Sticky Maple Apple Chicken (Print View)

Juicy chicken thighs baked under a sticky maple-apple glaze, offering sweet and tangy notes.

# Components:

→ Poultry

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2.5 lbs)

→ Maple-Apple Glaze

02 - 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
03 - 1/3 cup apple cider or unsweetened apple juice
04 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
05 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
09 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Apples

12 - 2 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and sliced into wedges

→ Garnish (optional)

13 - Fresh thyme sprigs

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
03 - Whisk together maple syrup, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
04 - Place chicken thighs skin-side up in the prepared dish and nestle apple wedges around them.
05 - Pour the maple-apple glaze evenly over chicken and apples, turning chicken once to coat thoroughly.
06 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, basting once or twice with pan juices, until chicken is golden, sticky, and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
07 - For extra caramelization, broil on high for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs if desired before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy while the skin gets golden and sticky, no dry meat nightmares.
  • The maple-apple glaze creates this perfect sweet-tart balance that tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • Ready and on the table in under an hour, which somehow feels like breaking the rules.
  • Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so no scrambling for substitutes if that matters at your table.
02 -
  • Wet chicken will never crisp properly—those paper towels aren't optional, they're essential.
  • Basting twice during cooking isn't busywork; it's what transforms the glaze from thin syrup into something thick and clingy that actually sticks to the meat.
  • The glaze will thicken as it cools, so don't panic if it looks thin when you pull it from the oven.
03 -
  • Make the glaze while the oven preheats so you're not scrambling—mise en place isn't fancy, it's smart.
  • If your apples are getting too dark before the chicken is done, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  • Room-temperature glaze coats better than cold glaze, so don't make it ahead and refrigerate unless you warm it gently before using.
Return