Sticky Maple Apple Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken thighs baked with a sweet and tangy maple-apple glaze for rich, comforting flavors.

# What You Need:

→ 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 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 - In a medium bowl, whisk together maple syrup, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until combined.
04 - Place chicken thighs skin-side up in the prepared baking dish and nestle apple wedges around the chicken.
05 - Pour the maple-apple glaze evenly over the chicken and apples, turning the chicken once to coat thoroughly.
06 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, basting once or twice with pan juices, until chicken is golden, sticky, and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
07 - For extra caramelization, broil on high for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
08 - Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The chicken skin gets impossibly sticky and caramelized while the meat stays juicy underneath, like you've discovered some secret that fancy restaurants keep to themselves.
  • Maple and apple belong together in a way that feels obvious once you taste it, but somehow most chicken recipes never get there.
  • Forty-five minutes start to finish means you can have something that tastes like you've been cooking all day, even on a Tuesday night.
02 -
  • The glaze needs to reduce and caramelize, not just bake, so basting matters more than you'd think; if you skip it, you'll have sticky chicken but not that deep, complex flavor.
  • Don't use skinless chicken thighs if you can help it because the skin is where this dish gets its texture and visual appeal, though boneless thighs work if you trim 5 to 8 minutes off the cooking time.
  • Maple syrup is not the same as maple-flavored corn syrup, and you'll taste the difference immediately; invest in the real thing for this one.
03 -
  • Basting is the difference between good and unforgettable, so set a timer at 15 minutes and don't be lazy about spooning those pan juices back over everything.
  • If you want to add smokiness, a pinch of chipotle powder in the glaze creates this mysterious warmth that makes people ask what they're tasting.
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