Sticky Spicy Chili Jam Chicken (Printer-Friendly)

Tender chicken thighs with a spicy-sweet chili jam glaze, ideal for quick, flavorful dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.6 lbs)

→ Glaze

02 - 1/3 cup chili jam
03 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
04 - 1 tablespoon honey
05 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 clove garlic, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Garnish

08 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
09 - 1 red chili, thinly sliced
10 - Fresh cilantro leaves
11 - Toasted sesame seeds

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and arrange them skin-side up on the prepared tray. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the chili jam, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, garlic, and ginger until smooth.
04 - Brush a generous layer of the chili jam glaze over each chicken thigh, reserving about one-third of the glaze for later basting.
05 - Roast the chicken in the oven for 30 minutes.
06 - Remove the tray from the oven. Brush the remaining glaze over the chicken thighs.
07 - Return to the oven and roast for an additional 5 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F and the glaze is caramelized and sticky.
08 - Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with spring onions, chili slices, cilantro, and sesame seeds if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The glaze gets sticky and caramelized while the chicken skin stays crispy—it's honestly the best of both worlds.
  • Everything comes together in under an hour, which means you can actually make this on a weeknight without losing your mind.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken thighs—moisture is the enemy of crispy skin, and that's where half the pleasure comes from.
  • The glaze will look thin at first, but it thickens as the chicken roasts and reduces, so trust the process and don't add more honey.
03 -
  • Invest in an instant-read thermometer—it removes all the guesswork and prevents dry chicken, which ruins everything.
  • If your glaze starts looking too dark before the chicken is cooked through, tent the tray loosely with foil and let it finish cooking gently.
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