A weeknight pan dinner where the shelf's chili sauce becomes a glossy, tangy glaze. Chicken thighs stay juicy and brown fast, and the sauce caramelizes as it cooks down. Serve it with rice to catch every drop.

Serves 2. 35 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 1030 calories a serving, 105 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 55 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Pat 1.5 lbs chicken thighs dry with paper towels, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on both sides. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2. Place thighs skin side down in the pan and cook without moving until the skin is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip and cook 3 minutes more.11 min
3. Pour 3/4 cup chili sauce over the thighs, then lower heat to medium. Simmer, turning thighs once halfway through, until the sauce reduces and glazes the chicken and the meat reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part, about 15 minutes. Baste with sauce while it cooks.15 min

Note Swap the chicken thighs for bone-in breasts if preferred, though the slightly longer cook time for breasts means less glaze reduction. Leftovers keep 3 days covered, excellent shredded over rice the next day. Serve over white or brown rice, with a simple green salad alongside.