These delicious and easy One-Pan Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs are the perfect weeknight meal. One pan and about 30 minutes!
This Balsamic Chicken is one that is in regular rotation here. It’s one-pan easy, ready in 30 minutes and always delicious! And everyone loves it. Always a good thing :)
I love to make it with bone-in/skin-on chicken thighs, but this sauce is lovely with any kind of chicken. Using skin-on thighs delivers that crispy skin and moist chicken that always makes for a nice meal though.
Cook’s Notes for One-Pan Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs
You’ll want to be sure to cook your chicken thighs when they are skin-side down until they are deep golden. This will probably take 5-7 minutes. Then flip and cook the other side for an additional 3-4 minutes. This accomplishes a couple of things. First, it cooks off a lot of the fat, which you can then discard before you add the sauce and secondly, it makes for a lovely, crispy skin that is perfect for glazing.
Speaking of the crispy skin, I don’t flip the chicken once I add the sauce, so that the skin doesn’t get soggy. The sauce should come about 1/3-1/2 way up the side of the chicken, so it will cook the chicken just fine (and we did well cook the skin side when we seared it). I just spoon the sauce over-top of the skin a couple of times while it cooks. This will glaze it, but still keep it fairly crispy.
This sauce will work with any kind of chicken. If using bone-in chicken breasts though, your cooking time will be longer.
If your sauce is a little thin for your liking once your chicken is done, remove the chicken and thicken the sauce with a mixture of 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp cold water. Add it a bit at a time and cook briefly, stirring, until sauce is as thick as you’d like.
In case you’re wondering, those are pea shoots on top of the chicken. They are there for no reason other than my brown skillet of food needed some green and I was out of parsley :)
When it comes to adding small amounts of chicken broth to recipes, I love the ease of Better Than Bouillon. It comes in jars of concentrated broth base that you can mix up with warm water, as you need and in any amount that you need. Available in a ton of different varieties, low-sodium options and a no-chicken chicken base (if you’re cooking for vegetarians!).
This sauce is very gravy-like, so I like to serve it with mashed potatoes (try garlic mashed!). Add a green veg or a salad for a great meal.
Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs
A perfect weeknight meal, this dish is made in one pan and is ready in just about 30 minutes. Enjoy with mashed potatoes (try garlic mashed!) and a green vegetable for a great meal.
Ingredients
- 6 skin-on/bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp real maple syrup or substitute 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
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For the sauce: Stir together the chicken broth, balsamic, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Set aside.
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In a 10 to 12-inch skillet (large enough to hold all your chicken with a bit of space in between), heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken, skin-side down and cook until the skin is deep golden, about 5 minutes. Flip chicken over and cook the other side for 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and discard all but about a teaspoon or two of the fat in the pan.
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Return the pan to the burner and stir in the garlic slices. Cook, stirring, until just softened and fragrant, 30-40 seconds. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Return chicken to the pan, skin side up and allow to simmer 10-15 minutes, spooning some of the sauce overtop of the chicken a time or two, until chicken is cooked through. If sauce is not thick enough, you can stir in a mixture of 2 tsp cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens.
Recipe Notes
Be sure to check out the Cook's Notes in the post for more tips and tricks for making this recipe!
Love the maple syrup with balsamic combo – that must be a heavenly and complex flavor for sure. And of course we love chicken thighs too! This sounds great served over garlic mashed potatoes – moan-worthy and delicious!
Thanks Tricia and yes, the maple is really nice in this one. It sweetens it, but adds a nice extra note of flavour :)
The sheen on these gorgeous thighs is amazing, just scheduled to share on facebook!
Thanks Sue!
That glaze coupled with crispy skin is a gorgeous combination! Pinned!
Thanks Annie :)
Absolutely delicious! Chicken thighs are my favorite cut and the crispy skin is irresistible.
Thanks Milena! They are in regular rotation here, too :)
Your photos are totally making me drool today Jennifer! These sound just delicious. So tangy! Nothing beats a chicken thigh dinner!
Thanks Mary Ann :)
You had me at balsamic! Well, the whole one pan thing sounds pretty sweet too ;) I’m all over dishes like this and especially so since vinegar is included (HUGE fan). Delish Jennifer!
Thanks so much, Dawn :)
Love that I can always count on your great recipes! Served with buttered orzo and a green salad. Delicious!
So glad! :) Love the idea of buttered orzo with this. I’ll try that next time!
Sorry to be so long in commenting on this amazing recipe. I loved everything about it from the Cook’s Notes to the mashed potatoes and the new garnish providing that pop of colour and freshness. I can’t wait to share it with my family during our summer months at the cottage on Lake Muskoka.
Thanks so much, Susan and so glad you enjoyed it :) As I look out the window at mid-April snow, I’m dreaming of those Summer days on Lake Muskoka!