Crunchy Brown Sugar Chicken
Juicy, tender and Crunchy Brown Sugar Chicken is a quick and easy baked chicken recipe perfect for weeknight suppers, though it tastes like it came out of a restaurant kitchen.
Crunchy Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs Recipe
We’re all in a bit of a budget crunch these days, so chicken breasts are only showing up in my kitchen when they are on sale.
Thankfully, today’s crunchy brown sugar chicken uses bone-in chicken thighs, which are not only budget-friendly but add extra flavor and juiciness to this recipe. (If boneless is available, they will be quicker to cook and easier to eat, but once you get used to bone-in chicken, it’s not too much of an issue.)
Today’s crunchy brown sugar chicken recipe is sweet, savoury and tangy with that perfect contrast of tender chicken and crunchy baked breadcrumb coating. It’s succulent and saucy, crunchy and tender – and honestly just as good as anything you’d get at a restaurant for 4x the price!
My daughter is usually not a sweet and savoury fan, but even she was adamant that this recipe get added to our regular rotation – so hopefully that’s an indication that your kids will also love this recipe.
Crunchy Brown Sugar Chicken Variations:
- add heat with hot sauce or red chile flakes
- add more depth of flavor with paprika, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, etc.
- add a sprinkle of citrus to brighten up the sauce – lemon or orange
- can swap out the chicken for pork chops
- add veggies into the crockpot – bell peppers, onions, carrots, mushrooms, etc.
- can be served whole or shredded for use in tacos, on top of salads, on sandwich buns, etc.
- serve on top of potatoes, rice or egg noodles
- or serve alongside a hearty salad or roasted veggies
How to store leftover brown sugar chicken: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Can brown sugar chicken be frozen? Yes, ideally store the crunchy chicken separate from the sauce. Freeze in an airtight ziptop bag or your favorite freezer containers for up to 3 months. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.) Reheat in the airfryer or in the oven after thawing.
More Budget-Friendly Bone-in Chicken Recipes:
- Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
- Milk Poached Chicken
- Copycat KFC Chicken
- Chicken with Mushroom Sauce
- Crockpot Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
- Paprika Skillet Chicken
- Grilled Honey Chipotle Chicken Wings
- Airfryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
- Chocolate Stout Chicken Wings
- Instant Pot Poached Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Teriyaki
- Instant Pot Chicken Paprika
Ingredients for Brown Sugar Chicken
- Chicken thighs
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
- Panko bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- BBQ sauce of choice
- Brown sugar
- Lime juice
Tip: amp up the heat with red chile flakes.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Meat Thermometer
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- 8″ x 8″ Baking Dish <– I love these Pyrex dishes with fitted lids for easy transportation to parties or leftover storage
How to Make Crunchy Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs
Preheat oven to 350F.
Place the flour, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a ziptop bag. Set aside.
Crack the eggs into a shallow dish and whisk together.
Dredge the chicken things in the eggs, then add to the ziptop bag. Seal and shake until well-coated.
Place the coated chicken thighs in a baking dish.
Bake the chicken thighs for 45 to 55 minutes, until an inserted meat thermometer reaches 165F.
In a small bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, brown sugar and lime juice until well-combined.
Pour or brush the BBQ sauce mixture over the baked chicken thighs.
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Crunchy Brown Sugar Chicken
Crunchy brown sugar chicken recipe is sweet, savoury and tangy with that perfect contrast of tender chicken and crunchy baked breadcrumb coating. It's succulent and saucy, crunchy and tender - and honestly just as good as anything you'd get at a restaurant for 4x the price!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup BBQ sauce of choice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Place the flour, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a ziptop bag. Set aside.
- Crack the eggs into a shallow dish and whisk together.
- Dredge the chicken things in the eggs, then add to the ziptop bag. Seal and shake until well-coated.
- Place the coated chicken thighs in a baking dish.
- Bake the chicken thighs for 45 to 55 minutes, until an inserted meat thermometer reaches 165F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, brown sugar and lime juice until well-combined.
- Pour or brush the BBQ sauce mixture over the baked chicken thighs.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 687Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 259mgSodium: 1265mgCarbohydrates: 83gFiber: 2gSugar: 47gProtein: 40g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Sugar, Spice and Glitter.
Crunchy Brown Sugar Chicken
Crunchy brown sugar chicken recipe is sweet, savoury and tangy with that perfect contrast of tender chicken and crunchy baked breadcrumb coating. It's succulent and saucy, crunchy and tender - and honestly just as good as anything you'd get at a restaurant for 4x the price!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup BBQ sauce of choice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Place the flour, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a ziptop bag. Set aside.
- Crack the eggs into a shallow dish and whisk together.
- Dredge the chicken things in the eggs, then add to the ziptop bag. Seal and shake until well-coated.
- Place the coated chicken thighs in a baking dish.
- Bake the chicken thighs for 45 to 55 minutes, until an inserted meat thermometer reaches 165F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, brown sugar and lime juice until well-combined.
- Pour or brush the BBQ sauce mixture over the baked chicken thighs.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 687Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 259mgSodium: 1265mgCarbohydrates: 83gFiber: 2gSugar: 47gProtein: 40g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this easy crunchy brown sugar chicken recipe as much as mine did!
For more ways to enjoy chicken, check out our full chicken recipe collection here:
