The ingredient count here is exact rather than approximate. A cup of orange marmalade, three quarters of a cup of barbecue sauce, and a pound and a half of chicken. That is the entire recipe.
It also means no broth and no water. The marmalade and barbecue sauce are the cooking liquid, and adding anything to loosen them would stop the glaze reducing properly at the end.
Why This Recipe Works
- Marmalade is mostly sugar and pectin, so it thickens on its own as the liquid evaporates — no slurry is needed or used.
- Cutting the chicken to about an inch and a half means every piece reaches temperature at the same time in a three-hour cook.
- Coating the chicken in the sauce before cooking rather than pouring the sauce over means every surface is glazed from the start.
- The final twenty to thirty minutes uncovered is the only reduction step, and it is what turns a loose sauce into something sticky.
Ingredient Notes
- Orange marmalade
- A full cup, and orange specifically. Another preserve would make it a different dish.
- Barbecue sauce
- Three quarters of a cup. It is why the finished glaze is dark and barbecue-toned rather than bright orange.
- Chicken thighs
- A pound and a half, thawed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Thigh rather than breast, and unbattered.
How to Make It
Mix the two sauces
Stir the orange marmalade and barbecue sauce together directly in the slow cooker until smooth.
Coat the chicken
Add the chicken pieces and turn them until evenly coated.
Cook on Low to 165F
Cover and cook on Low for 3 hours, checking from around 2 1/2 hours. The thickest pieces must reach 165F.
Reduce uncovered
Take the lid off and cook 20 to 30 minutes more, stirring once or twice, until the sauce reduces to a thick, glossy glaze.
Serve
Serve as-is or over rice.
The Three Ingredients
The whole recipe, by volume. There is no fourth component, no added liquid and no thickener.
- Chicken thighs, in 1 1/2-inch pieces1 1/2 lb
- Orange marmalade1 cup
- Barbecue sauce3/4 cup
Shares are relative volumes for this chart only, not nutritional or weight claims. Sesame seeds and herbs seen in serving photographs are styling and are not counted here.
Success Tips
- Do not add liquid. The two sauces are the cooking medium, and extra water will not reduce away in thirty minutes.
- Start checking the temperature at two and a half hours — small chunks can get there early.
- The uncovered stage is not optional. Skip it and the sauce stays loose.
Serving Ideas
Four servings, as-is or over rice. Sesame seeds and chopped herbs are styling only and are not part of the three ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really only three ingredients?
Yes. Orange marmalade, barbecue sauce and chicken. Any sesame or herbs used for serving are garnish and are not counted.
Can I use chicken breasts?
This recipe uses boneless, skinless thighs cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
Shouldn't I add some broth or water?
No. The marmalade and barbecue sauce provide the cooking sauce, and added liquid would prevent the final glaze from reducing.
