Chili Jam Chicken Glaze (Printable version)

Roasted chicken thighs glazed with sticky, spicy chili jam for a flavorful sweet-heat finish.

# Needed ingredients:

→ 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

# How to make it:

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

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The glaze creates this glossy, caramelized exterior that cracks slightly when you bite into it, releasing all that sweet-heat magic.
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy while the skin gets crispy, no dry meat disasters here.
  • It comes together in under an hour from start to finish, making weeknight entertaining feel almost effortless.
02 -
  • Dry chicken is everything—wet skin will never crisp, so spend an extra 30 seconds with those paper towels or the result feels disappointingly steamed.
  • Reserve some glaze before the first coat; applying it at the end prevents the early layer from burning while guaranteeing that final caramelized exterior.
03 -
  • An instant-read thermometer removes all guesswork—stick it into the thickest part without touching bone, and 75°C means you're golden.
  • If your glaze starts looking too dark before the chicken's cooked through, tent with foil for the final minutes to let the meat finish without burning the surface.
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