Quick glaze transforms weeknight chicken
A beautifully glazed, golden-brown whole chicken may taste as good as it looks, but it’s tricky to execute
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.It’s hard to resist the allure of a roasted chicken lacquered with a glistening glaze. It’s even harder to nail the recipe. And the challenge is the very ingredient that makes the chicken so attractive — the sugar.
Most glazes contain plenty of sugar. And during roasting, that sugar caramelizes to add deep sweet-savory notes to the meat and intensify browning. Trouble is, many glazes drip off during cooking, creating a sticky, scorched mess on your pan and leaving the chicken looking limp.
So for this recipe from our book “COOKish,” we pivoted, applying a deliciously sweet, savory and spicy glaze to skin-on chicken thighs only after the meat finishes roasting in the oven. Pop the bird under the broiler for another few minutes and it emerges beautifully caramelized without the risk of the glaze slipping off.
For this simple, stir-together glaze, either apricot or peach preserves work well — whichever you prefer or have on hand. Apple cider vinegar brings out the acidity in the preserves, and the mild heat from a jalapeno helps to balance the richness of the chicken. Extra glaze does double duty as a dipping sauce, to which we add more cider vinegar for bright contrast.
A dusting of earthy cumin on the chicken before roasting helps ground the flavors and balance the brighter sweetness of the preserves. The result: bold flavors with only a handful of ingredients and 15 minutes of active work.
For easy cleanup, line the baking sheet with foil before setting the wire rack on top. An herbed grain pilaf or steamed basmati rice is a perfect accompaniment.
JALAPENO-APRICOT GLAZED CHICKEN THIGHS
Start to finish: 50 minutes (15 minutes active)
Servings: 4
2 tablespoons ground cumin
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
½ cup apricot preserves OR peach preserves
3 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
1 jalapeño chili OR 2 Fresno chilies, stemmed and sliced into thin rounds
Heat the oven to 450°F. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Stir together the cumin, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; use to season the chicken on all sides. Place the chicken thighs skin side up on the rack. Roast on the middle rack until they reach 175°F, about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the preserves, 2 tablespoons vinegar and the jalapeño. Once the chicken is cooked through, brush it with some of the mixture. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar into the remaining preserves mixture and serve with the chicken.
—-
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milkstreet.com/ap