To make maple mustard chicken, roast bone-in, skin-on thighs at 425°F for 25 minutes. Then spoon on a glaze of maple syrup, Dijon mustard and garlic and roast 10 to 15 minutes more, until the thickest part reads 165°F, the USDA's safe minimum for poultry.
Adding the glaze partway through is what makes this work. The skin gets a head start on browning, and the maple has just enough time to turn glossy without scorching.
What you need
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, or half Dijon and half whole-grain
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried (optional)
How to make it
- Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it all over with the salt and pepper. Arrange the thighs skin side up, in a single layer, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or a 12-inch oven-safe skillet.
- Roast for 25 minutes, until the skin starts to turn golden.
- While the chicken roasts, stir together the maple syrup, mustard, garlic and thyme, if using.
- Spoon the glaze over each thigh. Roast 10 to 15 minutes more, until the glaze is bubbling and browned in spots and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of a thigh, not touching the bone, reads at least 165°F. If the glaze darkens too fast, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Spoon off some of the fat if you like, then spoon the pan juices over the thighs and serve.
Which syrup to use
Use Dark. It's deep and robust and built for cooking, so its flavor holds up next to sharp mustard. Amber works too. It's warm and smooth, with caramel notes. If you'd like both on the shelf, the bundle has one of each. Whichever you use, it should be pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
Tips
- Trust the thermometer. Check the thickest part of a thigh, away from the bone. Thighs are forgiving, so a few degrees over 165°F won't dry them out.
- Start with dry skin. Patting the thighs dry helps the skin brown instead of steam.
- Boneless, skinless thighs work too. Roast them for 10 minutes, add the glaze, then roast 8 to 12 minutes more, until they reach 165°F.
- Leftovers. Get them into the fridge within 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F, and eat them within 3 to 4 days.
Make it your own
- Make it a one-oven dinner. Maple roasted carrots and maple roasted sweet potatoes both roast at 425°F. Put either one on a second rack about 10 minutes after the chicken goes in, and everything will be ready at about the same time.
- Change the herb. Swap the thyme for a teaspoon of chopped fresh rosemary.
- Add some heat. Stir a pinch of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of hot sauce into the glaze.
- Try drumsticks. Bone-in drumsticks work with the same timing. Check them for 165°F the same way.
