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
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
- Brown the skin. Baste the chicken again, and continue to bake uncovered until the glaze is bubbly and shiny. Be careful not to burn!
- 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
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
Nutrition
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FAQs
This dish pairs well with simple sides that complement the sweet, citrusy glaze. Try serving it with smoked paprika roasted potatoes, wild rice, cauliflower couscous, or a light green salad. Steamed green beans, sautéed spinach, or roasted carrots also work well with the orange and date flavors.
Once cool, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three to four days. Reheat in a covered dish at 325°F until warmed through. You can also freeze the cooked chicken (without the orange slices) for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge, and bake as usual when you’re ready to serve.
Can this dish be made with purchased date syrup? If so, would you alter the amounts?
S Spie – yes you can, and the amounts would be the same. Enjoy!
Tori- i am thinking of some recipes for my upcoming chanukah menu. my mother has a mustard allergy, but this dish looks so delicious! Can i leave out the mustard? Or do you have a recommendations for a substitute? Thanks
Hi Danielle, Tori’s assistant Ashley here! Unfortunately I wouldn’t suggest leaving out the mustard. I’ve read that some folks replace mustard with horseradish sauce or Worcestershire sauce in recipes, though I can’t say for sure how those flavors would work in this particular recipe. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Hi Tori. Can this delicious sounding dish be prepared ahead and frozen?
Hi Beryl, I do not recommend freezing meat on the bone, so this would not be a good candidate as a make-ahead-and-freeze dish.
Hello, i have a question about the hot sauce. Does it make the dish too spicy for children to eat or is it suitable for them and looses its “hotness” once cooked with the other ingredients of the marinade?
Looks fantastic by the way.
Hi Miri, the hot sauce doesn’t really add much spice, this recipe is more sweet than spicy. 🙂
Tori, I am a home health aide who works with the elderly, and am fortunate to be working with a 99 year old jewish woman. I’m going to make this for her on Christmas day ( I already made the honey-delightful!! ) I was thinking about roasted dill carrots and Kasha Varnishkes with mushrooms, that my step bubbe used to make for me. Would this menu work, or do you have any other suggestions. Thank you for your time and advice to a fellow Shiksa!!
Sharon it sounds like a wonderful menu! How lucky she is to have you. 🙂
One of my fave dishes has to be Porc au miel so this Chicken dish caught my attention straight away, especially with the oranges. It turned out very well, that honey makes it special and it looked just like your pictures – soooo tempting
Glad you enjoyed it Jenni! 🙂
Do you have to brown the pieces before roasting?
Sharon, if you want the skin to be brown, crisp and pretty like it is in the picture, then yes I do recommend browning first for best results.
Made the lazy girl’s version of this. Boiled the dates and then pureed them in the food processor with water. Recipe the followed as written. Still yummy!
Can I do this in the crockpot??? If so, any modifications? This looks fabulous … I just need to cook while I’m at work before Yom Kippur fast.
Hi Edna, unfortunately I do not recommend making this in the slow cooker. The glaze will not have nearly the same appeal; it really needs a dry hot oven to turn out tasty.
Tori — it came out amazing. I can’t wait to taste it…it’s smells so very good! There was a lot of liquid in the pan, so when it came time to take off the cover, I took some of the liquid out and I’m reserving it to use as a gravy for later. I used the whole 10 minutes at the end and got a really perfect color on the chicken. I wish I could attach a picture!!
Fabulous Michelle! That glaze really does create a gorgeous color on the chicken. I feel like it’s the way date honey was meant to be used!
I’m making this as I type. It smells SO GOOD!!!
Fabulous Michelle! Let us know how it turns out. I’m making it for our holiday meal too. 🙂
I’m excited to make this chicken for Rosh HaShanah! How far in advance can I marinate the chicken? Can I do it today (Monday) to cook on Wednesday?
Yes!
This recipe looks AMAZING- what’s your thoughts on using chicken breasts?? Do you think it’ll be dry??
I’m not a big fan of breasts personally, because as you say they can be dry. That said, if you use bone in, skin on you’ll have a better chance of a tasty result. You can start checking if they’ve come to temperature around 40 minutes (covered)– with breasts you run a greater risk of overcooking, so best to uncover them as soon as they get to food safe temperature for that final baste/browning. Good luck!
Thanks for the recipe, I am going to prepare it for Rosh Hashanah. One question, which kind of hot sauce do you use or recommend?
Any standard hot sauce is fine. I tested it with Tapatio, but if you have another favorite brand feel free to use.
Thanks you for this great looking recipe I am going to try it for RH.
I bought some Silan a while ago and didn’t know what to do with it. Fabulous. thank you again. Now I need to look up your recipes with Harissa and Miso, as i bought that also and don’t know what to do with it.
Looks wonderful. Can this be made a day or so ahead. Just pressed for time for the feasts and would be good if it will still be really good.
Hi Gail– the glaze is really best when freshly cooked. If it were me I would make this the day of and try making some other dishes ahead.
A new and intriguing recipe to add to my autumn repertiore. Thank you, Tori!
LOOKS GOOD WILL MAKE
Wow………that looks good………my chops are watering
Sounds good