Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken with Golden Sear and Sweet Soy-Garlic Glaze
By Ava Mitchell
Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Browning the seasoned chicken before baking allows it to absorb flavors and pick up color from the sauce while cooking․ Allowing the chicken to rest for a few minutes after cooking helps retain moisture in the meat․ Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken is a baked chicken casserole dish made with a brown sugar and soy sauce gravy seasoned with garlic․
Chicken breasts are sprinkled with salt‚ ground black pepper‚ onion powder‚ and paprika and left to marinate for 10-15 minutes before cooking․ Fresh garlic is combined with brown sugar and soy sauce to make a sauce․ This preparation step is completed ahead of time to serve with the chicken․ Olive oil is used to cook the chicken over medium-high heat‚ and fresh parsley is served as a garnish․ The recipe recommends fresh garlic for improved flavor․
Check for browned chicken when browning it 4 to 5 minutes per side in a skillet; this is the time to add sauce and move the skillet to the oven․ Bake 25 to 30 minutes and let the chicken rest for several minutes before serving․ Inadequate browning time results in unbrowned chicken․
Serve hot chicken with rice to help absorb the sauce or other vegetables like roasted or steamed green beans and broccoli and a garden salad․ Refrigerate leftover chicken in an airtight container․ Reheat leftover chicken on the stove in a skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking and dry chicken․
Why you'll love this recipe
- A medium-high sear in a skillet before baking chicken breasts helps them develop a brown color and reduces the risk of flavor dominance by the soy and garlic sauce․
- Letting salt‚ pepper‚ onion powder‚ and paprika sit on the seasoned chicken breasts for 10 to 15 minutes gives the seasonings time to settle on the surface․
- Brown sugar and soy sauce with garlic make a coating that will cover all chicken breasts as soon as they are added to the pan․
- Cooking the chicken in the oven after pan-frying helps the chicken cook in its sauce‚ giving the meat a moist texture and browned exterior․
- Using heat from the stove alone does not give the chicken these qualities․
- Allowing cooked and sliced chicken to sit for several minutes before eating helps retain its tenderness and makes sliced portions less likely to seem dry․
- Fresh chopped parsley is added at the end of preparation to maintain color contrast with the dark sauce․ It is not fully cooked․
Ingredients
- •4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- •½ cup brown sugar
- •¼ cup soy sauce
- •1 tbsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves; use fresh garlic for better flavor)
- •1 tbsp olive oil (for searing the chicken)
- •1 tsp ground black pepper
- •½ tsp salt
- •1 tsp onion powder
- •1 tsp paprika
- •1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- 2
Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and paprika.
- 3
Let the seasoned chicken sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- 4
Whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and minced garlic in a bowl until well combined.
- 5
Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
- 6
Add the seasoned chicken breasts and sear for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
- 7
Pour the garlic-brown sugar sauce over the seared chicken, coating the breasts.
- 8
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (75°C).
- 9
Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for a few minutes.
- 10
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
320
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
