won't bore you with everything! There are also 12 grams of sugar! Little bit of Vitamins A(119 IU) & C (1 mg), and some calcium (26 mg) and iron (2 mg) inside!
Short Recipe Version
Sticky Glazed Christmas Chicken
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serving size: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
- Place chicken in a roasting pan.
- Pour glaze over chicken, ensuring it is evenly coated.
- Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), basting with glaze every 15 minutes.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated):
- Calories: 450
- Protein: 45g
- Fat: 25g
- Carbohydrates: 15g