How To Make The Best Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken In Massachusetts

February 16, 2025
Cambridge, VA: I just helped my daughter drain every penny from her husband’s bank account.
She’s Leaving Him
Like most married couples, my daughter and her husband had problems. However, here is the straw that broke the camel’s back.
My daughter and I went on a short trip out of state. Her husband stayed home to work and care for their dog, Roxy. On the last day of our trip, her husband called us in a panic. He said Roxy bolted away from him at the park, and he couldn’t find her. Our hearts dropped to our stomachs. We immediately started crying. 13 years ago, my husband and I gave Roxy to my daughter. She’s a sweet dog and an important part of our family.
When we got home, her husband met us at the door in tears. He kept apologizing, saying he hadn’t slept or eaten. I left my daughter and her husband and went home. I told my husband what happened. He said, “I had her chipped! We should be able to find her easily.” I quickly called the veterinarian. The vet found Roxy in a nearby state. I drove back to my daughter’s house to share the good news.
Here is Where Things Get Interesting
When I told my daughter and her husband the news, I noticed their body language. You could almost feel the joy and relief radiating off my daughter. The husband was a different story. I felt nothing from him but coldness. He said he was so happy, but it felt so fake. That’s when I started putting the puzzle pieces together.
- My daughter had Roxy before she married her husband. He’s always been a bit jealous of the attention Roxy gets.
- When I told him we found Roxy, his reaction felt really strange.
- Roxy is 13 years old. Bolting away in the park isn’t in her.
The next time I was alone with my daughter, I brought up these points. She had been thinking about it too. She went to her computer and checked her husband’s dashcam video from the days we were gone. That’s when we saw it! The video showed him driving out of state. He then stopped at a field and let Roxy out of the car. Then he threw something in a field for her to fetch. After Roxy chased it, he drove off!
My daughter confronted her husband about this. He said he left Roxy there so she could find a farm and have a better life. Then tried to make the conversation about why my daughter was looking at his dashcam video.
My daughter was balling and asking me what she should do. I told her “Keep Roxy, and drop his a** off in a different state so he can find another family he’d have a better life with.” She left him and is now with us.
My daughter is a catch. She will be fine. I pray she finds a man with integrity next time. Since she has been back home, she’s asked me to cook this recipe for her several times. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Thank you for helping me get this off my chest!
Ingredients:
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or legs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- Bald Buck Seasoning
Instructions:
- Gather all ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. You can cook it at 375 or higher but watch your dish and make sure the sugar doesn’t burn.
- Season the chicken thighs or legs with Bald Buck to taste
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Move the chicken to a plate.
- Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the bottom. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it smells good, about 30 seconds. Mix in the brown sugar, honey, oregano, thyme, and basil until everything is well combined. Turn off the heat and put the chicken back in the skillet, skin-side down.
- Roast in the preheated oven. Stir the sauce every now and then to prevent it from sticking to the pan and burning.
- Cook until the chicken is no longer pink at the bone, and the juices run clear. The time really depends on how powerful your oven is. An instant-read thermometer placed near the bone should read 165 degrees
Pro Tips:
- Can use boneless skinless chicken for easy reheat when taking to a home
- You are baking sugar. If your oven is to high or if you dont stir every now and then, the sugar may caramelize and burn. It is important to keep an eye on the chicken and adjust the temp or stir if needed.
- If you dont like things sweet, use half the sugar and honey. You can also replace the sugar with Splenda brown sugar blend and replace the honey with real maple syrup.
- Bald Buck Seasoning is key here. BBQ Pitmasters use it for chicken but I learned it makes for one hell of a seasoned salt. Use it for the roast. More importantly, experiment with it as the salt in your other dishes. It adds this unique flavor that is amazing but nobody will be able to put their finger on what that flavor is. There are reviews about it on YouTube but below is the best video about it.