Date Glazed Orange Chicken

This orange glazed chicken is made with a sweet and spicy marinade and basted with a date syrup glaze. Seared and then baked, the chicken turns out crispy on the outside, tender and juicy in the center, and so delicious!

Looking for more flavorful chicken dishes? Try my smoked paprika chicken and honey garlic chicken, too. 

This orange glazed chicken gets its incredible flavor from a simple marinade of fresh orange juice, hot sauce, mustard, and thyme, then a glossy finish of rich date honey (known as silan in the Middle East). The citrus, thyme, and sweet date honey create a uniquely delicious balance. It’s deep, aromatic, slightly tangy, and beautifully caramelized. 

As the chicken roasts, layers of date honey form a sticky, golden glaze that pairs perfectly with the bright orange slices and fresh thyme on top. It’s an easy, impressive entree that showcases how date honey can transform classic orange glazed chicken into something truly special. I love it for Rosh Hashanah, but it’s perfect for everything from special occasions to weeknight dinners! 

Ingredients and Notes

Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete ingredients and instructions!

• Chicken – Use bone-in, skin-on chicken for a crispy exterior. I prefer legs or thigh quarters, but any cut will work. 
• Oranges – I use orange juice and zest in the marinade, infusing the chicken with a sweet, citrusy flavor. Then, I always include extra orange slices for serving. 
• Hot Sauce – Use as little or as much as you like, depending on your spice preferences. 
• Olive Oil – This forms the base of the marinade, allowing the mixture to cling to the chicken and contributing to the crispy skin. 
• Mustard – I use Dijon mustard for a tangier flavor, but yellow mustard also tastes great. 
• Thyme – This adds a touch of brightness that pairs well with the citrus and balances the flavors nicely. 
• Date Honey Syrup – My simple syrup comes together with just pitted dates and hot water. It infuses the chicken with sweet flavor and creates a beautiful golden, crispy exterior. 

How to Make Orange Glazed Chicken 

1. Prepare the marinade. Whisk orange juice, hot sauce, olive oil, mustard, orange zest, salt, and pepper until smooth. Place the chicken pieces in a sealable bag or large dish, and pour the marinade on top, coating them completely. Cover and marinate for at least three hours or ideally overnight. 
2. Sear the chicken. Working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, sear the chicken in oil until the skin is golden brown on both sides. This creates a crispy skin and locks in flavor! 
3. Layer and bake. Arrange orange slices in an even layer in the bottom of a greased baking dish. Sprinkle fresh thyme on top, and add the chicken skin side up. Brush each piece with date honey, cover, and bake, basting the chicken frequently, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. 
4. Brown the skin. Baste the chicken again, and continue to bake uncovered until the glaze is bubbly and shiny. Be careful not to burn! 
5. Serve. Garnish the glazed orange chicken with a fresh orange slice and thyme sprigs, and enjoy it warm.

Tori’s Top Tips for Success

• Don’t rush the marinating time. If possible, let your chicken marinate overnight. This allows the marinade to really sink into the meat, tenderizing the chicken and infusing it with flavor. If marinating overnight isn’t possible, make sure to allow for at least three hours! 
• Don’t skip searing. Searing the chicken before roasting adds color, flavor, and helps create that signature sticky glaze once the date honey goes on.
• Baste generously and consistently. Date honey can thicken quickly. So, brushing the chicken every 15 minutes ensures an even, glossy glaze without burning.
• Keep an eye on the final broil. The sugars in the date honey caramelize quickly. Watch closely during the last five to ten minutes so the glaze bubbles and shines without turning too dark.
• Let it rest before serving. Resting the chicken for five to ten minutes helps the juices settle and keeps the meat tender.

Date Glazed Orange Chicken

Sweet, flavorful recipe for orange and thyme-marinated roasted chicken glazed with date honey. Lovely holiday recipe.

COURSE: Main Course

Kosher Key: Meat

Servings: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

• 6 large chicken pieces, bone in, skin on I prefer leg/thigh quarters
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons mustard Dijon or yellow
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 bunch fresh thyme divided
• 3 large navel oranges divided
• 2/3 cup date honey syrup

Instructions

• If using chicken leg quarters, I generally like to remove the “knuckle” end of the drumstick bone before cooking. It makes for a more elegant presentation on the dinner table. To do this, use a sharp chef’s knife to carefully slice around the bottom knuckle of the bone, cutting through the skin and tendons. Then, grasp the cartilage area with a towel and pull strongly, twisting to remove it, and discard. FYI, this may take some practice and a bit of elbow grease. Be very careful with the knife when you are making the slice around the bone– you don’t want to slip!
  
• Whisk together orange juice, hot sauce, 3 tbsp olive oil, mustard, orange zest, 1/2 tsp salt and pinch of black pepper to form a marinade. Place chicken pieces into a plastic zipper bag or into a ceramic or glass dish. Pour marinade over the chicken and add 6-8 sprigs of thyme. Seal the bag (if using) or cover the dish with plastic wrap. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 3 hours, up to overnight.
  
  
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Remove chicken from marinade and discard the excess marinade. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium until hot but not smoking. Add the chicken pieces skin side down, three pieces at a time, and let them cook for 5-10 minutes until the skin is nicely browned. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining 3 pieces. Remove the skillet from heat.
  
  
• Lightly grease a roasting pan or dish. Slice two of the large navel oranges into rounds and lay them on a single layer, covering the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle some thyme sprigs into the bottom of the roasting pan as well (reserve some for the final platter/garnish).
  
  
• Place the chicken back into the pan, skin side up. Brush each piece generously with date honey.

  Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes, basting the chicken every 15 minutes with more date honey.
  
• After 45 minutes the chicken should be cooked through and internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees F (I usually cook it to 170). If not, re-cover and continue to cook until it reaches temperature.

  Uncover the chicken. Baste once more with remaining date honey. increase heat to 500 degrees F and cook for 5-10 more minutes until the date glaze is bubbly and shiny. Keep a close eye to make sure the glaze doesn't burn, it contains a lot of natural sugar and will blacken if you're not careful.
  
• Slice up the remaining orange. Serve each piece of chicken garnished with a fresh orange slice and fresh thyme sprigs.
  
  

NOTES

Date Honey Syrup Recipe

You will also need: Nonstick skillet, roasting pan or dish

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Date Glazed Orange Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 292 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 352mg15%

Potassium 85mg2%

Carbohydrates 34g11%

Sugar 32g36%

Vitamin A 90IU2%

Vitamin C 20.3mg25%

Calcium 12mg1%

Iron 0.6mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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