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Glazed Soy Sauce Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs

Glazed soy sauce brown sugar chicken thighs with a lacquered, deeply caramelized mahogany glaze that coats every surface. Bone-in, skin-on thighs are oven-baked and basted with a sticky soy-brown sugar marinade for a sweet, savory finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 510
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and marinade
  • 5 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Use 4–6 thighs.
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp ginger, grated
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 sesame seeds For garnish.
  • 1 sliced green onions For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, apple cider vinegar, ginger, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks glossy.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Marinate the chicken at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours, skin-side up if possible, so the thighs absorb the sweet soy mixture.
Bake and baste
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F, place the chicken skin-side up in a baking dish, and reserve the marinade.
  2. Bake for 20 minutes at 425F, then baste with the reserved marinade and bake 10–15 more minutes until caramelized and cooked through.
Caramelize and garnish
  1. Broil for 2–3 minutes to deepen the caramelization if desired, watching closely to prevent burning.
  2. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions right before serving.

Notes

For the stickiest glaze, baste during the second bake and broil briefly at the end just until the surface turns darker mahogany. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a lower-sugar option, reduce brown sugar by 1–2 tbsp and increase vinegar slightly to keep the flavor balanced.