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I always enjoy the combination of sweet and savory. I know it’s not a winner with everyone, but fortunately everyone else in my family agrees. So I had this idea to make a coating for chicken that was heavy on brown sugar. I wasn’t sure what direction to take it though so I did a little research.

I found several different recipes and most of them had an Asian spin to them. That wasn’t really what I was going for, so I improvised and combined and came up with something that turned out fantastic! I veered a bit from my original plan and opted for a marinade instead of a coating. I think that was the right call because the chicken ended up being so tender and full of flavor.

This dish also got me what might possibly be the best compliment I’ve ever gotten on my cooking when our 4 year declared “this tastes like angels flying around in my mouth.” With praise like that, I think it’s safe to say you can ignore the strange sounding ingredients and just trust me that this will be a hit!

Brown Sugar Chicken

• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 T. dijon mustard
• 1 large (or 2 small) clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. paprika
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
• About 1/2 – 1 c. lemon-lime soda (ie. Sprite, 7Up, etc.)
• 1 1/2 – 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. Combine brown sugar, mustard and seasonings in a bowl and mix well. Stir in soda just until mixture is the consistency of a thick dressing.

2. Place chicken in a dish or plastic ziploc bag and pour marinade on top. Let chicken sit in marinade at least 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until fully cooked. Or, grill the chicken until fully cooked.

3. If desired, pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Spoon over cooked chicken.