Sticky Baked Chicken Thighs with Jaca

The 30-minute weeknight workhorse from RecipeTin Eats — boneless skinless chicken thighs slathered in a pantry-staple glaze of ketchup, brown sugar, soy, Worcestershire, vinegar, and garlic, then baked and broiled until the surface caramelizes into a sticky, lacquered crust. Our version swaps the conventional brown sugar for Jaca (100% pure allulose) at double the amount, with a quarter teaspoon of molasses for the deep brown-sugar character. Same sticky-glazed magic, none of the blood-sugar crash. This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version.

Prep time: 5 minutes · Cook time: 25 minutes · Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (5 to 7 pieces, about 700g)
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 6 tablespoons Jaca (100% pure allulose) — replaces 3 tablespoons brown sugar at 2x ratio
• 1/4 teaspoon unsulphured molasses — gives Jaca the brown-sugar depth
• 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce (light or all-purpose)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:

- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a sheet pan or roasting tray with foil — this is non-negotiable; the caramelized glaze will weld itself to a bare pan.

- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, Jaca, molasses, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Worcestershire, and minced garlic until completely smooth.

- Arrange the chicken thighs flat on the foil-lined tray, smooth-side up, with a little space between each piece so the glaze can pool and caramelize.

- Spoon about two-thirds of the glaze over the chicken, spreading evenly across each piece. Reserve the remaining third in the bowl.

- Bake on the center rack for 15 minutes. The chicken will be cooked through and the glaze set but not yet deeply caramelized. Pull the tray and switch the oven to broil/grill on high; position the top rack about 8 inches (20cm) below the heating element.

- Spoon the pan juices back over the tops of each piece, then drizzle the reserved one-third of the glaze evenly across all of them.

- Broil for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through, until the tops are deeply caramelized with dark spots forming at the edges. Watch closely from the 7-minute mark — Jaca browns faster than the sugar we grew up with.

- Pull the tray and let the chicken rest 3 to 5 minutes on the pan — the glaze will thicken and grip the chicken as it cools slightly.

- Transfer to plates and spoon any remaining pan juices over the top. Serve with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or a sharp green salad.

Jaca notes:

• The molasses-Jaca combo is the brown-sugar substitute. Plain Jaca alone makes a pale, one-note glaze; the quarter teaspoon of molasses adds the deep, slightly bitter brown-sugar character. Do not skip it.
• Allulose browns about 30 percent faster than conventional sugar — pull the moment you see dark spots under the broiler.
• Foil-line the pan or pay the price. The caramelized glaze fuses to bare metal in seconds under the broiler.
• Make-ahead: the glaze keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also coat the chicken and refrigerate up to 8 hours before baking.