Glazed Chicken Thighs

If you ask me, sweet and savory glazes are one of the best things you can do to chicken.

This weeknight-friendly dish takes chicken thighs and coats them in a sticky apricot glaze that’s got a nice balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy. The jam caramelizes as it cooks, creating a golden coating that clings to the crispy skin.

It’s all about that glaze—apricot jam mixed with rice vinegar, soy sauce, fresh ginger, and a touch of chili flakes for a little kick. The chicken gets seared in a hot skillet until the skin is nice and crispy, then everything comes together with that glossy sauce.

Serve it over a bed of jasmine rice with a sprinkle of cilantro, and you’ve got yourself a dinner that feels special but doesn’t take all night to make.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

This recipe calls for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, which are my top choice because they stay juicy and flavorful even if you accidentally overcook them a bit. If you can only find boneless, skinless thighs, they’ll work too, but you’ll want to watch the cooking time more carefully since they can dry out faster. You can usually find chicken thighs in the meat section of any grocery store, and they’re often more budget-friendly than chicken breasts. When shopping, look for thighs that are similar in size so they cook evenly, and don’t worry if they have a little extra fat on them – that just adds more flavor to your glaze.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some easy substitutions:

• Apricot preserves: If you don’t have apricot preserves, peach or orange marmalade work great as alternatives. You could also try pineapple preserves for a tropical twist.
• Rice vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar can step in for rice vinegar. Start with a bit less since they can be slightly more acidic, then adjust to taste.
• Fresh ginger: In a pinch, use 1 teaspoon of ground ginger instead of fresh. It won’t have quite the same zing, but it’ll still give you that warm ginger flavor.
• Chicken thighs: Bone-in, skin-on thighs are ideal here because they stay moist and flavorful, but you can use boneless skinless thighs if that’s what you have. Just reduce the cooking time by about 10 minutes to avoid drying them out.
• Cilantro: Not a cilantro fan? Fresh parsley or sliced green onions make nice garnishes instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this dish is skipping the step of patting your chicken thighs completely dry before seasoning – any moisture on the skin will prevent it from getting crispy and golden in the skillet.

Another common error is adding the apricot glaze too early, which can cause the sugars in the preserves to burn before the chicken is fully cooked through, so make sure to sear the skin first and only add the sauce right before transferring to the oven.

Don’t be tempted to flip the chicken more than once during the stovetop cooking – let it sit undisturbed for those 6-8 minutes to develop a proper crust, and use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness rather than cutting into the meat, which releases all those flavorful juices.

For an extra layer of flavor, try reducing the leftover pan sauce on the stovetop for a minute or two after removing the chicken, which concentrates the glaze and makes it even better for drizzling over your rice.

What to Serve With Apricot Glazed Chicken?

This sweet and tangy chicken pairs perfectly with fluffy white or jasmine rice, which soaks up all that delicious apricot glaze. I love adding some steamed broccoli or snap peas on the side to balance out the sweetness of the dish. A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing also works great here, or you could go with some roasted vegetables like carrots or bell peppers. If you want to keep things easy, a bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables heated up in a pan does the trick too.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep leftover apricot glazed chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The glaze actually gets even better as it sits, soaking into the chicken overnight. I like to store it with the rice on the side so it doesn’t get too soggy.

Freeze: This chicken freezes really well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe container with the glaze. I usually freeze individual portions so I can grab just what I need for a quick dinner later.

Reheat: Warm the chicken in the oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes until heated through, or microwave on medium power for 2-3 minutes. If you’re reheating from frozen, let it thaw in the fridge overnight first for the best results.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1750-1900
• Protein: 110-120 g
• Fat: 100-115 g
• Carbohydrates: 100-115 g

Ingredients

For the apricot glaze:

• 3/4 cup apricot jam
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp ginger (freshly grated)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

For the chicken:

• 2 lb chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey

For serving:

• 1/4 cup cilantro (roughly chopped)
• Cooked jasmine or white rice

Step 1: Prepare the Apricot Glaze

• 3/4 cup apricot jam
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the apricot jam, rice vinegar, soy sauce, freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, chili flakes, and toasted sesame oil until smooth and well combined.

This glaze can be made while you prepare the chicken, so set it aside until ready to use.

Step 2: Season and Sear the Chicken

• 2 lb chicken thighs
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels—this is crucial for getting crispy skin—then season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then carefully place the chicken skin-side down in the hot pan.

Let it cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy.

I like to let the chicken develop a deep golden color here because it adds so much flavor to the finished dish.

Step 3: Build the Glazed Chicken in the Oven

• apricot glaze from Step 1

Flip the chicken thighs skin-side up, then immediately pour the apricot glaze from Step 1 over the chicken, making sure to coat all the pieces evenly.

Transfer the skillet to the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when measured at the thickest part of the thigh.

The glaze will become sticky and caramelized as the chicken finishes cooking, creating a beautiful glossy coating.

Step 4: Finish and Serve

• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• Cooked jasmine or white rice

Remove the skillet from the oven and drizzle the honey over the chicken and sauce—I find this adds a subtle extra depth to the glaze and creates a more luxurious finish.

Scatter the roughly chopped cilantro over the chicken just before serving for freshness and color.

Divide the cooked jasmine or white rice among serving bowls or plates, top with the glazed chicken thighs, and spoon the pan sauce generously over everything.

Glazed Chicken Thighs

Delicious Glazed Chicken Thighs recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 1825

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the apricot glaze:

• 3/4 cup apricot jam
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp ginger (freshly grated)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

For the chicken:

• 2 lb chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey

For serving:

• 1/4 cup cilantro (roughly chopped)
• Cooked jasmine or white rice

Method

 

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the apricot jam, rice vinegar, soy sauce, freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, chili flakes, and toasted sesame oil until smooth and well combined. This glaze can be made while you prepare the chicken, so set it aside until ready to use.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels—this is crucial for getting crispy skin—then season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then carefully place the chicken skin-side down in the hot pan. Let it cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. I like to let the chicken develop a deep golden color here because it adds so much flavor to the finished dish.
3. Flip the chicken thighs skin-side up, then immediately pour the apricot glaze from Step 1 over the chicken, making sure to coat all the pieces evenly. Transfer the skillet to the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when measured at the thickest part of the thigh. The glaze will become sticky and caramelized as the chicken finishes cooking, creating a beautiful glossy coating.
4. Remove the skillet from the oven and drizzle the honey over the chicken and sauce—I find this adds a subtle extra depth to the glaze and creates a more luxurious finish. Scatter the roughly chopped cilantro over the chicken just before serving for freshness and color. Divide the cooked jasmine or white rice among serving bowls or plates, top with the glazed chicken thighs, and spoon the pan sauce generously over everything.