Your family will love these delicious Balsamic Chicken Thighs in a sweet and savoury, jammy glaze. Delicious & easy one pan chicken meal!
Want a mouthwatering midweek meal?
After a long and exhausting day, we desire a homemade meal that is both tasty, quick and easy to prepare. Dishes like this Balsamic Chicken is a blessing because it ticks all those boxes! Ready on the table in around 30 minutes, but tastes like you’ve spent hours cooking because the overall flavour is simply amazing. It’s also a one-pan dish, so cleanup is also a cinch!
I’m ashamed to say that I used to think Balsamic Chicken was dull, so I would always skip it in books or magazines. However, a few months ago, I was looking for a quick no-fuss recipe I could serve my family for dinner. Since it was late and I was feeling flustered, it was the ideal time to make my trusty simple Spaghetti Bolognese. Do I? No, of course not, because I’m not normal 😂
Another boring Balsamic Chicken recipe popped up during my search. Instead of flipping the page, I curiously scanned through the ingredients and found myself impressed and intrigued. Since I had all the ingredients at home, I thought, why not?
Oh boy, I’m so glad that I did because Balsamic Chicken is the furthest from being boring! One of the most mouthwatering chicken dishes ever created from basic ingredients.
The sauce comprises garlic, shallot, chicken stock, red wine, honey, and Dijon mustard, which is reduced to a jammy glaze that beautifully complements the browned chicken thighs. Sweet, tangy and savoury flavours all in one simple dish!
Balsamic Chicken Thighs
What does Balsamic Chicken taste like?
If you’re a fan of dishes like Sweet and Sour Chicken or Adobo Chicken, then you’ll definitely enjoy Balsamic Chicken too.
Balsamic Chicken on more on the sweet side, but not in a bad or sickly way. The sweetness of the glaze doesn’t overwhelm the entire dish because it’s combined with the acidity of the balsamic vinegar and Dijon Mustard. The garlic, shallots, red wine and chicken stock also add fragrance and depth to the glaze.
The transformation of the sauce into a thick and irresistible glaze is truly satisfying.
What to serve with Balsamic Chicken?
Balsamic Chicken pairs well with a variety of side dishes. On this occasion, I served mine with roasted vine tomatoes with a simple coating of olive oil and salt and pepper. The tartness and freshness of tomatoes went beautifully with the sweet glaze. I also prepared a quick leafy salad with an easy vinaigrette.
You could also pair well with Balsamic chicken with roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, rice, crusty bread, and any salads.
More quick and easy chicken recipes to try:
Ingredients for Balsamic Chicken Thighs
Boneless and skinless chicken thighs – Chicken thighs are juicier and less prone to drying out when cooked because of their higher fat content compared to breasts. In saying this, you could swap for breast meat if preferred.
Shallots (eschalot or French shallots) – Shallots look like small brown onions but are skinny and oval-shaped with a mild flavour. They’re difficult to peel and are more expensive than other types of onions. If you don’t have access to shallots, you could swap them for equal amounts of brown or red onions.
Balsamic vinegar – Originating in Italy, balsamic vinegar is renowned for its distinctive taste, which is sweet, tangy with a slightly acidic flavour.
Salt-reduced chicken stock (or broth) – I prefer using salt-reduced or low-sodium chicken stock because I have more control over the sodium level. This way I can adjust the seasoning in dishes to my liking. It’s always better to be under-seasoned than over-seasoned as it’s easier to fix. If you use regular stock, just omit the salt called for in the recipe, and adjust it to your taste later.
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How to make Balsamic Chicken Thighs
Step-by-step guide with photos
Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large frying pan with oil over medium-high heat, then brown the chicken (about 2 to 3 minutes on each side). The chicken doesn’t need to be cooked through at this stage.
Remove any extra oil in the pan, leaving approximately one tablespoon. Reheat pan on medium heat, then add in the garlic and shallots. Saute for 1 or 2 minutes or until the shallots have softened. Stir in the wine and cook until the alcohol smell dissipates (about 2 to 3 minutes).
Add the balsamic vinegar and chicken stock to the pan, then stir in the honey and mustard. Don’t worry about the clumpy mustard, as it’ll blend in as the sauce turns into a glaze. Increase the heat to high, then reduce the sauce by half.
Return the chicken to the pan. Turn down the heat to medium and cook the chicken for 5 minutes on each side, or until it’s cooked through. If the sauce hasn’t turned into a thick, sticky glaze, take out the chicken and cook the sauce for a few more minutes. Have a taste of the glaze, then add salt and pepper to your liking if needed. Sprinkle the chicken with parsley (if using).
How to store Balsamic Chicken
Leftovers – Allow the chicken to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer them into a sealed container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Honey and Mustard
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (40ml / 1.3floz) light olive oil
- 1kg / 2.2lb or 6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs (NOTE 1)
- salt and pepper to season
- 4 garlic cloves
- 100gm / 3.5oz finely chopped shallots (NOTE 2)
- ¼ cup (60ml / 2floz) dry red wine
- ⅔ cup (160ml / 5.6floz) balsamic vinegar (NOTE 3)
- 1½ cup (375ml /12.7floz) salt reduced chicken stock (NOTE 4)
- ½ cup (160gm / 5.6oz) honey
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large frying pan with oil over medium-high heat, then brown the chicken (about 2 to 3 minutes on each side). The chicken doesn't need to be cooked through at this stage.
- Remove any extra oil in the pan, leaving approximately one tablespoon. Reheat pan on medium heat, then add in the garlic and shallots. Saute for 1 or 2 minutes or until the shallots have softened. Stir in the wine and cook until the alcohol smell dissipates (about 2 to 3 minutes)
- Add the balsamic vinegar and chicken stock to the pan, then stir in the honey and mustard. Don't worry about the clumpy mustard, as it'll blend in as the sauce turns into a glaze. Increase the heat to high, then reduce the sauce by half.b
- Return the chicken to the pan. Turn down the heat to medium and cook the chicken for 5 minutes on each side, or until it's cooked through. If the sauce hasn't turned into a thick, sticky glaze, take out the chicken and cook the sauce for a few more minutes. Have a taste of the glaze, then add salt and pepper to your liking if needed. Sprinkle the chicken with parsley (if using).
