Maple-Dijon Chicken - Handle the Heat
Filed Under: Chicken | Main Dish | Savory | Weeknight

Maple-Dijon Chicken

By Tessa Arias
  |  
April 25th, 2012

This recipe has been floating around the Pinterest sphere for a few weeks now (side note: when do you think spell-check will include the word Pinterest?). 

Tessa's Recipe Rundown...

Taste: The Dijon flavor definitely mellows a bit in the oven and is complimented by the sweetness of the maple but if you really hate mustard you won't like this chicken (that's not much of a surprise though). I love the piney, earthiness of fresh rosemary on practically anything. Texture: The chicken is moist and juicy and the sauce is slightly thick and rich. Ease: Really simple and easy. Appearance: Not the prettiest dish in the world. Pros: Simple and tasty. Cons: None. Would I make this again? Yes. My boyfriend loves Dijon so this will be a perfect go-to weeknight meal.

This recipe has been floating around the Pinterest sphere for a few weeks now (side note: when do you think spell-check will include the word Pinterest?). It sounded like the perfect weeknight staple. Just a few ingredients, nothing that needs to be planned ahead of time, and nothing too expensive (especially if you buy your maple syrup at Costco). I was a little nervous the mustard flavor would be overwhelming. I hate regular yellow mustard. I’m not a big fan of things that are sour or bitter.

A few random foods I really dislike:
-beans (I hate the mushy texture)
-pickles (UGH)
-raw onion (I can handle it in small quantities but I always pick raw onions out of salads or sandwiches)
-bitter greens like collard
-ketchup (this one has gotten me some weird looks, especially when I was a kid. I eat my fries plain. I will even eat a hotdog plain)
What foods do you hate?

I usually go for Dijon mustard when making myself a sandwich and even then I slather a VERY thin layer on my bread just for a little tangy bite.  The maple in this recipe balances out the Dijon which is why I think it works. If you don’t have maple syrup on hand you can substitute honey!

 

How to make
Maple-Dijon Chicken

This recipe has been floating around the Pinterest sphere for a few weeks now (side note: when do you think spell-check will include the word Pinterest?). 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup Dijon-style mustard
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place chicken in a large rimmed baking dish in one even layer. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.
  2. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl whisk together the mustard, maple syrup, and vinegar. Pour mixture of chicken. Turn chicken to coat evenly.
  3. Bake for 40 minutes, or until meat is slightly browned and registers an internal temperature of 165°F. Baste chicken with juices halfway through cooking time. Sprinkle cooked chicken with rosemary and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Course : Main Course
Tessa Arias
Author: Tessa Arias

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

Tessa Arias

About Tessa...

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)

Find Tessa on  

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Recipe Rating




  1. #
    Isabela — May 7, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    Made this today but used honey, whine vinegar and made a mix of normal mustard with whole grain dijon. Amazing! Great and simple recipe!

  2. #
    Emily — May 1, 2012 at 3:45 am

    I love mustard but my husband and son hate it. They both like honey-mustard, though, so I figured I'd try this. I was a little worried when I tasted the mixture (pre-cooking) because it had a pretty serious Dijon kick, but after I baked the chicken in it the flavor really mellowed out. Bottom line: My mustard hating family loved it! Thanks for the recipe.

  3. #
    Bryan & YiRan — April 27, 2012 at 2:33 pm

    Looks simple and tasty – will have to give it a try!

  4. #
    Denise — April 26, 2012 at 8:30 pm

    It always feels nice to meet people who don't like ketchup. I hate ketchup too. 😀 When I order a cheeseburger from McDonald's, I ask the crew to make a plain one for me. No ketchup, no pickles, just the bun, patty and cheese. Good thing they always oblige. 🙂

    • #
      handleheat — April 26, 2012 at 10:13 pm

      Yay I fellow ketchup-hater 😉 I remember as a kid ordering my cheeseburger plain too! Whenever they got it wrong I was so disgusted haha.

      • #
        Denise — April 27, 2012 at 5:42 pm

        A friend once ordered for me and told the crew to make it plain but when I bit into it, it reeked of ketchup. I returned it and they replaced it for free! 😀

  5. #
    Jan — April 25, 2012 at 7:49 pm

    I hate mustard any kind. You just can't mask the flavor b/c I've tried lol.
    How much dry mustard can you put in a recipe versus the yucky kind?

  6. #
    Tracey — April 25, 2012 at 6:57 pm

    This looks like the perfect meal at our house, definitely going on my menu soon! I'm not a fan of beans or bitter greens either, and pickles are just ok for me. I hate licorice and all licorice-flavored things too.

  7. #
    Jacqueline — April 25, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    Funny! I printed out this same recipe and I'm making it for dinner tonight. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I love chicken thighs!

  8. #
    Bela — April 25, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    This looks amazing! And it's so easy and practical, it'd be perfect for any day that one doesn't feel like spending much time to prepare a good meal.

  9. #
    Fabtastic Eats — April 25, 2012 at 2:42 pm

    Oh yum!! I've been seeing this all over Pinterest too and have been wanting to try it! You've just convinced me! Sometimes simple and delish is perfect!! Thanks for being the guinea pig! 😛

  10. #
    spiffycookie — April 25, 2012 at 2:16 pm

    Oh yum! I have a honey mustard chicken recipe similar to this that I love to make. Never tried it with thighs before though.

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