Plum Good Chicken

The name says it all. This baked chicken gets coated in a sauce made from plum jam, soy sauce, honey, orange juice, and garlic that bakes down into a sticky, glossy glaze with sweet-savory depth. Six ingredients in the sauce, one pan, and an hour in the oven.

Plum jam is the backbone of this dish, and it works differently than fresh plums would. The jam has concentrated fruit flavor, natural pectin, and enough sugar to caramelize beautifully in the oven without burning. Combined with soy sauce for salt and umami, honey for extra stickiness, and orange juice for citrus brightness, the sauce hits every flavor note.

The covered-then-uncovered baking method keeps the chicken juicy while building the glaze. The first 30 minutes under foil steams the chicken gently. Flipping the pieces and removing the cover for the second 30 minutes lets the sauce reduce and caramelize on the exposed surface while you baste occasionally.

Kitchen Tips

• Line the pan with foil. The sugar in the plum jam and honey will burn and stick to an unlined pan. Foil saves you a scrubbing nightmare.
• Brush thoroughly before covering. Every surface of every piece needs sauce. The covered steam will distribute it further, but starting with good coverage is key.
• Baste during the uncovered phase. The sauce in the pan reduces as it bakes. Spooning it back over the chicken builds up layers of sticky glaze.
• Don’t skip the flip. Turning the pieces over halfway ensures both sides get caramelized and glazed.

Variations

• Add red pepper flakes to the sauce for a sweet-heat combination.
• Apricot jam swap: Works just as well if you don’t have plum jam, with a slightly tangier result.
• Grill version: Brush the sauce on during the last 10 minutes of grilling for charred, sticky chicken.