Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken: Sweet & Juicy [Recipe] (2024)

Succulent, juicy, and a perfect combination of sweet and savory, brown sugar glazed chicken will seduce you and tease your palate in ways you could never imagine. Each bite is as unique as the first, continuously surprising you with new and undiscovered flavors you will want to explore.

The incredibly seductive exterior of the chicken breast will immediately catch your attention only to lead you up to thoroughly enjoying this decadent meal.

The best thing about this sweet and savory delight is how easy it is to make. Looking at it and tasting it, one would certainly think that there’s a lot of skill and technique involved. To your pleasant surprise, the work you need to invest for this dish is vastly disproportional to what you are getting, and you are getting a symphony of flavors in virtually no time.

In the following paragraphs, I will describe and explain the ingredients for this dish, what to serve it with and how to store it so you can make the most of it.

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Ingredients

As the name itself already reveals, you will need brown sugar and chicken breast. The other ingredients you will need are soy sauce, chicken broth, and, of course, garlic.

Depending on how many people you are feeding, the quantities will vary, but one of the things that make this recipe so great is that you can play the ingredients by ear.

The standard rule of thumb says that you need one chicken breast per person. The quantity of the rest of the ingredients is totally up to you, and feel free to adjust them as you go along.

Brown Sugar

Brown sugar has an established culinary use primarily for its caramelizing features. It acts as a bonding agent and ties everything together. Because of its sweet taste and excellent melting properties, it is widely used as a bridge connecting opposing tastes.

In this recipe, brown sugar is a part of the marinade where we are going to be soaking the chicken breast.

Chicken Breast

Known as one of the best sources of protein and one of the cleanest and leanest types of meat, there’s no need to explain the nutritional value the chicken beast has to offer.

In terms of taste, chicken breast is widely used in many dishes, as it acts like a sponge sucking and integrating all the surrounding tastes. Naturally, the chicken breast is neutral-tasting and odorless, so it is a perfect canvas on which to paint your culinary picture.

It found its place in this recipe because it is tender meat and an excellent ingredient to combine with whatever you set your mind to.

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Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is a culinary magic potion. You can use it with everything, starting from something as simple as fried eggs or something as demanding as seafood risotto.

It has a mild but noticeable sweetness, and it goes perfectly with brown sugar. Both ingredients are highly compatible and make the best marinades imaginable.

Chicken Broth

Whenever you need to make your dish less thick, whereby you don’t want to use plain water and dilute the flavors, chicken broth is your go-to solution.

It is obvious that chicken broth goes best with chicken meat, breast, drums, and wings, but it may come as a surprise that chicken broth perfectly mashes with pork and lamb also.

As part of our marinade for this recipe, it will even out the thickness of brown sugar and bring out the soy sauce flavor.

Garlic

No dish is complete without garlic. It is one of the best seasoning spices and an excellent addition to many dishes and salads. The garlic in this recipe has the task of intensifying all other flavors, penetrating deeply into the chicken breast and infusing it with deliciousness.

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Jump to Recipe

What to Serve with Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken?

Brown sugar glazed chicken goes with a number of sides. You can serve it with a fresh green or vegetable salad, French fries, roasted vegetables, mushrooms, steamed vegetables, vegetable risotto, or grilled cheese.

You can pair it with different types of bread, such as cornbread, focaccia, or cottage bread.

How to Store Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken? How Long It Lasts?

The best way to store brown sugar glazed chicken is to keep it in an airtight container on the top shelf of your fridge. If you don’t have airtight containers, improvise, but make sure you prevent air from penetrating the container as much as possible. In the fridge, your brown sugar glazed chicken should be good for up to four days.

In the freezer, I could last for up to a month, provided that you store it in a freezer baggie and then place it in a plastic, preferably airtight, container.

On the counter, your brown sugar glazed chicken could survive for no longer than a few hours at room temperature.

How to Make Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken Breasts?

Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken: Sweet & Juicy [Recipe] (4)

Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken

Author: Laura Bais

In this recipe, I used chicken breasts, but you can also use other cuts of chicken meat. For example, you can use chicken tights and make yourself brown sugar glazed chicken tights.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2 people

Calories 647 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pieces Chicken Breasts
  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1,5 cup Chicken Broth
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Flour
  • 1/4 cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • Salt, pepper, Cayenne pepper to taste.
  • Olive oil for frying the chicken breasts and sautéing the garlic.

Instructions

  • Season the chicken breasts using salt, pepper, Cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Do this preferably the day before, but it will be good even if you do it right before baking.

  • Prepare a grill pan or something similar and warm 1-2 tbsp of oil in it. Fry the chicken in the pan for two minutes on each side, then set it aside.

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  • Saute for a few minutes grated garlic in the same oil where you were baking the chicken breasts.

  • In one bowl, mix half of the chicken broth and soy sauce.

  • In another bowl, mix the rest of the chicken broth with flour.

  • Chicken broth and soy sauce mixture pour over garlic and wait until it's warm. Now add brown sugar.

  • When it starts to boil, add flour and broth mixture and cook for a few minutes while constantly stirring. It should thicken a little bit.

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  • After a few minutes of cooking, turn off the heat and pour the mixture over the chicken breasts. Place inside some vegetables if you want.

  • Bake the dish like that at 400 °F for 35 minutes.

  • When it's done, wait for a few minutes before serving and slicing it. This way, you will make sure that chicken breasts will stay juicy.

    Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken: Sweet & Juicy [Recipe] (7)

Notes

The best way to store brown sugar glazed chicken is to keep it in an airtight container on the top shelf of your fridge, and use it within four days.

Nutrition

Calories: 647kcal

Keyword brown sugar glaze, chicken

Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.

Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken: Sweet & Juicy [Recipe] (2024)

FAQs

What makes chicken more juicy? ›

Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook. The simplest way to do this is with a dry brine — unwrap the chicken breasts, salt them on both sides and let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

How to make chicken breast juicy after cooking? ›

Rest. Lastly, let the meat rest before serving! Cover the chicken breast in foil to hold in moisture and let it rest for at least five minutes. The resting time allows the juices to distribute themselves throughout the meat, making it easier to slice later.

What can I use brown sugar for? ›

Brown sugar is sometimes also used as an ingredient in Asian or barbecue sauces, meat marinades, as a natural sweetener topping dishes like oatmeal, and as a substitute for sugar cubes or packets in hot beverages like coffee or black tea.

What is the secret to the juiciest chicken? ›

Because chicken isn't a very fatty cut of meat, you'll want to add some fat to keep the meat hydrated. Most recipes use butter or oil for cooking chicken, but mayo is the better fat option when it comes to producing juicy chicken.

Does soaking chicken in water make it juicy? ›

The process of soaking the meat in salted water causes the chicken to absorb some of the water through osmosis, making it moister when cooked. You can also work with dry brines, which lead to crispy skin and keep the natural moisture in the bird without the hassle of a wet brine.

What is the secret to cooking chicken? ›

Never cook it cold. By allowing chicken breast to come to room temperature, you'll ensure it cooks more evenly once it hits the pan. Plus, by opting for skin-on chicken instead of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you'll get a more flavorful dish with more texture and moisture.

How to make old chicken juicy? ›

You can do this by marinating the cooked chicken in a sauce or broth for a while. This can help rehydrate the meat and add some flavor. Just be careful not to over-marinate, as the chicken could become mushy. Steam: Reheating the chicken with steam can help add moisture back into t.

Is it better to bake chicken at 350 or 400? ›

A 4-ounce chicken breast should be roasted at 350°F (177˚C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Knowing how to properly prepare chicken can keep you safe and well-fed.

Why is my chicken breast so hard after cooking? ›

Cooking meat covers a spectrum of textures, colors, flavors and, of course, temperatures. As you go higher in temperature, the proteins shrink, moisture is pushed out, and the meat turns stiff and dry. All those things are especially unpleasant, and easy to do, with chicken breasts.

How do you get the most flavor out of chicken breast? ›

Marinate them.

If you're cooking chicken breasts without skin or fat, infuse them with some extra flavor and liquid to keep them tender. Choose your favorite marinade and throw them in a ziploc bag with the marinade. Marinate them overnight before grilling, baking, or searing. The difference is uncanny.

What makes brown sugar better? ›

Prevents Low Blood Sugar Levels- Brown sugar provides quick energy like any other sugar. It can raise blood glucose levels and helps to prevent low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Good for digestion: Brown sugar is also suitable for digestion, as molasses promotes a healthy digestive system and bowel movements.

What happens if you only use brown sugar? ›

When we use only brown sugar in a cookie recipe, the resulting cookies will be chewier, since they contain more moisture from the molasses. Also, we'll have a puffier and softer cookies, because molasses is acidic and reacts with baking soda to make them puff up in the oven more.

How much brown sugar is too much? ›

An adult who eats 2,000 calories a day shouldn't consume more than 200 calories (about 12 teaspoons, or 48 grams of sugar) from added sugars. Consumption of too many added sugars in the diet can contribute to health problems such as weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Why is my chicken always dry? ›

The Role of Temperature and Cooking Time

When you cook chicken at a high temperature, the muscle fibers of the chicken contract rapidly, causing moisture loss. However, if you cook your chicken too low and slow, the fibers will break down, resulting in a mushy, dry texture.

How can I improve the texture of my chicken? ›

Use a marinade

If you're accustomed to white chicken meat having a bland flavor, you should try soaking it in a marinade. Use an acid like vinegar to make the breast more tender. Then add salt and various aromatic herbs and spices to mingle their distinctive tastes.

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