{"id":1860,"date":"2019-09-03T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2019-09-03T14:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.makeaheadmealmom.com\/?p=1860"},"modified":"2023-07-15T20:55:12","modified_gmt":"2023-07-16T02:55:12","slug":"baked-brown-sugar-garlic-chicken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.makeaheadmealmom.com\/baked-brown-sugar-garlic-chicken\/","title":{"rendered":"Baked Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Overhead<\/p>\n

Freezer-Friendly Baked Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken<\/h2>\n

I am all about simplicity, and some of my favorite freezer meals are ones that are simple to prep, simple to freeze, and simple to cook!  This oven-baked Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken freezer meal ticks all<\/em> those boxes!<\/p>\n

It also doesn’t hurt that it is basically chicken bathed in a caramelized brown sugar sauce, making it a bit more appealing to the littles at the dinner table.  Because who doesn’t love anything bathed in caramelized brown sugar sauce???  I mean, really…<\/p>\n

For the adults, the addition of garlic and thyme helps mellow all that sweetness and give it a little undercurrent of “umpf” in the flavor.  <\/p>\n

Don’t let this easy chicken dinner fool you though.  There is a lot of flavor packed into just those few simple ingredients.  And as far as freezer meals go, it doesn’t get much easier.<\/p>\n

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Preparing As A Freezer Meal<\/h3>\n

This Baked Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken freezer meal requires minimal preparation.  It is easy to whip together, and after a quick 5 minutes to put the sauce together, the rest is all hands off!  I like those kinds of meals.<\/p>\n

To prepare this easy dinner for your freezer, I recommend using an aluminum pan or other baking dish, so that the garlic will stay on top of the chicken as it freezes, and then as you can just pull out, thaw, and bake.<\/p>\n

For best results, choose a smaller dish so the chicken touches but isn’t crowded, which will help keep the topping and the sauce on top of the chicken.<\/p>\n

You can, of course, prep this as a dump-style meal and freeze in a gallon zip-top bag if you’d like.<\/p>\n

When time to cook, lay your chicken pieces on a baking sheet, and carefully spoon the garlic and brown sugar sauce out of the bag and over your chicken.<\/p>\n

Still Not Quick Enough?<\/h3>\n

And if you are really pressed for time, you can skip sauteing the garlic in the butter and oil – just melt the butter, then add the remaining sauce\/topping ingredients and spoon over the chicken.<\/p>\n

Sauteing the garlic in the butter first will bring out a bit more flavor, but it is still a great tasting dish even if you need to skip that step!<\/p>\n

\"Closeup<\/p>\n

Choose Your Chicken<\/h3>\n

I prefer to make this Baked Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken using boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  But you can opt to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a slightly different flavor profile.  Or go with bone-in pieces.<\/p>\n

If you choose thighs or bone-in, you’ll need to adjust your bake time slightly.<\/p>\n

I also highly recommend doing a very careful broil as your last step.  Do not leave your kitchen while doing this<\/strong>!  In fact, it’s best if you don’t even step away from your oven.<\/p>\n

We’re talking just a quick broil for 2-3 minutes max, as the garlic will tend to burn very fast.  Leave it for even 20 seconds too long and dinner can go from incredible to inedible in the blink of an eye!<\/p>\n

This Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken goes together in minutes and is a simple yet elegant meal to throw together to keep in your freezer or to get on the table quickly.<\/p>\n

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Cooking Options<\/h3>\n

This easy freezer meal is one that lends itself best to a full thaw before baking.  So you’ll need to plan a little in advance to pull the chicken out either the night before or sometime the morning of the day you plan to eat it.<\/p>\n

I don’t recommend trying to thawing it in the microwave or cook it from frozen, as the garlic and brown sugar will burn before the chicken is even thawed.<\/p>\n

Be sure to check doneness, as every oven will vary in temp. <\/p>\n

The best way to ensure that you have got great tasting chicken that is juicy and flavorful, but still cooked sufficiently to be safe to eat, is to check the internal temperature.  A probe thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the breast or thigh should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit.  (If broiling, you can pull the chicken at 160 and then broil since it will continue to cook and the temp should be over 165 degrees by the time you finish.)<\/p>\n

We LOVE serving this with a side of Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes<\/a> and a greed salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing<\/a>!  But really, the flavors of this brown sugar chicken blend well with just about anything!  <\/p>\n

And if you have leftovers, which I’m hoping will not be very often, you can take the leftover chicken and put it on a sandwich, which a little bit of barbecue sauce – delicious!!<\/p>\n

Originally published: March 2018, updated in November 2021.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken<\/h2>\n\t\t
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<\/g><\/svg><\/span> Servings: <\/span>6<\/span> servings<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Course: <\/span>Freezer Meal Recipes<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
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Prep Time: <\/span>5 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Cook Time: <\/span>20 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Total Time: <\/span>25 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
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This Baked Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken is a simple yet elegant dish you can whip together in under 30 minutes for a fast and delicious weeknight meal!\u00a0 It requires minimal prep and is a fabulous option to keep as a freezer meal to pull out on busy nights or even for company!<\/span><\/div>\n\t\t
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