Maple Orange Chicken Thighs

Ingredients 

4 chicken thighs, boneless skinless (*see note below) 

1 ½ Tbsp Blood Orange Olive Oil

1 Tbsp thyme, fresh (optional) 

3/4 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper 

1/2c Bourbon Maple Balsamic 

1/2c brown sugar 

1 Tbsp soya sauce 

4 garlic cloves, minced 

1 Tbsp corn starch 

1 tsp yellow or Dijon mustard 

1/2 tsp grated orange zest (optional) 

Juice of half of a medium orange 

 Instructions: 

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a pot over medium-high heat, whisk together Maple Bourbon Balsamic, brown sugar, soya sauce, garlic, corn starch *(see tip 1 below), mustard and orange juice. (* see tip 4) 

Bring to a boil for 1 minute, then reduce to a simmer for 8 minutes, the flavor is all in the glaze! The trick is to reduce the glaze so you get all that flavor intensified.  Remove from heat, stir in orange zest. 

Coat your chicken thighs with Blood Orange Olive Oil, salt & pepper, and fresh thyme. Heat a frying pan to medium-high heat then sear your chicken for 3 minutes on each side. *(see tip 2 below) 

Remove from heat and coat the chicken with the balsamic sauce. *(see tip 3 below) Put on baking sheet and cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Serve with remaining glaze. 

*Note – if using bone in /skin on thighs, increase baking time to 25 – 35 mins, juices should run clear and no pink at the bone. 

Tips 

1 Mix the corn starch with the soy sauce well to avoid lumps before adding to pot. 

2 If using skin on thighs sear skin side down first, after flipping add the fresh thyme if using. Bake skin side up. 

3 Another vital step in the recipe is to baste the chicken half way through baking.  This ensures that the flavors are spread evenly and the chicken does not dry out. 

4 Squeeze orange over strainer to avoid pits.