Gutsy Cooks Club: Baked Chicken with Honey Whole Grain Chipotle Mustard

When Monica shared that she was ready to get our Gutsy Cooks Club up and going again after her engagement, wedding planning and wedding festivities hiatus we were happy to get back on board. Our blogging journey began with some involvement in participating in this weekly challenge and we've missed the opportunity to have a reason to try recipes we might otherwise overlook. 

And this week's offering being honey-mustard glazed chicken thighs was right up our alley. Like many of our fellow Gutsy Cook's participants I also used to be a strictly boneless, skinless chicken breast kind of gal. But then I met & finally married this flavorful meat loving kind of guy that quickly converted my tastes to understanding meat cooked with fat and on the bone does something magical to meat and especially chicken. 

Having literally just gotten off the plane from Mexico; this being our first meal cooked not with Mexican grown ingredients we took a few liberties with the recipe to ease back away from the flavors we love and indulge in while south of the border. The first tweak being to use a Chipotle Mustard mixed with a whole grain mustard as the mustard component. Additionally, we used a Mesquite flavored honey mixed with the mustard for the glaze. Having went the Chipotle mustard route we opted to use chopped cilantro and chives as the herbs for the marinade. We tend to love this type of free form type of recipe that starts off simple but recommends "tweaking" it based on what you have on hand or meets your tastes.

We liberally glazed the chicken with the honey-mustard glaze after baking the thighs for 25 minutes and then put them under the broiler for 10 minutes. They really looked fantastic before going under the broiler. Ours did get a bit too black under our broiler as things often do when left too close, too long. Our bad. 

But the skin was crispy was delicious with the glaze applied to it. We served ours with a 3 cheese hasselback potato and roasted brussels sprouts. 

Along with a Washington grown Columbia Valley Apex Granache with complimented both the chicken thighs and chipotle mustard glaze.

Our thoughts after enjoying our meal: the chicken thighs were juicy and flavorful. But we felt the honey-mustard glaze didn't quite get enough play in the dish. Next time I would likely make a double batch of the glaze brushing half of it as the recipe called for and reserving the remaining to use as a dipping sauce while eating the chicken. Additionally I would place my chicken further away from the broiler than I did this time. But this was a good, week day chicken recipe that we'll continue to make while adapting as we go. 

And we encourage anyone sticking with boneless, skinless chicken breasts to delve in a bit to cooking with bone in, skin on chicken thighs the flavor you experience is well worth the additional calories. 

RECIPE:

Baked Chicken with Honey-Whole Grain Mustard Glaze (original recipe link here.)

• • 8 chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup olive oil (maybe more)
  • 1 lemon (juiced) We used a Meyer Lemon
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Some fresh herbs (if you have them) We used cilantro & chives
  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard  We used a mix of Chipotle and Whole Grain Dijon
  • 1 or 2 tablespoons honey We used Mesquite Honey
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • A little salt and pepper

Directions

1. Marinate chicken in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and herbs, for at least 1 hour and up to a day in advance. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub big baking pan with olive oil or butter, place thighs skin side down.
2. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes and turn skin side up. Bake for 10 more minutes. To make the glaze, add mustard, honey, and oil in a bowl in that order, whisk, add salt and pepper, whisk some more. Apply glaze with brush or spoon and broil for 5 minutes.
3. Take out and let rest for a second, and make sure you save all those delicious, lemony, chickeny juices that collected in the pan.