Chicken thighs are a favorite of mine because they’re inexpensive, easy to prepare, tender, juicy, and quite versatile. So I was really excited when they went on sale last week. I’m always looking for new ways to season them up or infuse flavor (see Maple Dijon Chicken Thighs, Honey Sriracha Chicken Thighs, and Soy Dijon Chicken Thighs), but decided to go with something very simple and delicious this time around. So I mixed up a very basic marinade with balsamic vinegar, garlic, a little freshly ground pepper, soy sauce for salt and depth, and a touch of brown sugar to balance the acids. The sweet and tangy marinade absorbed right into the tender meat and gave these Balsamic Chicken Thighs more flavor than a girl could ask for.
I served these tasty Balsamic Chicken Thighs with some Skillet Potatoes and Green Beans, but they’d also be great with some rice or pasta to soak up all the delicious juices (just spoon it from the baking dish over top of your plate). Or, just make sure have some crusty bread on hand for sopping.
I love baking chicken thighs in the oven because it’s easy and hassle free, but this recipe would also work quite well on the grill. The little bit of brown sugar in the marinade will caramelize on the outside of the chicken for a deep, caramel-y flavor. Oooh, I’m so happy it’s outdoor grilling weather again! I <3 spring!
Balsamic Chicken Thighs
Servings 4Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar ($0.80)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.04)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.10)
- Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.10)
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs ($2.40)
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional) ($0.25)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and combine it in a bowl with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and a healthy dose of freshly cracked pepper (about 20 cranks of a pepper mill). Place the chicken thighs in a shallow dish or heavy duty zip top bag and pour the marinade over top. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 1 to 8 hours. (You can do this before you leave for work in the morning.)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the chicken and marinade into a baking dish. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Use a spoon or baster to bathe the chicken with the juices from the bottom of the dish once or twice during baking.
- Remove the chicken from the oven after 45 minutes and sprinkle a handful of freshly chopped parsley over top.
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Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Balsamic Chicken Thighs – Step by Step Photos
To make this super simple marinade, just mince two cloves of garlic, then combine them in a bowl with 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and a healthy dose of freshly cracked pepper (I use this McCormick grinder). While fancy balsamic vinegars ARE usually better tasting, I just used a basic, widely available brand (this one) and it tasted quite good. I’ll save my good stuff for sprinkling over salads or dipping some nice bread in.
Place four (or six) boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over top. You can also do this in a heavy-duty zip top bag (probably a gallon size), but I was out of those. Refrigerate the meat and marinade for one to eight hours so it can soak up all that goodness. I don’t bother trimming the fat off the meat because a lot of it melts off the chicken as it bakes (plus, I like the flavor), but you can before adding the marinade, if you prefer.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the meat and all the marinade into a baking dish (you can spritz it with non-stick spray to help cleaning later, if you wish). Bake the chicken for 45 minutes, using a spoon or baster to bathe the meat with the juices once or twice during cooking.
Sprinkle the Balsamic Chicken Thighs with a handful of chopped fresh parsley for garnish (or fresh basil if you have it growing in your garden!) and serve. NOM.
What a pretty springtime meal! I just need some bread to get all those yummy juices from the Balsamic Chicken Thighs into mah mouth!
This recipe is so easy! It is also very tender and has a mild balsamic taste. The problem I found was that I loved the flavor of the sauce but it was too watery to really stick to the chicken… So after I finished baking the chicken in the sauce I poured the leftover sauce into a pan and boiled it until it was reduced and a nice thick syrup like consistency… The result PURE HEAVEN. I even poured it over the roasted fingerling potatoes that I made as a side to go with the chicken. It takes this recipe to the next level and really only added about 5 min of time in the preparation of the meal.
Oh, and my chicken only has to cook for about 25 min just as a heads up
My family did not like the flavor. It also needs more salt.
If I wanted to do this for say 8-9 pieces how do you advise that I adjust the measurement. Or should I cook in batches?
You should be able to just double the ingredients. Make sure the chicken thighs are not too crowded in the dish, or else they may take longer to cook.
I love this recipe. When there are mushrooms on sale I throw those in with the chicken/marinade too in the oven and they are GREAT. The first time I made this I ate over mashed potatoes but since then I have eaten over a grain (farro is great!) and some veggies – the frozen grilled mixed veggies from trader joes make an easy meal prep meal!
OMG that sounds so good! I love mushrooms with balsamic vinegar! And I love them with mashed potatoes!
This is a excellent recipe and I have made it several time ……..Love, Love it
This is my favorite recipe. We have it several times a month
Do you think when all ingredients combined, this will freeze well for cooking later?
I’ve never actually frozen chicken in marinade before, but there isn’t anything in this marinade that doesn’t freeze well, so I guess it should work!
Made this tonight, and it turned out great! Was a hit. :)
This was amazing!! Now I’m looking forward to the leftovers! We had it over some brown rice/quinoa mix with a side of roasted broccoli…Delicious!
How long did you marinate or how long can you? i didn’t see that…
Anywhere from 1 to 8 hours, in step #1. :)
This recipe was very good. I added baby potatoes and carrots that I pre-preroasted then added green beans the last 15 minutes. Delicious!
Would this recipe work if I used chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Could I also add some carrots in the pan with the chicken to roast?
Thanks!
Yes, they will not be quite as tender, but you can use them. I would pound them out so they are an even thickness across the breast, and maybe cut them in two so they are slightly smaller pieces.
Not really to our taste. The chicken was quite moist and tender but even though we used a good quality balsamic vinegar, the flavors were overpowering and really lacking in subtlety. Mostly vinegar with strong garlic flavor. We won’t be making this again. Thanks for the suggestion, all the same.
I must have done something wrong. I made this and it tasted like vinegar — one of the worst meals I’ve ever made :( I have 5 cooked thighs leftover lying in this liquid. Maybe I can salvage it somehow tomorrow…?
Well, balsamic vinegar is the main flavor here, so it will taste like vinegar. You did use balsamic vinegar and not another variety of vinegar, correct? If the balsamic vinegar is very low quality, though, the flavor might not be as good. The sugar should help balance the acidity of the vinegar, so you can perhaps try adding a touch more vinegar.
Thanks so much for your reply! I have 4 more thighs in my refrigerator still….it was a good balsamic vinegar….but I did not use brown sugar (didn’t have it) and instead added a slight drizzle of real NH maple syrup….maybe that didn’t work correctly, in terms of the chemical composition of the syrup vs brown sugar – or perhaps enough wasn’t added. It was also extremely “watery” – I don’t want to overcook the rest of the chicken….perhaps I will add more syrup and then try to reduce the liquid on the stove, then just briefly pop the chicken back into the oven, covering it with this new sauce….I’ll let you know. Thanks again!
Well, I added some more maple syrup and a pinch of scirracha, and even after the chicken (baked already once) sat in the liquid for 48 hours it still tasted way too sour/tart and like straight-up vinegar…way too literally. Many of the vegetables in the cooking dish simply tasted as if they had been pickled. My guess is that maybe it went this way because the chicken needed to be marinated in the liquid instead of just baked in it. Looking forward to trying your other recipes!
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you! :(
I make this at least twice a month in my crockpot with red bell peppers and carrots and serve it with brown basmati rice. The leftovers make delicious sandwiches.