Baked Balsamic Chicken
Juicy chicken baked in a glossy balsamic glaze that requires no marinating. The sauce caramelises beautifully in the oven, coating the chicken with a sticky, sweet, tangy flavour. A simple preparation that delivers an impressive result, perfect for family dinners or casual entertaining. This dish is easy to prepare, reheats beautifully, and is versatile with different cuts like thighs, drumsticks, or wings.
| Cuisine | Western |
| Category | Chicken |
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 50 minutes |
| Total Time | 55 minutes |
| Servings | 5 servings |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Published | 8/16/2025 |
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 180C / 350F.
- 2
Line a baking dish with foil and baking paper to make cleanup easier.
- 3
Combine balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and garlic in a bowl to make the sauce.
- 4
Place chicken into the baking dish, skin side down for thighs and wings. Ensure pieces are close together but not overcrowded (leave around 2.5–4 cm between pieces for proper sauce reduction).
- 5
Pour the sauce over the chicken. Bake for 30 minutes.
- 6
Turn chicken pieces skin side up, spoon sauce over, and bake for another 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened into a sticky glaze.
- 7
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon over extra sauce to finish.
Nutrition Information
| Calories | 475 |
| Protein | 36g |
| Carbohydrates | 26g |
| Total Fat | 24g |
| Saturated Fat | 7g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 150mg |
| Sodium | 690mg |
| Potassium | 450mg |
| Fiber | 0g |
| Sugar | 22g |
| Vitamin A | 120IU |
| Vitamin C | 2mg |
| Calcium | 40mg |
| Iron | 2mg |
Recipe Notes
Chicken – Works best with bone-in thighs, drumsticks, or wings. Skin is essential for the glaze to stick properly. If using frozen chicken, thaw completely and pat dry to prevent excess liquid, which would thin the sauce.
Breast – Not recommended for this version as it lacks fat. If using breast, double the sauce, simmer it in a pan until it reduces by half into a thick balsamic reduction, then spoon over cooked chicken breast.
Brown sugar – Measure loosely packed. Do not compress into the measuring cup, or the sweetness will be overpowering (30% more sugar if packed).
Scaling – Use an appropriate baking dish size when increasing or reducing portions. Too little space prevents sauce reduction; too much space causes it to burn or dry out.
Marinating – Not necessary as the sauce has a concentrated flavour. However, chicken can be marinated up to 24 hours or frozen with the sauce for convenient make-ahead prep.
Make ahead / Storing – Leftovers keep up to 3 days in the fridge and reheat well in the microwave. Oven reheating may burn glaze. Cooked chicken also freezes well. Marinated raw chicken with sauce may also be frozen for later use.
Serving ideas – Excellent with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, steamed greens, or over rice to soak up the glaze.
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