Honey-Glazed Bourbon Chicken Thighs
Juicy chicken thighs seared and simmered in a sweet and smoky honey bourbon sauce, perfect for a comforting dinner. This American-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 6 pieces bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 6 bone-in chicken thighs and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 5-6 minutes until golden and crispy, then flip and cook for 4 more minutes.
- Step 3: Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Lower heat to medium and add 3 cloves minced garlic, sautéing for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Step 4: Pour in 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey carefully to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits, and let it reduce for 2 minutes.
- Step 5: Stir in 1/3 cup honey, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tsp smoked paprika, simmering the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3-4 minutes.
- Step 6: Return chicken thighs to the skillet, spoon sauce over them, cover, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes until cooked through and sauce coats the chicken.
- Step 7: Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley before serving.









