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Sticky Chicken

No more cries of “not chicken again!” after trying this fun to prepare, family-friendly dish. MPM has been making this chicken for years, always experimenting with the ingredients until satisfied that true “Sticky Gooey Goodness” was achieved. See if you don’t agree.
Servings: 4 to 6
Author: Linda Shapiro, © Meal Planning Maven

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 1/3 cup 100% apricot preserves
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or natural honey
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • Salt and pepper optional
  • 8 chicken wings
  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 4 chicken drumsticks
  • Olive oil spray

Instructions

  • Marinade: combine all ingredients in a non-metal baking dish. Add chicken; turn to cover with marinade. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Chicken: Lightly coat a large baking dish with olive oil spray. Arrange chicken pieces in pan; pour marinade over. Bake for about 45 minutes, basting occasionally. Chicken is done when cooked through and juices run clear when pricked with a fork. (or 165 degrees F.) Remove chicken from oven.
  • To Make Sticky Sauce: Pour juices from cooked chicken into a small pot. Cook over high heat (mixture should be boiling) until sauce is reduced by half, coats the back of a spoon and thickens into a syrupy consistency. (usually takes 8 to 10 minutes) Brush 1/2 of the sauce over chicken, coating all sides thoroughly. Broil for just a few minutes until sauce caramelizes and chicken skin starts to crisp. Turn chicken pieces over; repeat process with remaining sauce.

Notes

Make Ahead and Storage Tips: chicken may be marinated (in fact it’s preferable) up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate until baking time. Cooked chicken may be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen, tightly covered, for up to 4 months. Reheat chicken at 325 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until heated through.
The secret to achieving a truly STICKY sauce is to be patient while the sauce reduces as specified above. If the sauce is not sufficiently thickened and caramelized, it won’t be able to convert into sticky-sweet goodness! If you like a “saucier” chicken, double the marinade.
Feel free to use any chicken parts you desire. “Drumettes” are fun and less messy to eat as the wing tips are already removed.
Sticky Chicken is delish with Crunchy Quinoa