This Retro Plum Jam Chicken Has Been My Husband’s Favorite Since Childhood

Whether it’s Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or any old day that I want to make my husband Brendan’s favorite dish, I whip up my take on his childhood favorite, plum jam chicken. My mother-in-law shared the recipe with me over ten years ago, and I’ve made little tweaks to it over the years while staying faithful to the spirit of the original dish.

Chicken thighs are baked with a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, and a whole cup of plum jam. The chicken ends up coated in a sweet, sticky, salty glaze that you’ll want to lick right off the plate.

The Origins of Plum Jam Chicken

The original recipe my mother-in-law gave me appeared in a 1982 Better Homes and Gardens cookbook titled 100 Best Chicken Recipes. It’s no longer in print, and copies are hard to come by. My mother-in-law doesn’t even have hers anymore—it got lost in the shuffle of moving back in the early 2000s. I actually ordered a used copy as part of Brendan’s Father’s Day present this year (surprise!)—hopefully we’ll find a few more treasures in there.

When I first made this dish many years ago, I followed my mother-in-law’s instructions to the letter. She told me to double the sauce, since Brendan likes his with extra glaze, and to spoon more sauce over the chicken a few times while it’s in the oven.

Over the years, I’ve made things a little less fussy, basting the chicken just once with its cooking juices. A portion of the sauce is reduced to a glaze on the stovetop anyway, so there’s really no need to add more while the chicken bakes. 

When I make this recipe, I always keep the rest of the meal super easy. While the chicken bakes, I steam a pot of rice and a green vegetable, usually broccoli. Asparagus, snap peas, or bok choy are also good options. For a special occasion, I pair this meal with a jammy red wine like a Zinfandel or Syrah to complement the plum sauce, and the kids get Shirley Temples. Everybody’s happy, especially Dad.

How To Make My Plum Jam Chicken

To make four to six servings, you’ll need:

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3 to 3 1/2 pounds)
• 1 cup plum jam (you can also use apricot or peach jam)
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sambal oelek or 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chopped ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Use kitchen shears to trim off any excess skin from the chicken thighs, then place them in a 9×13-inch baking dish. It’s fine if they’re touching, but try to keep them in a single layer.  

In a small (1 to 1 1/2-quart) saucepan, stir together the jam, soy sauce, sambal, garlic, ginger, and green onions, setting aside a couple tablespoons of the green onions for garnish. Spoon half of the (uncooked) sauce mixture over the chicken thighs. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the chicken for 45 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, place the saucepan with the remaining sauce on the stove over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer the sauce until it’s slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Take the chicken thighs out of the oven. Turn the heat up to 425ºF. Spoon some of the juices in the baking dish over the chicken thighs, then return them to the oven and bake until they are well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving dish. Spoon the thickened sauce from the saucepan over the chicken, sprinkle on the reserved green onions, and serve right away.

Reheating Leftovers

Save all of the cooking juices for reheating. Place the chicken and leftover juices in a baking dish, cover it with aluminum foil, then bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350ºF until the chicken is warmed through (it should reach 165°F in the center). To crisp up the skin, uncover the chicken and turn the heat up to 425ºF, then bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. 

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