I have never gotten so many compliments before, let alone for a piece of chicken. David suggested calling this chicken, “So Good it Can’t Be Described, Explosion on Your Taste Buds Chicken.” Exactly. I have never encountered a dish that is so basic and simple to put together yet creates such a big pay off. This chicken, quite simply, is one of the most savory things I’ve ever eaten. If you are the busiest person on the planet and don’t have much cooking experience, but you have to prepare a meal to woo the love of your life, cook this chicken!
To make this chicken, which you should absolutely do immediately, preheat your oven to 450º F. Then, mix together 1/2 cup of dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of rice/rice wine vinegar.
Put 1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs into a foil-lined or disposable oven-proof, 8×8 inch baking dish. Six thighs came in my package, which made enough to serve 3 people. Then, salt and pepper the thighs. Pour your maple mustard mixture over them, turning the thighs in the mixture so they are fully coated.
Put the chicken thighs into the oven, and let them bake for 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165ºF. Baste the tops of the chicken with the sauce half way through. I find that a meat thermometer is essential in cooking because it allows me to check for doneness without cutting into the meat and losing its precious juices. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Plate the chicken, whisk the sauce that remains in the baking dish, and then spoon the extra sauce over the top. Sprinkle over some fresh rosemary. If there is ever a time to use fresh herbs, THIS IS IT! The flavors are just so good together. Enjoy the savory goodness of this meal!
I adapted this recipe from “The I <3 Trader Joe’s Cookbook” by Cherie Mercer Twohy. Thanks, Jenna!
Shopping list:
- Chicken thighs- 1 package
- Dijon mustard- 1/2 cup
- Maple syrup- 1/4 cup
- Rice/rice wine vinegar- 1 tablespoon
- Fresh rosemary
- Salt and pepper
ick! Some of the grossest chicken I’ve ever had… and I grew up on chicken w/ a can of cream of mushroom soup baked for a hour…
why would you say that?
btw…that sounds discusting
Well there is the problem. Your tastebuds are used to crap like chicken w/ canned cream of mushroom soup and overbaked. You probably can’t handle the good stuff.
Jillian, please be respectful. Your comments do nothing constructive at all. If it doesn’t sound like something you would eat, then don’t make it. No need to sound like a picky 4 year old.
Love it! It pleased the man AND the kiddos (oh, and me too). Trying it in the crock pot for a bigger crowd. Thank you!
SO GOOD! I was super skeptical after reading some of the reviews, but this turned out really well! I followed the directions almost exactly, but I used regular vinegar instead of rice wine vinegar because that’s all I had. I also didn’t use any rosemary because I didn’t have any at home. I used Publix dijon mustard, maple syrup, and boneless skinless thighs and it was so good. It does taste mustardy, but the mustard isn’t overwhelming in any way. The sweetness of the maple syrup (which I was worried about because I tend not to like sweet entrees) balanced the bitterness of the mustard so well, so it was neither sweet nor bitter…it was perfect! I also was worried that the time in the oven would overcook the chicken, but it was cooked to perfection. My oven heats from the bottom so I put the pan on the top rack and I think that kept it from overcooking. All in all, this is a recipe that’s sure to please 🙂
I made this last night and it came out spectacular. I recommend this to anyone who wants an easy but flavorful meal. It was so easy I was almost scared. I did use Sugar Free Maple Syrup (my mom is diabetic). It came out fabulous so fabulous that no one spoke during dinner; that’s how good. On a side note, I did not find it to be at all “mustardy”.
I was wondering, I picked up some Kraft horseradish dijon mayo today at Dollar General…wondering if I could use that in place of the dijon mustard? Maybe the horseradish would clash with the maple syrup…
Made this tonight and we all loved it. It did not brown the same way but I broiled it for a few minutes at the end to brown it up. I also substituted honey for the maple syrup as I did not have any syrup and it was very good. Thanks for the great recipe. I will make it again for sure!!!
I made this night before last and we loved it. I cut the amount of mustard in half after reading comments about the sauce being too mustardy. You’ll want to spoon the sauce over your chicken when serving and over your rice or potatoes or whatever. Very yummy. I forgot to top with fresh rosemary and didn’t miss it.
Saw this on pinterest and piqued my interest as I am always looking for new ways to fix chicken. I am not a fan of mustard and made it because everyone was saying it didn’t taste like mustard. Well, both my son and I didn’t like it at all. I wouldn’t make this again for us, but I can see how people who really like/love mustard would love it.
I don’t even like mustard and this was delicious! Thanks so much!
I made this for dinner tonight and think you should rename it to “Man and Woman Pleasing Chicken”! Delish! Thank you for sharing.
Made this last night — absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch 🙂
OMG!!! my one year old tore this UP! i served it over veggie rice and I will definitely be making extra sauce next time.. soooo GOOD!!
I made this for my family last night. My kids all ate it and they are extremely picky eaters (I’m talking McNuggets and candy picky). My husband is a Chef Instructor with a capital “C”. Dinner usually involves the meal being critiqued like I’d turned it in for grading (it’s hard for him to turn it off). The Hubbs ate it without comment (which means it’s a keeper). The only thing I’d recommend is to sear off the chicken in a pan first to render some of the fat. I used bone-in thighs and there was a considerable amount of fat at the bottom of the pan. If you’re using dark meat, don’t be afraid to cook it longer to get that beautiful browning. Dark meat has enough fat to take it and just get more tender. White meat…just cook it till it’s safe to eat (165).
Oh, and she’s not kidding about lining your pan with foil. Take the time. I can’t imagine having to scrub the pan if I’d skipped that step.
Winner winner… 😉 chicken dinner.
Enh. It was “okay”….I probably will not make it again. And I love mustard/honey mustard/dijon…..you name it. It was….enh. But thanks for posting so I could try it!
This looks really delicious and I can’t wait to try it, but to tell you the truth the thing I love most about this post (admission of nerdiness in 5, 4, 3, 2 … ) is that you listed both the weight of the chicken and the quantity.
First night I made just 3 thighs. It was SO good, my husband went to the store to get more chicken and I made it again last night. I used regular mustard. I thought it was the BEST chicken I ever tasted. Let it cook a little longer if it seems like the sauce is thin. It will get nice and thick. I make some good fried chicken but I think I even like this better ! Thank you so much for this recipe !
I was wondering how much of the maple taste survives. I have made other recipes that call for the use of maple syrup and my family did not like it. This dish looks so good that I would be willing to give it a try (and prepare it when no one was around to see me make it) if it doesn’t have too much maple flavor left after cooking.
This looks amazing and I plan to make it for dinner. The only part I don’t like is the name. Seems like it pleases women more than men. Also, it makes me want to call it “Black Eye Chicken” because those are the crass jokes it invites.
I am thinking about making this with breasts and putting it in the crock pot.
This is the most controversial recipe I have ever come across. Can’t wait to make it…with the original ingredients.
Made this tonight. Ended up with basically boiled chicken thighs in a watery dijon sauce. No browning of the chicken occurred. Threw it in the garbage.
….and this helps others how??? What do you suggest o do differently? Did you even taste it? Constructive criticism please!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing!! I set the oven to 375 and I also marinated the chicken all day in the sauce. My husband is a very picky eater and he loved it! I also added garlic powder and worchestire sauce to the mix. Amazing! When the chicken started to burn a little on top I just laid a piece of foil on it.
My dish didn’t turn out with a nice carmelized coating like your picture. Maybe it needs to be broiled just before serving? Also the extra sauce in the pan got thick and burned so it couldn’t be used as a topping.
Since I used 1/2 of the jar of Dijon I brought home from Paris I really wanted to love this but it was just okay in my opinion – sadly nothing amazing & will not make again.
I used dijon I brought back from Paris too. Mine turned out great though.
I am so jealous of you lucky people going to Paris!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe with us! I tried it today and it was a huge success! Next time I will try your recipe on pork tenderloin.
Did anyone marinate the chicken in the sauce before cooking it. My chicken has been sitting in the sauce since last night and I’m making it tonight for dinner. I guess we’ll see how it taste!
I did and it will only add to the delicious flavor.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I followed your instructions exactly and it came out wonderful. My boyfriend and I both loved it! It was not too “mustardy” at all – the sauce was sweet and flavorful thanks to the herbs and maple syrup. I will definitely be making this again.
Can I make this with breasts instead? We don’t like dark meat =(
Looks amazing and so simple! Need to make this tonight for dinner!!!
This looks amazing! Quick question though, could this be made in the crockpot? If so, would I have to add any extra ingredients?
For the folks doing this sauce/marinade with chicken breast who are worried about the cut being too thick… Try tenderizing the breast first with a mallet or cut the breasts into thinner slices (scallopini style) then tenderize the chicken and marinade as usual. This method can increase your servings or decrease portions, however way you choose to look at it 🙂 Cheers on a good recipe – I am looking forward to trying it.
Love this recipe, and I think it’s even better with Hannaford’s “Inspirations” Maple Mustard. Yum!
I was wondering about the crock pot as well. I dont know why you would have to change an of the ingredients. I think maybe double the recipe for a large size slow cooker. I cant wait to try this though. I am trying to find the “Perfect” dish to take to a dinner party of about 20 so I am not to sure this is it but I want it to be! Maybe a couple of cookers going Friday!
I have to say, after reading the reviews I had to try this recipe. Made it for my husband and me tonight and it was absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe explicitly and did not substitute… I did use store brand dijon mustard. I did cook it ten minutes longer because it wasn’t as brown as the picture and I wanted it to be brown. NO cleanup due to foil lining…I would make this again and again, and it’s a great one for company, IMHO. In the future, I would make rice to go with it, as the sauce is to die for and it just cries for something to soak it up! Incidentally, there was NO taste of either mustard or maple syrup, just complete deliciousness. Indescribable, as I think Witty’s DH commented. Try it and stick to the recipe and you will LOVE it!!!
I needed this to be mostly done when I got home so I used boneless breasts and put it in the crockpot on high for almost 3 hours. The chicken was cooked through but didn’t have any of the caramelization that I wanted. So I cranked the oven up to 450 and cooked it in a pyrex dish for another 20 minutes. That got it nice and caramelized and it tasted great. Probably would have been better just in the oven but I didn’t have the time. We’ll definitely be making it again.
I saw your recipe on Printerest and gave it a try yesterday. I was in a hurry so took it with chicken breasts cut into bites and cooked in a pan. I am sure it is better in the oven but it was still delicious ! I found the taste of the sauce to be close to miso + sake + sugar + rice vinegar.
I’ve been making this alot and my family loves it!!! <3
Anyone know how many calories this recipe is?
I calculated 225 calories per serving (2 thighs).
I made it with plain old yellow mustard and it was still delicious! I served it with egg noodles, but that was a bit too bland. Tonight I’m adding some roasted vegetables. What makes a good side for this dish?
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Trying this tonight- Father’s Day here in Australia and it seems fitting that we serve a Man Pleasing Dish 🙂
Accidently bought rice vinegar instead of rice wine vinegar. Will it still work or do I need to go back to the store?
It’s the same thing.
This was good! 4 out of 5 of us liked it, and the one who didn’t doesn’t like anything. 🙂 I did add a little more maple syrup because I’m not a huge fan of mustard, and the flavors were really good. I also used chicken breast because that’s what the family prefers, baked at 400 for 1/2 hour. Thanks!
I was wondering about using chicken breasts … Thanks for telling how long to cook them too!!
you tooted
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Delicious, easy and perfect to the recipe. What’s not to love?
Used breast, 100% maple syrup, cooked at 200 degrees celcius (in Australia) for 30 mins then upped to 230 for the last 10 minutes to get the browning. Turned 3 times. I think letting it rest is an important step for flavour penetration. Family has said to put it on the high roatation list and even my mum whom is suffering with a toothache couldn’t resist finishing it.
Needed a kick in my life and am seriously tired of the same ol’ thing! I came across this recipe and decided it was for dinner tonight! Didn’t have quite enough mustard so I added BBQ sauce which made it a bit sweeter than what I wanted. Next time I’ll make sure to omit it. Anyway served it with white jasmine rice and my kids LOVED it and my fiance had to have 2 bowls of salad to keep from grabbing another serving. He still ate seconds. 😉
Thank you so much, this makes 2 that I love from this website!!
Thanks, I hope you love even more!!
Made this tonight. It was delicious! My husband said he could eat that every week. My 9 yr old daughter cleaned her plate. My 7 yr old son who almost NEVER eats his meal without a fuss and doesn’t ever finish his meat portion no matter what is served… Ate it all! He even said ‘that was yummy’ !! Winner in my books!!! This has a mild taste to it that is unique and indeed, yummy. Not mustardy at all! Also, the meat was super tender and juicy! The icing on the cake was that it took less than 7 minutes to prepare! Thank you for posting!
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Um…NO. Did not enjoy this dish in the least. Will not be making it again. Had PBJ instead. 🙁
It sounded SO good too!
I have a similar recipe that uses brown sugar, Dijon mustard, worshestishire sauce,herbs of your choice,salmon instead of chicken. It is fantastic!
Made this tonight and followed the recipe EXACTLY. I covered a 9×13 inch pan with tinfoil and the 1 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs (8 of them) laid out in the pan without crowding. My chicken looked exactly like the picture. We thought this was excellent and will add it to our monthly rotation. Thanks for a great new chicken dish!