Oven Roasted Balsamic Chicken Thighs

Tender and flavorful oven baked chicken thighs seasoned with garlic and herbs, browned in a skillet, and baked alongside savory mushrooms. Top it off with sweet and tangy balsamic glaze and some fresh basil for a simple, 30-minute meal that will wow!

Chicken thighs are my new favorite cut of chicken. They cook up so tender, and are really tasty and versatile. One of my favorite chicken thigh recipes is this oven roasted balsamic chicken thigh recipe. So juicy, tangy (thanks balsamic!), and cooked to perfection, I really can’t say enough about the way this roasted chicken will change your dinners for the better! 

Here’s How You Make It

1. First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and then grease a rimmed sheet pan or large baking dish. (not pictured)
2. Next, toss the chicken thighs with olive oil, 2 teaspoons garlic, salt, and pepper. (photo 1)
3. Now melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of honey and give it all a quick stir to coat the pan. Add the chicken thighs and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side to brown the outside. (See Expert Tips for alternate method.) (photo 2)
4. Transfer the browned chicken to the prepared baking pan/dish. (photo 3)
5. Now toss the mushrooms with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter (melted), 1 teaspoon garlic, and some salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms to the sheet pan along with the chicken. (photo 4)
6. Pop it all in the oven to bake for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms are tender. While the chicken cooks, you can prepare the balsamic glaze. (not pictured)
7. To prepare the glaze for the balsamic chicken, take out a medium sauce pan and combine the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in it. Then, give a good stir and bring the glaze to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the glaze is reduced by half and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. When that occurs, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of honey and a pinch of salt. (not pictured)
8. Finally, drizzle the balsamic glaze over the chicken and mushrooms, garnish with fresh basil (if desired), and serve. (see below)

Why This Recipe Works

Chicken thighs — Of course, I realize this roasted chicken recipe specifically calls for chicken thighs but it truly is what makes this preparation really stand out. In a pinch, you could use chicken breasts, but the dark meat of the chicken thighs goes so well with the tangy sweetness of the balsamic glaze. 

Mushrooms — I know not everyone loves mushrooms but hear me out: You need to make mushrooms with this oven roasted chicken thigh recipe. Those soft, meaty baby bella mushrooms soak up all the baked chicken thigh juices as well as the balsamic glaze and just taste so out-of-this-world delicious! 

So easy — This chicken thigh recipe isn’t only tasty but it’s also so easy! It only takes 30 minutes total to get this balsamic chicken dish on your plate and that includes making the balsamic glaze too! 

Simple ingredients — Chicken thighs are sold at every meat department in just about every grocery store (and they’re very budget-friendly, too), and the rest of the ingredients are super simple to come by too. In fact, you may already have most of the ingredients in your pantry or fridge right now. 

Ideas for Customizing this Recipe 

• If you don’t have or can’t find baby bella mushrooms, you can substitute any mushrooms you like or skip them. 
• If you’re using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut them in half lengthwise first to ensure even cooking.
• This balsamic chicken goes great over white or brown rice or egg noodles. 
• If you want a non-grain alternative to serve alongside this chicken thigh recipe, try cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or spaghetti squash. 
• If you prefer a less sweet balsamic glaze, you can cut the brown sugar to ¼ cup and the honey to 1 tablespoon. 

Expert Tips 

• It’s important to use a good quality balsamic vinegar! You can really taste the difference, trust me. 
• A shortcut to making a balsamic glaze is to purchase one pe-made in a bottle. You can find it with the vinegars if your grocery store has it. I have found a great-tasting one at Aldi. 
• You can also speed up this recipe by purchasing pre-sliced mushrooms, minced garlic in a jar, and pre-trimmed chicken thighs. 
• If you’d like to skip the step of pre-browning the chicken, you can bake the chicken then broil for the last couple of minutes (watch closely so it doesn’t burn).
• Store any leftover baked chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze any leftovers for up to 3 months.  

More Chicken Thigh Recipes

• Best Baked Chicken Thighs
• Honey Lime Garlic Chicken
• Instant Pot Parmesan Mushroom Chicken and Rice
• One Pot Greek Chicken and Orzo
• Catalina Chicken
• Grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken
• Chicken in Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
• Chicken with Garlic Herb Butter