Man-Pleasing Chicken

By Foodiewife

This recipe originally was posted on "Witty in the City" and went viral on Pinterest. It was adapted from the "I Love Trader Joe's" cookbook. I can see why this recipe is popular, because it's absolutely delicious! My husband, and adult son, love this dish and I've made it several times. The sauce is a savory/sweet blend of Dijon Mustard and maple syrup, with just a bit of rice wine vinegar. It comes together in minutes, and slowly bakes to a golden brown with a self-made gravy. I've slightly adapted the ratio of mustard to maple syrup, but adjust to your own taste. Go ahead! Try it! You'll love it!

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless*
• 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard (don't use yellow mustard)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (don't use pancake syrup)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• Fresh rosemary, chopped, as a garnish, optional
• NOTE: I've made this with bone-in, skin on chicken thighs, too

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 30mins
Adapted from afeastfortheeyes.net

Preparation

Step 1

NOTE: I prefer chicken breasts, but the reason that chicken thighs are the best choice is that they do have more moisture to them. Chicken breasts have a tendency to dry out.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Season the chicken with salt & pepper.

Whisk together the mustard, maple syrup, and rice vinegar. You can adjust the ratio of mustard to maple syrup. If you prefer that the mustard is the dominant flavor, increase the ratio to 1/2 cup mustard to 1/4 cup maple syrup.

For easier clean-up, line a 9x9-inch baking dish with foil. Place the chicken in the baking dish, and pour the wet mixture over it. Using tongs, turn the chicken to coat evenly.

Note: One time, I decided to sear the chicken (skin on, bone-in) until golden brown, then drained the fat. I proceeded to bake them and was happy with that result. This isn't necessary, but optional.

Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (30-40 minutes), basting the chicken halfway through with the sauce.

Garnish with fresh herbs and serve. Favorite side dishes are brown rice or mashed potatoes.

I doubt you'll have any leftovers!