Sticky Maple Apple Chicken (Print)

Juicy chicken thighs glazed with sweet maple and apple flavors, baked to golden perfection.

# What You'll 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 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
05 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Apples

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

→ Garnish (optional)

13 - Fresh thyme sprigs

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and prepare a large baking dish or rimmed sheet by lining with parchment or lightly greasing.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry and season both sides lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk maple syrup, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until combined.
04 - Place chicken thighs skin-side up in the baking dish and nestle apple wedges evenly around them.
05 - Pour glaze evenly over 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 reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and has a golden, sticky finish.
07 - Optional: Broil on high for 2 to 3 minutes for extra caramelization, watching carefully to avoid burning.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy while the glaze turns glossy and caramelized in the oven.
  • The balance of sweet maple, tart apple cider, and sharp mustard means every bite tastes complex, not cloying.
  • It's genuinely easy—one bowl for the glaze, one pan for everything, and you're done in under an hour.
02 -
  • Baste the chicken halfway through cooking—those pan juices are doing the heavy lifting, turning the glaze sticky and keeping the apples from drying out.
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry; wet skin will steam instead of crisping, and you lose half the appeal of this dish.
  • If your apples are very large, halve the wedges so they cook through in the same time as the chicken.
03 -
  • For a smokier edge, add a pinch of chipotle powder to the glaze—it sounds bold but it whispers rather than shouts, making everything taste deeper.
  • If your apples are browning too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil for the first 15 minutes, then uncover to let the glaze caramelize.
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