This Retro Plum Jam Chicken Has Been My Husband’s Favorite Since Childhood

The sweet, sticky glaze is totally irresistible.

By
Coco Morante
Coco Morante
Coco Morante
Coco began developing recipes for Simply Recipes in 2016 and is the author of five cookbooks. She is an industry expert on Instant Pot cooking.
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Published October 29, 2025
Coco Morante
overhead view of Retro Plum Jam Chicken thighs on a serving platter

Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

Whether it’s Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or any old day that I want to make my husband Brendan’s favorite dish, I whip up my take on his childhood favorite, plum jam chicken. My mother-in-law shared the recipe with me over ten years ago, and I’ve made little tweaks to it over the years while staying faithful to the spirit of the original dish.

Chicken thighs are baked with a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, and a whole cup of plum jam. The chicken ends up coated in a sweet, sticky, salty glaze that you’ll want to lick right off the plate.

The Origins of Plum Jam Chicken

The original recipe my mother-in-law gave me appeared in a 1982 Better Homes and Gardens cookbook titled 100 Best Chicken Recipes. It’s no longer in print, and copies are hard to come by. My mother-in-law doesn’t even have hers anymore—it got lost in the shuffle of moving back in the early 2000s. I actually ordered a used copy as part of Brendan’s Father’s Day present this year (surprise!)—hopefully we’ll find a few more treasures in there.

When I first made this dish many years ago, I followed my mother-in-law’s instructions to the letter. She told me to double the sauce, since Brendan likes his with extra glaze, and to spoon more sauce over the chicken a few times while it’s in the oven.

Over the years, I’ve made things a little less fussy, basting the chicken just once with its cooking juices. A portion of the sauce is reduced to a glaze on the stovetop anyway, so there’s really no need to add more while the chicken bakes. 

Serving Plum Jam Chicken

When I make this recipe, I always keep the rest of the meal super easy. While the chicken bakes, I steam a pot of rice and a green vegetable, usually broccoli. Asparagus, snap peas, or bok choy are also good options. For a special occasion, I pair this meal with a jammy red wine like a Zinfandel or Syrah to complement the plum sauce, and the kids get Shirley Temples. Everybody’s happy, especially Dad.

Retro Plum Jam Chicken over rice with a side of broccoli on a small plate

Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

More Retro Dinners

Plum Jam Chicken

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 55 mins
Total Time 70 mins
Servings 6 servings
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Ingredients

  • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3 to 3 1/2 pounds)

  • 1 cup plum jam (you can also use apricot or peach jam)

  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons sambal oelek or 1 tablespoon Sriracha

  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
  2. Prepare the chicken:

    Use kitchen shears to trim off any excess skin from the chicken thighs, then place them in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. It’s fine if they’re touching, but try to keep them in a single layer.

  3. Make the sauce and bake the chicken:

    In a small saucepan, stir together the jam, soy sauce, sambal or Sriracha, garlic, ginger, and green onions, setting aside a couple tablespoons of the green onions for garnish.

    Spoon half of the (uncooked) sauce mixture over the chicken thighs. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the chicken for 45 minutes.

  4. Simmer the remaining sauce:

    While the chicken is baking, place the saucepan with the remaining sauce on the stove over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer the sauce until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

  5. Finish cooking the chicken:

    Take the chicken thighs out of the oven. Turn the heat up to 425ºF. Spoon some of the juices in the baking dish over the chicken thighs, then return them to the oven and bake until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

  6. Serve:

    Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving dish. Spoon the thickened sauce from the saucepan over the chicken, sprinkle on the reserved green onions, and serve right away.

    Refrigerate leftovers, including all cooking juices, in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    To reheat, place the chicken and leftover juices in a baking dish, cover it with aluminum foil, then bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350ºF until the chicken is warmed through (it should reach 165°F in the center). To crisp up the skin, uncover the chicken and turn the heat up to 425ºF, then bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
581 Calories
27g Fat
41g Carbs
47g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 581
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 245mg 82%
Sodium 1189mg 52%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 27g
Protein 47g
Vitamin C 8mg 41%
Calcium 55mg 4%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 662mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.