This sticky chicken has the BEST sauce for baked chicken that you will ever taste. Slathered on chicken drumsticks or thighs and roasted veggies, it will have your family going back for more veggies just to soak up the extra sauce!
Have you ever licked your fingers at dinner because the sauce in your dish was so good? Ever scooped extra vegetables – even the ones you don’t like – just because they were coated in a droolworthy sauce?
Folks, that’s this sweet and sticky chicken recipe! This is the BEST sauce for baked chicken that you will ever taste! The combination of molasses and honey coats the chicken with a sweet and sticky sauce that you’ll wish was slathered on almost everything, and thankfully, it is!
EASY SWEET AND STICKY CHICKEN
I’m pretty sure the sauce alone will win you over, but just in case you need a few more reasons to make this sticky chicken recipe, it’s also:
- Hearty. This is a super simple dish that definitely pleases the “meat and potatoes” people!
- Frugal. Chicken drumsticks and thighs are super affordable, and so are potatoes. Use any type of potato you have, including sweet potatoes.
- Freezer-friendly. Make a double batch and freeze for a future meal plan.
- Doubles easily. This meal is easy to double and serve to a crowd. You can prep the meal earlier in the day and then cook it before serving it for a hands-off meal everyone will rave about!
STICKY CHICKEN RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Don’t let the length of this ingredient list intimidate you – most of the ingredients for sticky chicken are pantry staples.
- Veggies: Carrots + Potatoes + Onion + Bell Pepper. Or swap out for some of your favorite veggies.
- Chicken. Legs or drumsticks will be the cheapest option, but you can make sticky chicken thighs or even sticky chicken wings if you find a good deal on different cuts!
- Molasses. Part one of the sweet additions to the sauce. Substitute brown sugar if you don’t have molasses.
- Honey. Part two of the sweetness in the sticky honey chicken sauce.
- Maple Syrup. Part three of the sweet in the sweet and sticky sauce.
- Ketchup. The tomato and vinegar base of the ketchup gives this sauce just a hint of tanginess, which helps balance out the sweetness.
- Seasonings: Italian Seasoning + Salt + Pepper + Garlic Powder + Onion Powder
- Butter. Or olive oil for dairy-free.
- Cornstarch (optional). To thicken the sauce.
HOW TO MAKE STICKY CHICKEN
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In an 8×8 oven-proof dish, layer the chopped vegetables.
Step 2. Combine 2 Tbsp each of molasses, ketchup, honey, maple syrup, and all seasonings in a medium bowl. Place the chicken in a separate bowl.
Step 3. Add about ¼ cup of the sauce mixture to the chicken and stir to coat well. Place the chicken and the sauce it was in on top of the vegetables. Place cubed butter on top of the chicken (or drizzle with olive oil instead).
Step 4. Bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl.
Step 5. Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Step 6. Add this thickened sauce to the top of the chicken and continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. You might need to remove the chicken so it doesn’t overcook, yet continue to roast the vegetables until they’re done.
Enjoy the sweet and sticky chicken!
Store leftover sticky chicken in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
TIPS FOR STICKY HONEY CHICKEN MARINADE
Chicken Pieces
- I use bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks for this sticky chicken marinade because they are the most affordable cuts of chicken, and the dark meat turns out juicy and delicious. If you have boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs on hand, you can use those, too. I’d cook the whole breasts over the vegetables and then cube them before serving.
- Adjust the cooking time accordingly. Boneless chicken may take less time to cook than the vegetables, so you’d want to remove the chicken when it’s done and let the vegetables finish cooking, or start the veggies roasting first and add the chicken partway through the roasting time.
- Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F, so check with an instant-read thermometer to avoid dry, overcooked meat.
Sticky Chicken Sauce
- Some people like to use Honey Garlic Sauce, light brown sugar, soy sauce, chili sauce, and sesame seeds for a sticky Asian chicken. If that’s you, you might like to try my Chinese 5-Spice Chicken for a similar flavor.
- THIS sticky chicken glaze has a different and totally amazing flavor profile similar to southern sticky chicken! YUM!
Psst! Want to kick this up a notch? Try finishing this recipe with a pinch of finishing salt! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)
IDEAS FOR SERVING STICKY CHICKEN WINGS OR THIGHS
This is a hearty and filling dinner that elicits plenty of “mmms,” kids asking if they can have more, and husbands rubbing their bellies in delight. Enjoy with a side of Easy Roasted Broccoli or Sautéed Green Beans.
- Swap out the vegetables for other veggies like mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, or squash.
- Garnish with sliced green onions or Crispy Almonds.
- Or add red pepper flakes or Hot Sauce if you like it a little spicy!
- Serve over a bed of sauteed greens, Cauliflower Rice, Brown Rice, or Mashed Potatoes.
- Try a different protein. I haven’t tried it myself, but I’m guessing this recipe would be great with pork chops instead of chicken!
HOW TO FREEZE STICKY CHICKEN
The sticky chicken recipe serves four people in an 8 x 8 glass baking dish, but you can easily double the recipe and use a 9 x 13 baking dish instead.
This is a great full meal to freeze, so buy your ingredients in bulk to save money and make two extra pans when you’re making this for dinner one night.
These disposable aluminum pans are freezer and oven-safe. They come with a lid for easy storage in your freezer. Simply pull out a pan and thaw in the fridge overnight, then cook according to the recipe.
P.S.…Typically, I don’t like to freeze full meals and instead freeze meal components (but I make an exception for sticky chicken!). Extra Shredded Chicken or Carnitas are often found in my freezer. Or portions of beans. Find all my best freezer cooking tips here.
MACRO-FRIENDLY SWEET AND STICKY CHICKEN
Protein and produce are a good start for a macro-friendly meal that you can pair with a carb-filled side or enjoy as is for a balanced meal.
To make it even more low-carb, swap out the potatoes for a lower-carb veggie like mushrooms, broccoli, or additional onions and peppers.
Serve leftover sticky chicken diced over greens for a flavorful salad or wrapped up in a tortilla or lettuce wrap for an easy portable lunch.
It’s also perfect for adding to a rice or quinoa bowl, especially with an extra drizzle of the amazing sticky sauce!
CHICKEN STICKY FAQS
What should I add to chicken to make it tasty?
This chicken sticky glaze, of course! With the layers of vegetables on the bottom of this dish, chicken on top, and then SAUCE OVER EVERYTHING, every last green bean or potato (or whatever vegetable you decide to use) gets covered with sweet and sticky goodness.
How do you keep chicken pieces moist while cooking?
The answer is this sauce! Since the chicken is covered in a thick glaze while roasting, it stays very moist and comes out tender and delicious.
How do you get the sauce to stick to the chicken?
The combination of sauce coating the chicken BEFORE cooking and adding additional thickened sticky sauce to the chicken DURING cooking makes it stick and turns out ooey-gooey delicious!
MORE FLAVORFUL CHICKEN RECIPES
- Chinese 5-Spice Chicken
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- 15 Minute Kung Pao Chicken with Vegetables
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
- Almond Crusted Baked Chicken
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Sweet and Sticky Chicken
This sticky chicken has the BEST sauce for baked chicken that you will ever taste. Slathered on chicken drumsticks or thighs and roasted veggies, it will have your family going back for more veggies just to soak up the extra sauce!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 carrots, cut into 1″ pieces (92g)
- 2 medium potatoes, cut into 1″ pieces (346g)
- 1 onion, cut into 1″ pieces (94g)
- 1 bell pepper, cut into 1″ pieces (114g)
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (800g)
- 2 Tbsp molasses (40g)
- 2 Tbsp ketchup (34g)
- 2 Tbsp honey (42g)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (40g)
- ½ Tbsp Italian seasoning (3g)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces (28g)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch + 3 Tbsp water (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In an 8×8 oven-proof dish, layer the vegetables.
- Combine 2 Tbsp each of molasses, ketchup, honey, maple syrup, and all seasoning in a medium bowl. Place chicken in a separate bowl.
- Add about ¼ cup of the liquid mixture to the chicken and stir to coat well. Place chicken and the sauce it was in on top of the vegetables. Place butter on top of the chicken.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining sauce in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl.
- Add cornstarch slurry to sauce and stirring constantly bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Add this thickened sauce to the top of the chicken and continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. You might need to remove the chicken so it doesn’t overcook, yet continue to bake the vegetables until they’re done.
- Enjoy the sweet and sticky chicken!
Notes
Chicken Pieces
- I use bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks for this sticky chicken marinade because they are the most affordable cuts of chicken, and they just taste good. If you have boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs on hand, you can use that too. I’d cook the whole breasts over the vegetables, and then cube before serving.
- Adjust cooking time accordingly. Boneless chicken may take less time to cook than the vegetables, so you’d want to remove the chicken when it’s done and let the vegetables finish cooking.
- Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, so check with an instant-read thermometer to avoid dry, overcooked meat.
Can you make sticky chicken day before serving it?
Yes, you can make sticky chicken the day before, but it’s best to prep components like marinating the raw chicken overnight or making the sauce ahead, then cooking and glazing it fresh for optimal texture, as reheating cooked sticky chicken can make it less crispy, though it’s still safe to eat for 3-4 days if refrigerated properly. You can also fully cook it, cool, refrigerate, and then reheat it (microwaving for speed or baking to regain some crispiness) for a quick meal later.
Can’t wait to try this one! Sounds & Looks Yummy! Thanks!
The Italian seasoning didn’t do it for me. I ended up making more sauce without it and I liked it better. Definitely double the sauce, though. It had good flavor and I might make it again because it was easy but my kids still prefer when I make teriyaki chicken.
Thanks for sharing, Karla.
Can this be made in an Instant Pot? If yes, how?
Hi Estelle,
We wouldn’t recommend b/c doesn’t have enough liquid for IP to work properly (would get burn notice b/c of sweeteners too), but a slow cooker would prob work. Try 4 hours on high and circle back to let us know how it goes!
Made this for dinner tonight. Very good. I didn’t use green pepper as I didn’t have any and I thought that perhaps sweet potatoes would be a nice substitution for the regular potatoes. I was right! Every one loved it.
Yay! I love the substitutions you used!
I’m using chicken breasts instead. How long should I cook them? Thanks!
I’m not sure Laurie – I haven’t tested this recipe with chicken breasts before. On average though, I cook plain chicken breasts for 15-20 min.
my only critique is that I would definitely recommend doubling or tripling the sauce! I always make this with 6-8 chicken legs and thighs and extra veggies. The sauce recipe is pure gold!
I’m using drumsticks and boneless chicken thighs will the cooking time be the same?
The drumsticks might need a few extra minutes, but it will be close.