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Garlic brown sugar chicken thighs cooked in a skillet with a dark, glossy sauce, garnished with sliced green onions. The dish sits on a red and white patterned cloth.
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Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are browned and then cooked in a sweet mixture of brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and spices. The chicken is tender and juicy, with a great sauce perfect for serving on a bed of white rice!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 chicken thighs
Calories: 442kcal
Author: Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients

  • 6 large bone-in skin-on chicken thighs bone-in skin-on
  • salt and ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup salted butter
  • ¼ cup minced garlic
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ cup diced green onions
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
  • Melt the butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is foaming.
  • Add the chicken thighs into the pan, skin-side down.
  • Sear, not moving the chicken, until browned and the skin releases from the pan.
  • Remove the chicken to a plate. Drain all but one tablespoon of the butter and grease in the pan and return to the stove.
  • Add the garlic to the still hot pan and sauté until fragrant and browned, around 1 minute.
  • Deglaze the pan by pouring in a small amount of the chicken broth scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
  • In a large liquid measuring cup, mix the sugar, remaining chicken broth, soy sauce and spices. Place the chicken thighs back into the pan. Pour the remaining sauce mixture over top of the chicken thighs.
  • Cook in the preheated oven until the chicken is cooked and an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 185°F.
  • Remove from the oven and plate the chicken.
  • If you want to thicken the sauce. whisk the cornstarch into the water, then whisk into the sauce in the bottom of the pan. Cook on the stove for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
  • Drizzle the extra sauce over the chicken thighs when serving.

Notes

  • If you substitute boneless chicken thighs, they will cook faster than the ones with the bones in.  Always use an instant-read thermometer for gauging when the chicken is cooked properly.

Nutrition

Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 770mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 372IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg