This balsamic glazed chicken thighs recipe gives you the best of both worlds—the hearty comforts of homemade food and the quality of a restaurant dish. It’s as simple as can be, requiring no more than 30 minutes to create a luscious and heavenly sweet chicken dish that you can enjoy on all occasions.
What Does Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs Taste Like?
This dish features chicken thighs coated in a balsamic glaze, otherwise known as balsamic reduction. It’s basically balsamic vinegar simmered until the consistency thickens and becomes syrupy. Occasionally, sweeteners like sugar or honey are also added to deepen the sweetness of the glaze.
The glaze evenly coats the thighs, making their interior delectably tender and juicy with an added lusciousness. Flavor-wise, it carries a mildly savory taste along with the signature rich and sweet-tart taste of balsamic vinegar, with the sweetness highly emphasized.
Is This Recipe Healthy?
Yes, it is.
Sticking to our nutrition guidelines, this dish keeps important dietary components within acceptable limits. More specifically, each serving contains around:
- 493 calories
- 4.7 g saturated fat
- 587 mg sodium
Moreover, with chicken thigh as the main ingredient, it’s loaded with complete protein. Chicken is also a good source of other essential nutrients, such as zinc, heme iron, choline, vitamins B6 and B12, etc. We also paired the chicken with a side of cherry tomatoes, potatoes, and green beans, so you can obtain a decent amount of fiber as well.
Ingredients You Will Need
Here is everything you’ll need to make this dish:
- Chicken: As the name suggests, this recipe uses chicken thighs. We went with the bone-in variety since the bone marrow will seep out during the cooking process, making the meat a lot more flavorful and succulent.
- Vegetables & Legumes: The chicken is served with a side of cherry tomatoes, mashed potatoes, and cooked green beans to make the dish more filling.
- Garlic: Garlic works as an amazing aromatic for this dish, giving it a subtle yet tantalizing flavor kick.
- Seasonings & Spices: Since the balsamic glaze’s taste is relatively strong, we kept it simple with the seasonings and spices. We went with the usual combo of salt and ground black pepper, along with a pinch of paprika to induce a subtle heat.
For the Glaze
- Balsamic: We used store-bought balsamic vinegar, which is more affordable and accessible, for this recipe. Feel free to use whichever brand and variety you have available.
- Honey: Balsamic vinegar is paired with honey to enhance the glaze’s sweetness as well as thicken its texture.
- Ketchup: We also added a small dollop of ketchup for a sweet and tangy aftertaste.
FAQ
1. Is balsamic glaze the same as balsamic vinegar?
No, it’s not. Balsamic glaze is made from a mixture of balsamic vinegar and other optional sweeteners. The mixture is reduced on medium heat until it becomes syrupy and velvety, meanwhile, the vinegar is liquidy and has a less concentrated flavor.
2. Can I substitute chicken breast in this recipe?
Yes, you can. In fact, this recipe works for just about any meat cut—the breasts, the drumsticks, the wings, etc.
How to Store and Reheat
These balsamic glazed chicken thighs can last up to 3 days when kept in airtight containers in the fridge. To reheat, give them a quick stir on the stovetop over medium heat.
What to Serve With
We already included a hefty side of vegetables and legumes in this dish, so the side dish doesn’t need to be too elaborate. Here are a few of our recommendations:
- Watermelon Salad
- Salad Mix
- Fresh Fruit Salad
- Beet And Feta Cheese Salad
- Healthy Watermelon Arugula Salad
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Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs Recipe
Whether it's a lavish feast or a casual weeknight dinner, this balsamic glazed chicken thighs recipe will undoubtedly make a perfect addition to your homemade meals.
- cook TIME 20 mins
- prep TIME 5 mins
- total TIME 25 mins
- COURSE Main Dish
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 493 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 20 oz skinless chicken thigh
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 26 oz potato (sliced into large cubes)
- 8 oz green bean (ends removed)
- 8 oz cherry tomato (halved)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)
- 3 tbsp Heinz ketchup
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 2 fl oz water
- 1/2 tsp salt (divided)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep:
Slice the potatoes: Peel off the skin, cut the potato crosswise into 1-inch slices, then cut the slices into large cubes.
Mince the garlic: Separate the cloves then thinly slice them. Rock the knife over the sliced pieces a few times until they are finely minced.
Chop the parsley: Remove the stems then gather the leaves and thinly slice them. Rock the knife over the sliced pile a few times until they are finely chopped.
Cook:
Make the balsamic mixture: In a small bowl, mix 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp Heinz ketchup, 2 fl oz water, and 1/2 tsp dried oregano.
Microwave the green beans: In a microwave-safe bowl, add 8 oz green bean, and cover it with cling wrap. Microwave for 4 minutes then run them through cold or lukewarm water to keep them crisp and green.
Microwave the potatoes: In a microwave-safe bowl, add 26 oz potato and cover it with cling wrap. Microwave for 10 minutes.
Season the chicken: Shallowly slice into 20 oz skinless chicken thighs to make small slits so the flesh can absorb the spice better. Dry rub 1 tsp paprika all over the chicken.
Pan-sear the chicken: In a pan over medium heat, pan-sear the seasoned chicken with 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil for 10 minutes until the outside is slightly charred.
Make the glaze: Add 1 tbsp minced garlic to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the balsamic mixture then cook for another 3 minutes until it starts to thicken.
Mash the potatoes: Once the potatoes are done microwaving, mash them with 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tbsp olive oil until creamy.
Garnish and serve: Transfer the chicken onto serving plates alongside the mashed potatoes, cooked green beans, and 8 oz cherry tomato. Garnish with 2 tbsp parsley and serve hot.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
- JosephineAbsolutely delicious! Garlic and thyme adds an extra layer of flavor that makes this dish truly irresistible.
- apriltFlavorful balsamic glazed chicken.