This Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs is the kind of slow, easy supper that would’ve fit right in on my parents’ old farmhouse table—nothing fancy, just tender chicken in a glossy, caramel-colored sauce that smells like comfort itself. The idea of sweet-and-savory chicken like this has been around the Midwest for generations, usually baked in a hot oven in a battered enamel pan.
Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 to 3 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6–8 pieces)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder)
Directions
- Prep Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Trim any excess skin or large pockets of fat, but leave most of the skin on for flavor.
- Make Glaze: In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic until the sugar is mostly dissolved and you have a thick, glossy mixture.
- Arrange: Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, skin side up, with the bones tucked neatly so they fit snugly in the bottom.
- Coat: Pour the brown sugar mixture evenly over the chicken, making sure each piece is coated and letting the extra sauce pool around the thighs.
- Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F near the bone.
- Broil (Optional): For a more caramelized look, carefully transfer the cooked thighs to a foil-lined baking sheet and broil them skin side up for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until the tops are browned and the glaze is bubbling.
- Thicken Sauce: While the chicken is under the broiler (or resting), skim off any excess fat from the surface of the sauce in the slow cooker. If you’d like it a bit thicker, turn the slow cooker to HIGH and let the sauce bubble uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until slightly reduced and glossy.
- Serve: Return the chicken to the slow cooker, spoon some of the warm sauce over the top so the thighs are glazed and surrounded by the caramel-colored juices, and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.
