Caramelized Brown Sugar Pineapple Baked Chicken Recipe (9 Ingredients) by Donna John

Baked chicken thighs show up on my dinner table at least once a week. There's nothing like a juicy chicken thigh on your plate. Chicken wings are another favorite of mine. When I ran across a recipe for glazed chicken wings that sounded delicious, I wondered why I couldn't use the glaze on chicken thighs instead. Success! These sticky brown sugar pineapple baked chicken thighs are sweet, savory, sticky, caramelized and hard to stop eating.

To make this glazed baked chicken recipe you will need just a few simple ingredients from your fridge and pantry. Here is your shopping list for this high-protein recipe: bone-in chicken thighs, pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free dinner), ketchup, apple cider vinegar, fresh garlic, ground ginger and cornstarch. If you want some spice, grab a jar of crushed red pepper flakes. (Check out the health benefits of protein.)

The chicken thighs are baked first before being coated in the sweet, sticky pineapple glaze. Another quick trip back into the oven results in caramelized chicken thighs full of flavor and oh, so juicy. The sauce is enough for up to eight pieces of chicken. If you use less, no worries because the sauce is fantastic and you can drizzle it over the chicken once plated. 

Serve these baked chicken thighs for dinner with your favorite side dishes. I served mine with broccoli and a salad. Next time I will definitely have rice or quinoa underneath the chicken to soak up the savory sauce.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 - 8 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (I used low-sodium soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Optional Ingredients

• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put the chicken into a baking dish. Season both sides with a little salt and black pepper. Bake in a preheated 375-degree F oven for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked through. (Time will depend on number and size of chicken thighs. Chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F internal temperature on a food thermometer.)
   
2. Put the pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, garlic and ground ginger into a saucepot. Add crushed red chili flakes, to taste, if using. Bring to a simmer. (For a gluten-free dinner, use tamari.)
   
3. Whisk in the cornstarch and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes or until it thickens up. Turn off the heat. (There is enough sauce for up to eight pieces of chicken.)
   
4. Remove the chicken from the oven.
   
5. Pour the sauce over the chicken, ensuring it is completely covered.
   
6. Put it back in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce gets thick and sticky on the chicken. (You can baste occasionally with the sauce or give the chicken flips in the sauce with tongs, if desired, as it cooks.)
   
7. Remove from the oven. Let the chicken cool a few minutes before serving. (Because of the sugar in the sauce, the chicken is very hot coming out of the oven.) Store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
   

Nutritional information for this recipe includes the full amount of the marinade ingredients. Depending on marinating time, ingredients, cook time, etc., the actual amount of the marinade consumed will vary.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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