2pounds(907g)boneless skinless, chicken thighs(most of the fat cut and discarded)
½cup(125g)Dijon mustard (no substitutes, PLEASE read notes below)
¼cup(59ml)pure maple syrup(no substitutes. No Aunt Jemima, fake maple syrup)
1tablespoonrice wine vinegarseasoned or unseasoned
¼teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
1tablespooncornstarch
2teaspoon(⅕g)fresh rosemaryfor garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 °F (232 °C). Line a 8x8" oven-proof pan with 2 layers of tin foil.
In small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
Place the chicken thighs in the foil layered pan then pour the mixture on top of it. Turn the chicken around in the sauce to make sure it gets all coated.
Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and let chicken sit for 5 minutes then transfer to a plate. Do NOT discard the liquid.
Immediately after plating chicken, whisk in the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the liquid in the pan. You'll create a nice, thick sauce to drizzle over your chicken. You need to do cornstarch mixing immediately because the liquid needs to be hot in order for it to thicken properly. If it's still not thickening after 1 tablespoon, you can add a little more.
Sprinkle rosemary on top before serving.
Notes
Regarding Dijon mustard: various brands inevitably affect results of this dish. Grey Poupon is what this recipe was developed with and what yielded the perfect Djion mustard to maple syrup sweetness ratio. I have made this dish with Trader Joe's Dijon mustard at the prescribed measurement (1/2 cup) and it was entirely too strong! All this to say: if you are sensitive to Dijon mustard or the pungency of it, start out at 1/4 cup and TASTE the sauce prior to pouring it on the chicken, and adjust to taste. I will also say that prior to baking, the sauce is a lot more pungent and baking it at a high temperature mellows it out a lot.If you like things more tangy, I would add 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar instead of 1 tablespoon. I did this the second time I made this and it was a nice tangy kick with the sweetness that subdued it. If you like things on the sweeter side, keep it to 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. Regardless, taste the sauce after mixing it together and adjust to taste. :)Source: I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook