Maple Mustard Chicken

This was the dish my son asked me to make for his birthday dinner the other night, so you know it's gonna be good (and simple and thrifty, but you knew that, too, didn't you?).

I found this recipe in the Oregonian newspaper about 8 years ago (back when the Oregonian used to have recipes regular people would actually make...but I digress). It was a national chicken contest winner by a woman from Iowa and after a few adjustments (I just can't help myself...) it's become a family favorite.

It's a crispy-coated baked chicken, but the twist is LOTS of mustard- both dry and Dijon. Trust me, when you see the amounts, you'll think it's too much, but go with it and you won't be disappointed!





So you will need the two mustards, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and bread crumbs (the ones you've made from the odds-n-ends bread pieces in your freezer, right?). This is a good recipe for using up the bread crumbs, because we don't throw things away around here...





Oh, this is easy, you're gonna love it. Just combine 3 Tb. Dijon (I used a 1/4 cup measure and filled it 3/4 full so I didn't need to use the tablespoon- I wanted it to be dry for the dry mustard), 2 Tb. oil (use the 1/4 cup again, this time 1/2 full), 2 Tb. dry mustard, 2 Tb. maple syrup, and salt in a gallon-size ziplock baggie.

Throw your chicken pieces in the baggie. You can use just legs, or all the pieces from the chicken. It would probably be good with just breasts, too, but I've never tried it 'cause we're a dark meat kinda family. I do take the skin off the thighs first, but not the legs or wings because it's hard to get the skin off of those littler pieces! If using the boneless, skinless breasts, remember to adjust the cooking time as they would cook a lot faster than the pieces with bones.





Now's the time when to throw the baggie in the fridge for 1/2 hour to 1 hour if you've planned well and have time before dinner. However, that's rarely the case around here...

So I just leave it to sit on the counter for the few minutes while I'm prepping the crumbs.

Honestly, I've never noticed a difference in taste or flavor. I always wonder about marinating...

Combine the bread crumbs and 3 Tb. dry mustard (yes, you read that right!) in a pie plate or other shallow bowl and mix well.

Use tongs (I LOVE tongs- I wouldn't know what to do in my kitchen without tongs!) to remove the chicken pieces one at a time and roll in the crumb mixture. I use a fork to dump the crumbs over and make sure it's in all the nooks and crannies.

Place the pieces in an oiled baking dish or on a cookie sheet.

Don't mind the plain breasts, like I said, we're not breast people, so I usually cook up the breasts plain so I can use them in other recipes. These got cut up and used the next day in the sauce for our ravioli. If you were going to use the breast, though, I would cut them in half before putting them in the baggie to make more manageable pieces.

Lightly spray the tops with oil. I use oil I put in my Mr. Misto sprayer, which is another thing I love- I never spend money buying the spray oil in cans and I can put the kind of oil I want in it. After awhile, it sprays in only a stream, but I use a brush to spread it in pans and it doesn't matter here. A small price to pay for the savings and control! Plus, I don't have that yucky residue that coated the edges of pans when I used the canned spray oils.

Bake the chicken at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, mix the remaining 3 Tb. maple syrup and 2 Tb. Dijon mustard in a small bowl.

Serve the chicken with the sauce on the side. I like to let each person person pour the sauce over their chicken, which also allows the crust to remain crispy until just before that first bite.
Mmm...


Maple Mustard Chicken

• 2 Tb. olive oil
• 5 Tb. Dijon mustard, divided
• 5 Tb. dry mustard, divided
• 5 Tb. maple syrup, divided
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8-10 chicken pieces
• 1-1/2 cups bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and oil a shallow baking dish or a cookie sheet.
2. In a large gallon-sized baggie, mix together olive oil, 3 Tb. Dijon, 2 Tb. dry mustard, 2 Tb of the maple syrup, and the salt. Add the chicken pieces, seal and turn over to coat the chicken. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Or just proceed with the recipe if pressed for time.
3. Combine the bread crumbs and remaining 3 Tb dry mustard in a shallow bowl or pie tin.
4. Roll the chicken in the crumbs, making sure they are evenly coated. Place on the prepared pan. Spray lightly with oil.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until juices run clear.
6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the remaining 3 Tb maple syrup and 2 Tb. Dijon mustard. Serve alongside chicken.
   
   

Enjoy! -Jami