Brennan’s Secret Sauce Chicken

sweet-tangy-spicy, like the man himself

This brilliant recipe was conceptualized, highly edited, and finally perfected by my very great friend and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef (!!!), Brennan Oakes. This chicken belongs in a Hall of Fame; if such hall doesn’t already exist, the cash is being secured and the plans are being laid.

I tasted an earlier iteration of this recipe for the first time in 2020 during peak COVID. As someone who has a questionably problematic obsession with chicken (to all those who raised their eyebrows when I said my perfect grilled chicken is a top 5 meal of mine, scoff all you want until you try it), I didn’t think my poultry-favored palette could be further enhanced, but I was wrong. Since then, this recipe has been upgraded numerous times, each era more fantastic than the last. It has reached its final form, and I am pleased and honored to be able to share it with you this week.

This recipe serves as a formula for making great boneless skinless chicken thighs regardless of marinade and provides instructions for any method (grill, oven, stovetop). When using a marinade (like this one) that doesn’t contain acid like lemon juice, marinating overnight will yield the most flavor. For a last minute chicken recipe, try the Perfect Grilled Chicken marinade instead.