Succulent baked balsamic chicken, loaded with flavor from a bold balsamic marinade with garlic, lemon juice, and herbs! Ready in just over 30 minutes.
Balsamic glazed chicken you’ll be making on repeat!
An easy, unassuming balsamic marinade takes your average baked chicken dinner to a new level of delicious!
This juicy, garlicky, appropriately sticky balsamic chicken recipe takes less than 10 minutes to prep. Once tossed in the quick marinade with balsamic glaze, garlic, lemon juice, and herbs, put it in the oven for 30 minutes or so.
I’m a big fan of chicken thighs for quick weeknight dinners; besides, it’s really hard to mess them up. Simply make a quick dry rub or toss them in a flavorful marinade with bold spices, and you have dinner!
If you prefer boneless chicken breasts in this recipe, that will work. You’ll want to adjust the cooking time to make sure the breasts don’t dry out (I’ll give you a few more tips on this later).
Ingredients for balsamic chicken marinade
There’s something decadent about food with a slight syrupy stickiness to them. What I love about this honey balsamic chicken is that it provides all that comfort without being overwhelmingly sweet. It is all thanks to a perfectly balanced balsamic marinade made of simple ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil – a generous amount of good extra virgin olive oil forms the base of this glazed balsamic chicken recipe.
- Balsamic glaze – the main flavor maker in this recipe. I used store-bought to save time, but you can also make your own (see my tips below)
- Tomato paste – adds a hint of tantalizing umami
- Honey – just a touch works with the balsamic glaze to add subtle sweetness to the dish
- Fresh lemon – lemon juice adds bright flavor and keeps the dish from tasting too sweet
- Fresh minced garlic – Don’t skimp on the garlic! It elevates the flavor of the sticky marinade.
- Fresh thyme
- Dried oregano
- Sweet paprika
What is balsamic glaze?
Balsamic glaze is also known as balsamic reduction, and it is simply balsamic vinegar simmered until reduced and thickens. Often times, a sweetening agent such as sugar or honey is added to enhance flavor and balance the tanginess of the vinegar.
Homemade balsamic glaze can be stored in the fridge (in a tightly closed mason jar) for 1 to 2 weeks, and you can use it on many things from your skillet zucchini to a delicious baked salmon.
How to make balsamic glaze from scratch
In this balsamic chicken thighs recipe, I took a shortcut and used store-bought balsamic glaze. But if you have some balsamic vinegar already in your pantry, you can make your own from scratch ahead of time. Here is how:
- Bring 1 cup balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons brown sugar to a boil in a saucepan.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool completely. This is important, because the reduction will thicken as it cools. Your balsamic glaze should be thick and pourable.
- Let cool before you store it in a tight-lid mason jar. Keep it in the fridge for later use (1 to 2 weeks)
How to make balsamic chicken
This honey balsamic chicken is a breeze to make. Here is my step-by-step guide to make it (printer-friendly version below):
- Make the balsamic marinade. Combine about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons balsamic glaze, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of honey, juice of 1 lemon in a big mixing bowl. Then add minced garlic (a good 5 cloves), thyme, dried oregano and sweet paprika and whisk (you should have a bit of a thick marinade with a syrupy consistency).
- Marinate the chicken. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper and toss it with the balsamic marinade. If you have the time, cover and refrigerate for a couple hours, otherwise, set it aside for a few minutes at room temp.
- Bake. Arrange the chicken in a baking dish or heat-safe skillet, and bake in a 425-degree F heated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a thermometer, inserted at the thickest part, registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Tips for success
- Marinate the chicken ahead of time. If you have time, allow the chicken thighs to sit in the balsamic marinade in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours. This will really amp up the flavor.
- Don’t skip the honey. Even though this recipe only calls for a teaspoon of honey, it does make a difference. Along with the balsamic glaze, it adds a subtle sweetness and balances the flavor.
- Use a meat thermometer to check whether your chicken thighs are done. Ovens do vary, so you’ll want to watch and decide when your chicken is ready. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part, the chicken is ready when the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F.
Serve it with
This balsamic glazed chicken is versatile and can be paired with a number of things including Italian roasted veggies, butternut squash, crispy fried burssels sprouts or baked zucchini. For a grain, you can try basmati rice or fluffy couscous.
Additional FAQs for this balsamic chicken recipe
Yes, but chicken breasts cook faster than thighs, and they are prone to drying out. A perk of using breasts instead of thighs though is that chicken breasts typically absorb flavor from marinades better. For best results, use chicken breasts that are similar in thickness. To do this, lightly pound each breast with a meat mallet (like I do in my Italian baked chicken breast recipe). Chicken breasts baked at 425 degrees will take about 18 minutes or so to fully cook, and it does help to start the chicken covered in the oven for the first 10 minutes or so.
Yes. You can cook it on the stove over medium heat. You will have to turn the thighs while they cook to prevent the glaze from burning. I prefer baking the chicken because I can pop it into the oven and forget about it until it’s ready!
Leftover balsamic chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days.
More chicken recipes for you to try
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Skillet Garlic Dijon Chicken Recipe
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Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Dried Figs
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Moroccan-Inspired Chicken Couscous
Mediterranean Diet Recipes
Baked Chicken Thighs with Spiced Tomato Rub
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Easy Balsamic Chicken
Ingredients
Balsamic chicken marinade
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon balsamic glaze, store-bought is fine
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 lemon, juice of
- 4 to 5 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
For the chicken
- 8 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, (about 1 ½ pounds)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic glaze, tomato paste, honey and lemon juice. Add the garlic cloves, thyme, oregano and sweet paprika. Whisk again to combine.
- Pat the chicken dry and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides.
- Add the chicken to the mixing bowl and toss to coat with the balsamic marinade. Set aside briefly for a few minutes while you heat the oven (or if you have time, cover and refrigerate for a couple hours).
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees F and adjust a rack in the middle.
- Transfer the chicken to a baking dish or a heat-safe skillet. Bake on the center rack of the heated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through (internal temperature of cooked chicken should register 165 degrees F).
Video
Notes
- Marinate the chicken ahead of time. If you have time, allow the chicken thighs to sit in the balsamic marinade in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours. This will really amp up the flavor.
- Chicken Breast Option: For best results, use chicken breasts that are similar in thickness. To do this, lightly pound each breast with a meat mallet (like I do in my Italian baked chicken breast recipe). Chicken breasts baked at 425 degrees will take about 18 minutes or so to fully cook, and it does help to start the chicken covered in the oven for the first 10 minutes or so.
- Leftovers and Storage: Allow any cooked balsamic chicken to cool, then transfer to a tight-lid container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- Visit Our Shop for quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils and spices.
Adore your recipes. Is it possible for you to add if they are freezer friendly.
Made this last night and it was outstanding. I’m in Costa Rica now where the poultry is wonderful but cut up differently than I’m used to. I like to leave the bone in thighs so had to cut off the half back bone that came with the quarters. Used those to make really good stock. I had all the ingredients except for tomato paste! so used a tb of ketchup and omitted the honey. It was still Great! I have a question for another recipe. Where can I find sumac here in Costa Rica? AM Mercado in Tamarindo didn’t have any but did have Annatto Seed (Achiote) which I will try a small amount to substitute with a tsp of lemon juice. Help appreciated.
Thanks, Donna! I’m so glad this recipe was a hit. Unfortunately, I’m not sure where you’d be able to find sumac in Costa Rica. If it’s not something that’s locally available, you may need to see if you can purchase it online. We do sell it in our online shop, but unfortunately, we don’t ship internationally at the moment. I’m so sorry.
This was Amazing!
First off, I have never been a huge fan of chicken thighs. However, I had a package that I needed to do something with. (This recipe may have changed my mind). It was a weeknight and I needed something quick and easy. I had all of the ingredients available (well some dried spices and bottled lemon juice). It didn’t matter. I marinated the chicken for about 30 minutes, and I baked them in my cast iron skillet. Since the oven was on, I roasted some butternut squash and reheated some leftover rice. My spouse said this one is definitely a keeper.
Yay! So great to hear! Thanks, Pamela!
Can this be made without tomato paste or is there a substitute?
Hi, Michelle. You could omit it or use a bit of tomato puree as a substitute here. Enjoy!
How long can this marinate for? Is it ok if it’s marinates overnight?
Hi, Aly. It should be okay to marinade, covered in the fridge overnight. You don’t want to leave it too long, though, as the lemon juice in the marinade can affect the texture of the meat after a bit.
I just made this tonight and loved it! We barbecued it instead of baking in the oven. We did marinade it for 4 hours in the fridge.
Great to hear this turned out well on the grill! Thanks for sharing, Teri!
It had a great balance of sweet and savory. We really enjoyed it.
This was so good! I think some of you are missing where it says Balsalmic GLAZE, not just straight vinegar. That makes a huge difference on what your end result is. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
Not sure why people didn’t like it or why they thought the sauce was runny. I enjoyed it. Had a subtle sweetness. Thank you.
Woke up this morning thinking about how great the chicken dish turned out last night! To those who didn’t like the sauce, my last step might change your minds. I drizzled some of my stovetop balsamic reduction over the thighs and broiled the skin for the last 5 minutes. It was outstanding. Thank you for another beautiful dish!
Thanks for sharing, Tracy!!
The recipe was easy and it wasn’t inedible, hence the 2 stars. But I marinated and cooked per instructions and they have very little flavor. The sauce was very runny with an unappealing oily look. Back to the drawing board for a new chicken recipe.
Can you substitute pomegranate molasses for the balsamic?
Easy , quick and delicious
So good and so easy!
this was sooo good! definitely going to be a regular on our menu. had it with some broccoli and brown rice and it was an absolute hit with my family 🙂
Awesome! Thanks, Annika!
The chicken was moist and tender but the sauce never thickened and was
runny.