Apple Cider Glazed Chicken Thighs

First, gather all of your ingredients (I doubled the glaze recipe), and preheat the oven to 350°F. Make sure you have a rack in the middle position.

Next, smash the garlic cloves and place in a small saucepan. Add the apple cider, rosemary sprig, and Dijon mustard. Bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until reduced to roughly 1/4 cup. While the glaze reduces, start cooking the chicken.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Don’t skip the paper towel step – this ensures the skin gets nice and crispy!

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook, undisturbed, for 8-10 minutes, until the skin is browned and releases easily from the pan. Set aside on a plate or tray, and pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat from the pan.

Once the glaze is reduced to your liking, whisk in the butter until it melts, then remove from heat. Return the chicken to the pan, skin side up. Spoon the glaze evenly over the chicken.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Spoon some of the glaze back over the chicken and bake for another 7-10 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 165°F. Turn the oven to broil, and broil until the skin gets a dark golden brown color and the sauce is bubbling, 1-2 minutes.