10/09/14

Nanny's Sticky Chicken

An old-school Southern recipe for fall-off-the-bone tender chicken pieces braised low and slow in a cast iron skillet in a slightly sweet, tangy sauce.

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Nanny used to make something we called simply sticky chicken. She’d brown some chicken pieces in hot oil in a cast iron skillet, add a little water, and let the chicken slow cook until it was done. The skin would be sticky and the meat would just fall off the bone.

I wanted to make something like it this weekend but changed it up a bit by making sort of a thin barbeque sauce for the chicken and finished it all off in the oven.

Nanny’s chicken always had red glazed look to it and I know I remember a touch of sweetness too but Mama swears she didn't use any sauce or marinade.

Nanny's Sticky Chicken! An old-school Southern recipe for fall-off-the-bone tender chicken pieces braised low and slow in a cast iron skillet in a slightly sweet, tangy sauce.

I’m not so sure. Nanny could be a pistol. And I wouldn't put it past her to withhold important recipe information from her Yankee daughter-in-law. 

Nanny lived a quarter mile from us down a two-rut road that cut through the soybean fields. I went to her house almost every single day of my life once I was old enough to walk.

She and I were pals. And I think she liked to mess with Mama. I'm telling you, Nanny was a MESS. I remember her braiding my hair one day into five hundred thousand million tiny braids and sending me home with a tell your mama to have fun getting all them plaits out 😳

Nanny's Sticky Chicken! An old-school Southern recipe for fall-off-the-bone tender chicken pieces braised low and slow in a cast iron skillet in a slightly sweet, tangy sauce.

Lawzamercy. What a mess. But that’s why I’m sure there was more to her chicken than salt and pepper. I decided to marinate mine and then use the marinade to make a thin sauce for the chicken to “stew” in while it cooked. And it worked out gloriously!

As I sit here typing this up, Mama literally just emailed me this photo of Nanny's engagement announcement. OUT OF NOWHERE. She has absolutely no idea I'm writing about Nanny, much less that I'm doing it right now. Phew-wee! I've got goosebumps!

I think Nanny wanted to tell me something about this chicken! And she "sent" this to me. Just now. Seriously, what are the odds? Thank you Regina who sent it to Leona who sent it to Mama who sent it to me right at this very moment. I've never ever even seen this picture. Wasn't she beautiful?

Nanny's Sticky Chicken! An old-school Southern recipe for fall-off-the-bone tender chicken pieces braised low and slow in a cast iron skillet in a slightly sweet, tangy sauce.

I'm going to assume the message was that I was on the right track with the chicken! She was too much of a booger to send me something nice if she thought my chicken wasn't any good. She would have sent me her obituary instead 😅

Well, Nanny, if you're listening, I miss you very much and I think about you all the time. Especially when I'm cooking. I remember that green stool you used to make me sit on when you were cooking so I'd keep out of your way. And playing rummy on the back porch for hours. And the plum trees and maypops and your scuppernongs. And spending the night with you all the time - you never said no when I'd ask. And riding with you to Aunt June's. And watching the "stories" together in your recliner.

Nanny's Sticky Chicken! An old-school Southern recipe for fall-off-the-bone tender chicken pieces braised low and slow in a cast iron skillet in a slightly sweet, tangy sauce.

OK, back to the recipe (I still have goosebumps btw)... Don’t let the dark color scare you. This isn't burnt but it will get pretty dark due to the honey in the sauce. And that sauce is delicious!

I set the skillet right on the table when it was time to eat and kept dunking my chicken in the sauce to sop it up.

I wouldn't recommend boneless, skinless chicken or chicken breasts for this as I think they would surely dry out. If you try it anyway, reduce oven time to 35-45 minutes. But don’t fuss at me if it’s dry.

Nanny's Sticky Chicken! An old-school Southern recipe for fall-off-the-bone tender chicken pieces braised low and slow in a cast iron skillet in a slightly sweet, tangy sauce.

Recipe for Nanny's Sticky Chicken

Nanny's Sticky Chicken

Nanny's Sticky Chicken
Yield: 4-5 servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 H & 10 MInactive time: 6 HourTotal time: 7 H & 20 M
An old-school Southern recipe for fall-off-the-bone tender chicken pieces braised low and slow in a cast iron skillet in a slightly sweet, tangy sauce.

Ingredients

  • 8-10 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or legs
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Traditional Preparation:
  1. Add chicken to a large zip-top bag or resealable container. Combine remaining ingredients and mix well then pour over chicken. Marinate chicken at least 4 hours (or overnight - there isn't enough acid in the marinade to compromise the chicken).
  2. Reserving marinade, remove chicken and shake any excess marinade off.
  3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat (or any oven-safe skillet). Add just enough vegetable oil to skillet to coat the bottom. Once oil and pan are plenty hot, add chicken pieces then cook on all sides until browned. We’re not trying to cook the chicken through, just sear it.
  4. Pour marinade into skillet. Place skillet, uncovered, in oven and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, basting chicken pieces 3-4 times during the hour.
Alternate Preparation:
  1. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet or a frying pan big enough to fit all the chicken pieces, don’t worry! Just brown the chicken in batches in any sturdy skillet.
  2. Transfer browned chicken to a 13x9 baking dish, pour the reserved marinade into the dish and bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 1 hour, basting chicken pieces 3-4 times during the hour.

Notes

I wouldn't recommend boneless, skinless chicken or chicken breasts for this as I think they would surely dry out. If you try it anyway, reduce oven time to 35-45 minutes. But don’t fuss at me if it’s dry.

sticky, chicken, barbeque, barbecue, bbq, southern, nanny's, slow roasted, braised, sauce, ketchup, honey, sweet, how to, recipe, best, classic
Dinner, Supper, Main Dish
Southern
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73 comments:

  1. Thank you!
    --Yvonne Wakefield

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  2. Wow, this looks amazing. And your grandmother is a stunner!!

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  3. Got it marinating now cant wait to see how it turns our. Making summer squash and rice or rosemary roasted potatoes to go with it

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  4. Tears came to my eyes as I ate this rememberin' my Nana making something so very similar to this when I was young. It too was red. Why? She never told. But this reminded me quick as a wink how much I miss her Thanks.

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  5. Love your stories about your younger years! Keep 'em coming. This recipe is one I'm going to try this weekend. We eat a LOT of legs and thighs as they are the cheapest meat right now and because my husband can't eat much more than chicken. No beef, very little pork or seafood. So I'm always trying to find recipes that he can eat with chicken and this one sounds so delicious!

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  6. Mandy, you just made my day! As soon as I saw the word "plaits", my maw maw sprang to mind - thank you! By the time I got to the recipe, I had completely forgotten that there was going to be one...I felt like I was just sitting around "talking" to a friend. Then my students came back from band and orchestra and I remembered where I was. Thank you for the sweet memories - and your Nanny was gorgeous!

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    1. When Husband read this he asked, "What are plaits?" But he pronounce it "plates". Bless his Canadian heart.

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    2. try noodles with butter & chives, maybe?

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  7. Those stinker grandmas! Just a little salt and pepper! Yea right!! My hubby's sweet, tiny, grandma was known for her cooking. When we got married, I literally had to ask how to boil hotdogs (the only cooking I had ever done was in our fancy new toy, a microwave...and we didn't have one at our new house). So I asked sweetie little grandma to please share her recipes with me so my hubby wouldn't starve to death. While everything was ok at best, I thought I just wasn't a very good cook. Nothing tasted quite the same as hers. Well, after the sweet old girl passed, I got all of her cookbooks and hand written recipes. Well that sweet little thing was a GIANT liar!!!! She either changed or left out seasonings, cooking times...you name it!! So just think of it this way... Out there is a gaggle of grannies hiding the secret of "What makes the chicken red?". "Just a little salt and pepper" my hind end!!

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    1. LOL! Sounds like she was a hot mess too!

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    2. My grandma did the same to me! LOL

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    3. Granny fooled you all! The red color came from "shake n bake" bbq chicken!

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  8. Mandy, this dish sounds wonderful! I am hesitant to make it because I have read numerous times that you shouldn't use a marinade for cooking. I guess this is because it came in contact with the raw meat. What do you think? Someone please reply to this, pretty please?

    PS I think that you are hysterical! I love your stories, the names that you give to family and friends, and your JOKES! One more question; what do Canadians think of US southerners? I know what yankees think of us.....lol

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    1. Well, that is true but only if the marinade isn't cooked. So long as you're cooking it through (like we are in this recipe), it will be perfectly safe.

      Canadians think we eat too much! Ha! Husband's family thinks I have some sort of disorder, I'm sure. They just don't realize how much food and cooking and fellowship is part of our culture.

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    2. Canadians are made up of many different ethnicities; we celebrate that but also celebrate being a Canadian first. Speak to a French Canadian or an Italian Canadian or a Polish Canadian- food; family and fellowship is as much a part of our identities as it is yours; lol. AS it is everywhere I am sure that there are people who try to eat more healthfully thus switch up traditional recipes and choose to have them less often or with smaller servings :D

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  9. Nanny is Gaw-jus! -You look just like her! Beautiful lady!

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  10. Your grandma looks like the actress Faye Dunaway!

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    1. You know? I think you're right!

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    2. china moon


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    3. China Moon with Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway

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    4. DANG! She does...some people have ALL the lucky, looks & cooking skills!

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  11. I made this last night and the entire family loved it! I actually made more chicken than the recipe called for so whipped up an extra batch of marinade to add to the dish for basting. I have made several of your recipes and have loved every one of them. I love the fact that your recipes are written as if you are talking to a friend and they are so easy to understand AND everything I have tried comes out exactly as you have pictured!

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    1. Thank you for taking the time to write this. I'm so glad y'all enjoyed it and I thank you again for the compliment on the recipe writing. I write like I talk :o)

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  12. I love that you said plaiting! My mom used to call it that all the time. I will definitely be cooking this tonight, thank you for the goodness!

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    1. I'm glad so many of you knew what that meant! I hope you enjoyed the chicken!

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    2. I just had to reply to this since I'm cooking this the umpteenth time, two years later but never late lol. My fiance loves this dish and is always asking me to make it. Thank you again Mandy for such delicious dishes and heartfelt memories - from my kitchen to yours

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  13. Mandy, I just stumbled across your blog recently and I love it! I'm a pretty terrible cook (or a fair cook with an incredibly picky husband - whichever way you want to look at it) and I'm hoping to try many of your recipes. Love the stories too and your Nanny is beautiful!!

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    1. Thank you!! I'm sure you cook just fine! Don't let the picky eaters deter you!

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  14. This was wonderful and it turned out just like the picture!!! Thank you!!

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  15. What kind of hot sauce would you recommend? Siracha?

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  16. Hi this looks so delicious, but what brand of hot sauce do you use?

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  17. Haha ok i just saw you recently answered my exact question.... Happy holidays

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  18. I just did a pinterest search for skillet chicken, and one of your delicious photos showed up! I loved reading your post - there's nothing like family recipes that give you warm memories. Nanny's sticky chicken sounds like the perfect recipe to make any night of the week, or for guests for game day! I can't wait to dive in!

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  19. I saw your notation about using chicken breasts, but I'm wondering if anyone else has tried the recipe with breasts. :)

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  20. I'm making this tomorrow for Memorial Day dinner! I just mixed the marinade. I'll add my chicken in morning. Can't wait to try this!

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  21. Hello The recipe sounds so good but my question is... Because I want to cook it for dinner for the family but I have a seven month old that can't eat honey, can I replace it with something else or just take it out... She loves to eat and wants to eat everything you have... Lol little ones love them too pieces

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    1. Molasses would be great (it will be darker but that's OK) or even corn syrup would work!

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    2. Babies can't eat raw honey, but they can eat cooked honey!

      :)

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  22. This looks delicious! Making for dinner tomorrow! Thanks for the recipe!

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  23. I know this recipe was posted over a year ago, but I just came acrossed it (don't know how, I've read through just about everything on your site!) but wanted you to know that I CAN NOT wait to try this! This chicken looks delicious and I too had a mother in law that liked to keep her secret recipes up her sleeve ;)

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  24. Hi Mandy! My husband and I spent some time down south (Georgia) and really enjoyed the food, so I was so excited to find your blog. We are having this for supper tonight (again-3rd time so far...)It's nice to find authentic southern recipes that I can make here in Kansas. Thank you so much!!!

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  25. Being born and raised in the South (but not living there now), I loved "maypops" SOO much. Thanks for bringing back that sweet memory.

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  26. I'm adding this to my meal menu for the next couple weeks. I need a side suggestion for it. I saw potatoes or rice. Any other ideas that'd be good?

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    1. Noodles with butter & garlic, maybe a good choice.

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  27. Ive made this 2 or 3 times already and its legit! thanks

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  28. This looks very appetizing, it shows that southern heritage. Thank you for the chicken recipe, we will browse around your web page some more. David and Dody...

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  29. Oh, and yes, we will try that wonderful dish.

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  30. I can't cook and this came out flawless. Looked like a hero. Cheers for this xx

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  31. I have made this many times and i have yet to say thank you. This is one of our family's favorites. And if anyone needs to know yes this can be cooked on a wood stove or a BBQ. I cook everything that way :)

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  32. Iam making this tomorrow but I want skinless thighs is that okay? Also I just marinate right ? I don't add any salt or pepper to the chicken right?

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    1. I think that will work fine! You can add pepper if you like but the marinade is plenty salty ;)

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  33. This looks so darn yummy, but what's a girl with a poultry allergy to do? Use it on thick ole' pork steaks instead! It was awesome, I highly recommend it. The Hubs has nicknamed it "Sticky Piggy".

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  34. made it, love it. thank you !

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  35. I made this recipe tonight and initially picked it based on your pictures. My mouth was watering just looking at them! My family loved it! My husband even had me write it down in the recipe book that all of his mother's recipes are in (she cooks the same way and doesn't share full recipes or her little tweaks- despite 'copies' of her recipes, my attempts never taste the same). Thank you so much!!

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    1. Oh, Betsy! This is the best thing I've heard all year! I'm so glad y'all enjoyed it and I really appreciate you for taking the time to let me know :)

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  36. This looks amazing. I just got an air fryer. Do you think I can cook the chicken in it?

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  37. Hi. I'm in the process of making the marinade now. I noticed you said the hot sauce won't make it too spicy because it has vinegar in it.
    I don't see vinegar in the list of ingredients.
    So, what vinegar do you want us to use?
    Thank you.

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    1. I use the hot sauce because it has vinegar in it (well, most do - I use Texas Pete) and the vinegar is good for the recipe. I just mentioned it didn't make the dish too hot so folks wouldn't be scared to use it.

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  38. This chicken was phenomenal! I was afraid of the hot sauce but I really couldn't taste it. This is the best chicken I have ever made. It was so delicious! I can't wait to make it again!

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  39. This chicken looks amazing! Can I use chicken breast(bone-in,skin on)?

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  40. Going to make tomorrow. Your grandmother is absolutely stunning. Wow!!!

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  41. Mandy, this is my family's favorite meal! They ask for it often. And I think it's the best chicken I have ever put in my mouth. Genius, and beautiful Nanny! 😍

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  42. I was always told that you never use marinade after it has been on raw chicken. Is that not still so?

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    1. That would only be the case if the marinade would not be thoroughly cooked after adding it back in, which it definitely is in this recipe.

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  43. This recipe ruined my cast iron skillet even though heat was on medium. Can't get black burn off bottom of several spots in skillet. Believe me, I have tried everything.

    However, the recipe was DELICIOUS - my family loved it - & even better as leftovers. I did double the amount of marinade just to have extra sauce.

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  44. Girl, I can hardly wait to try this. You choked me up with all the details about your Nanny. God how I wish I had been able to spend time nearly every day with my Mamaw (we lived 8 hours from her). I just had to reach out and tell you that I FELT that story, those details. The heat and the nice afternoon breezes you must have felt, playin Rummy all summer... just, the whole THING. Write those down somewhere... you told it so well. And thanks again for the recipe!!!!

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  45. I do not have a cast iron skillet and have a smooth top range. Will this recipe work in a regular teflon skillet?

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  46. I have my chicken marinating right now, I absolutely cannot wait to eat this chicken tonight!!

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  47. Absolutely amazing and love that sauce!
    I visited you via The Country Cook: BIEROCKS WITH CHEESE – WEEKEND POTLUCK #616 My links: Lamb Stew with Dumplings and Roasted Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup
    We will be so happy if you share your links with us at SeniorSalonPitStop. Link under BLOGGING

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Hi there! While I’m not able to respond to every comment, I try hard to answer any questions that haven’t been addressed in the post, recipe or in other comments.

I can tell you now 1) I have no idea if you can substitute Minute Rice or brown rice in my recipes because I’ve never used them and 2) If I know how to convert a recipe to a Crock Pot version, I will make a note about it (otherwise, I don’t know).

And though I may not respond to them all, I do read each and every comment and I LOVE to hear from you guys! Thanks, y’all! - Mandy