Southern Sticky Chicken
This sweet yet savory sticky chicken recipe is delectable and the perfect easy weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy.
This sweet and sticky chicken is an old-fashioned Southern recipe that has been around for about as long as folks have been cooking. The recipe has evolved and been tweaked over the years but the flavorful sticky marinade that clings to the chicken is still every bit as good as folks remember from the days when Granny used to make it for Sunday dinner.
Some of the things I love about this sticky chicken recipe is that it’s:
- Easy to make, which means it makes a great weeknight dinner.
- Versatile. Serve your meal with rice, vegetables, or a slew of Southern sides.
- Easy to double the recipe and make leftovers for weekday lunches.
Fortunately, this recipe for sticky chicken is pretty simple. All you have to do is mix up the sticky chicken marinade, which has equal parts sweet and savory ingredients to make a sauce that’s irresistible. Plus, they’re all pantry staples you probably have sitting in your cupboard right now. Then you bring the sauce ingredients to a boil, pour them over the chicken pieces, and bake. The end result is tender and juicy chicken soaked in a deliciously caramelized and sweet Asian-style sauce. It’s a home run with kids as well as adults.
Other Asian-inspired meals I recommend include crockpot cashew chicken, Asian-inspired pot roast, chicken fried rice, and Chinese chicken salad.
Recipe Ingredients
- Brown sugar (dark or light brown sugar, whatever you have)
- Garlic powder
- Ketchup
- Honey
- Soy sauce
- You’re also going to need about 3-5 pounds of bone-in chicken with the skin still on it. For my boneless sticky chicken recipe click here.
Traditionally, folks use legs or chicken thighs for this but my Kroger had bone-in split chicken breasts for buy one get one free – so I have two HUGE chicken breast halves that cost me a few dollars and that is what we’re using!
How to Make Sticky Chicken
Put everything (except the chicken) in a saucepot and stir it up really well. Place over medium-high heat.
You can do medium heat but I like to get things rolling.
See how that’s boiling? Bring the sticky chicken sauce to a boil like this. Then remove from heat.
Place your chicken pieces in a 9×13 baking dish and pour all of the sticky sauce over.
Place this in a 350-degree oven and bake, uncovered, for 90 minutes total.
After 45 minutes, flip all of the chicken over in the dish.
An hour and 15 minutes into cooking, flip pieces again and baste with some of the glaze in the pan. Bake for another 15 minutes.
NOTE: cooking time is the same if you use legs and thighs.
Booyah! Easy sticky chicken!
Storage
This recipe will last up to five days in an airtight container in the fridge. It will also keep in the freezer for up to four months. When it’s time to reheat your leftovers, simply warm them up in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- If you want your marinade to have a bit of a spicy kick, add in a couple of tablespoons of chili garlic sauce, a tablespoon of sriracha hot sauce, or a sprinkle of paprika, , or cayenne pepper. Basically, whatever heat you have on hand!
- If you have a soy allergy, use tamari instead.
- Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar, maple syrup, or an extra two tablespoons of honey.
Recipe FAQs
What chicken do I use for sticky chicken?
You can use any bone-in chicken, whether that’s chicken legs, chicken wings, drumsticks, chicken thighs, or chicken breasts.
What can I serve the sticky chicken with?
Whatever you like! You can go for an Asian takeout-style meal and serve it with rice, sliced green onion, broccoli, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Otherwise, here are some Southern side suggestions:
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole
Broccoli with Homemade Cheese Sauce
Tomato, Onion, and Cucumber Salad
remove
Ingredients
- 3 -5 pounds bone-in chicken with skin folks usually use legs and/or thighs
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a saucepot, combine ketchup, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic powder over medium to medium-high heat.1 cup ketchup, 1 cup honey, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Bring it just to a boil while stirring. Remove from heat.
- Arrange chicken pieces in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour the entire amount of sauce over the chicken, turning pieces with tongs to coat.3 -5 pounds bone-in chicken with skin
- Place in oven, uncovered, for 90 minutes, turning after 45 minutes.
- 15 minutes before cooking time is up, flip pieces once more and baste with sauce.
Video
Nutrition
You may also like these chicken recipes:
Best Barbecue Sauce and Boneless Sticky Chicken
Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap,
but by the seeds you plant.
~Robert Louis Stevenson
Submitted by Diane. Submit your quote by clicking here.
Made this tonight and it was devoured!!!! I have never had it although I’m from the south but thought this is a ‘must try’. WOW!!!!! It is yummy! TFS
I am so glad to hear you liked it Cheryl!!!!
I am diabetic but I am going to try it with sugar free honey (yes there is such a thing at walmart) splenda brown sugar and then follow the rest of the recipe. You can also get low sugar ketchup. It should turn out just the same I use the sugar free products all of the time with great success.
Great idea Linda!!! Let me know how it does once you get a chance to try it!
I’ve never heard of sugar free brown sugar? Where do you buy it?
Christy: Have you ever made in the slow cooker. Especially now the weather is warming up. It would be great to cook and not heat the house up. Love all of your stuff. Love all the old songs also.
I haven’t ever made it in the slow cooker, I just always throw it in the oven. If you try it let me know how it turns out.
I have to give this receipe a go. I will probably substitute the brown sugar for brown sugar splenda.
Ricky Nelson usually takes me back to that special place.
I hope you enjoy it once you get a chance to try it Tommy!!
Did you mention a new green bean recipe? I make sweet and sour ones quite often. Thanks.
I was in 8th grade on” the day the music died”. I cried for days. In 2010 ,on a cross country trip, my husband and I visited Lubbock, Texas and the Buddy Holly Museum. Now, we realize just how young he was- and how quickly he became famous but was still working hard. Thanks for featuring him today!
Hi Miss Christy,
Do you have the recipe for the rice, or is it out of a box? It looks SOOOOO good with the chicken! I look forward to trying the meal! Thanks!
Your mention of “Disco Duck” really took me way back to the bowling alley where my husband and I were league bowlers. I was very “expectant” don’t you know… (giggle) We didn’t dare use the “P” work out loud back then. The irony was that every time Disco Duck was played on the juke box, I’d line my “balls” up and make a strike every time. I actually “turkeyed” one time. (If you all don’t know what a “turkey” is in bowling, sing out. LOL Can’t wait to try this chicken receipt. My g’ma used to make something similar but don’t think she even knew what soy sauce was. LOL She probably used Worcestershire and added salt. I am soooo enjoying your site! Please keep posting. ((Hugs)) (from the Tarheel State!)
Oh my goodness, I know what a Turkey is!!! I hope you enjoy the recipe Rose and have a blessed day!!