Juicy Pumpkin Glazed Chicken

My Juicy Pumpkin Glazed Chicken  is the ultimate fall inspired dish! This easy recipe is going to have your whole family buzzing about what a delicious meal it was!

These tender boneless skinless chicken thighs are done in under 30 minutes! This chicken thighs recipe uses a simple spice rub and then they are roasted to perfection in the oven. You are going to finish them off with a glaze which is the pumpkin spread from Trader Joe’s. 

Similiar to my Greek Yogurt Chicken and my 30 Minute Healthy Sloppy Joes, this is the perfect go-to recipe for the entire family for any night of the week.

Original Post: September 2023 | Post Updated: Feb 2025

​So you’re at Trader Joe’s and you see both Pumpkin Spread and Pumpkin Butter. If you find yourself staring at the jelly shelf in wonder of which to buy- definitely get both! LOL However use the spread for this chicken recipe. Their pumpkin butter is amazing -but through trial and error over previous years, the spread holds better as a glaze on meats. While the butter works great on muffins and breads.

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Ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs. For best results avoid bone-in thighs. Bone in can be used but you will need to adjust your cooking time.
• Extra virgin olive oil.
• Spices: dried basil, garlic powder, oregano, dried parsley, Aleppo pepper (cayenne pepper works as great substitute)
• Paella spice blend . Or you can substitute using sweet paprika or smoked paprika.
• Kosher salt.
• Black pepper. 
• Pumpkin spread from Trader Joe’s. Any pumpkin spread works.

How to make Pumpkin Glazed Chicken

1. The first step is start with preheating the oven temperature to 400 degrees. If the pumpkin spread was refrigerated, set it out to bring to room temperature.
2. Remove any skin (if any) from the chicken thighs and rinse well. Pat dry with a paper towel and place chicken thighs in a single layer on the sheet pan lined with parchment paper. 
3. Season the chicken with a touch salt and black pepper. 
4. Then drizzle the olive oil and add the remaining spice. Combine well. Add another touch of salt. 
5. Place the chicken in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees. 

When cooking chicken thighs, the best way to know if they are cooked properly is to use a meat thermometer or instant read thermometer. You will want to test the thickest part of the meat. 

Carefully remove the chicken from the oven when done.  Using a pastry brush, glaze the juicy chicken thighs with the pumpkin spread.

Serve these boneless thighs with your favorite side dishes. Store any remaining chicken pieces in an airtight container.  

Substitutions and variations 

There are many new ways to change up boneless chicken thigh recipes. 

• Using the Paella spice in combination with pumpkin spread is one of my favorite ways to prepare my chicken. However if you don’t have the Paella spice, you can omit it or substitute with a bit of chili powder, sweet paprika or smoked paprika. 

• If you don’t want to use pumpkin glaze, you can always brush the chicken with your favorite glaze, dijon mustard with a touch of maple syrup or honey or use bbq sauce. Another delicious method is marinating the chicken over night in a ziploc bag using your favorite flavors. 

• These easy baked chicken thighs don’t always need a glaze. When they are done, you can squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. 

• You can prepare chicken thighs in an air fryer. 

Recipe Inspiration for Pumpkin Glazed Chicken

I had picked up Pumpkin Spread from Trader Joe’s awhile back. Because of the texture, I have always wanted to make roast chicken with it. 

The spread is a little thicker than their pumpkin butter which makes it perfect for glazing.

There was a lot of trial and error while creating this recipe. The thing is that I am picky about how I was going to season the chicken. I didn’t want just salt and pepper. 

Awhile back I had picked up a Paella Spice Blend from a cutesy boutique store. Little did I know that this spice is the bomb and it’s delicious on many dishes, not just Paella.  

The smokiness goes so well with the sweetness of the pumpkin spread.

This is one of the best chicken recipes when you are looking for a scrumptious main dish!