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You have to try this yum yum chicken. Tender, juicy chicken thighs are smothered in a savory-sweet sauce starring Dijon mustard and real maple syrup. It’s so good that you’ll want to lick the plate when you’re done.
Hmmm let’s talk about this chicken for a minute. It has 100% become my go-to easy chicken dinner. Each succulent, juicy bite of tender chicken is dripping with a smooth, velvety, maple-Dijon sauce that is just loaded with flavor. The sweetness of the maple syrup combined with the savory, tangy nature of the dijon and a hint of acid from the rice vinegar is just an unbeatable combination. The flavors mix with the juices released from the chicken as it bakes, creating a masterpiece. Yum yum good!
This recipe requires only 5 minutes of prep time and is sure to please the whole family (unless they hate mustard haha). Change up your chicken routine tonight with this saucy, flavorful entree.
Why You’ll Love This Yum Yum Chicken Recipe
Ok. I’m going to be honest with you. You need to stop what you are doing right now and make this yum yum chicken. You will not be sorry. Here’s why.
- So easy. Whisk together a few ingredients, smother chicken in the mixture, cover, and bake. That’s pretty much it aside from whisking in a bit of cornstarch at the end to thicken the sauce. This is a foolproof chicken recipe that anyone can make.
- Simple ingredients. Aside from basic salt and pepper, this chicken dish only requires 6 easy-to-find ingredients that you may already have in your kitchen.
- The yum[miest] sauce. Sweet, savory, and tangy all at the same time, the silky smooth maple-dijon sauce that smothers the chicken is unbeatable.
What Is Yum Yum Chicken?
The term “yum yum chicken” typically refers to a chicken smothered in a savory-sweet sauce and baked to perfection. There are lots of different variations when it comes to the sauce. Some have mayo, some involve the umami flavor of soy sauce, and the list goes on. Generally, though, the sauce has both sweet and savory elements to it. This maple dijon version is my favorite.
Recipe Ingredients
You won’t need anything fancy to make this delicious maple chicken. Here’s a list of ingredients for you. You’ll find exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Boneless, skinless, chicken thighs – Cut away and discard most of the fat. You can use bone-in chicken thighs instead. The cooking time will be the same. You can also choose to use boneless chicken breasts but you’ll need to reduce the cooking time to 25-30 minutes.
- Dijon mustard – Do not try to use a different kind of mustard here.
- Pure maple syrup – Please don’t use the fake stuff.
- Rice wine vinegar – You can use seasoned or unseasoned rice wine vinegar (also known as rice vinegar) here. Also, feel free to use regular white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or champagne vinegar if that’s all you have on hand.
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Cornstarch
- Fresh rosemary
How to Make This Chicken Dijon Recipe
Here’s a quick overview of how to make yum yum chicken. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Prep. Preheat oven to 450 °F and line an 8×8″ baking pan with 2 layers of tin foil.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together Dijon mustard, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Assemble. Place the chicken in the prepared pan and cover it with sauce. Turn to coat the chicken thoroughly.
- Bake. Bake for 40 minutes.
- Rest. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes then transfer to a plate.
- Thicken the sauce. Whisk the cornstarch into the liquid in the pan.
- Serve. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with rosemary.
Tips for Success
Time to study up on what you can do to make the best yum yum chicken. Here are some expert tips and tricks for you.
- Use the right pan. If you use anything bigger than an 8×8-inch pan, the sauce will spread out over a larger surface area. This will cause the sauce to cook off, ending you with dry chicken and little to no sauce.
- Use 2 layers of foil. Double layering the foil insulates the sauce and the chicken, keeping it from burning in the high temperature.
- Do not discard the cooking liquid. It can be tempting to toss the baking dish into the sink to be washed after plating the chicken. Don’t do it. You need the cooking liquid to make the sauce.
- On cornstarch. It is important to whisk the cornstarch into the cooking liquid immediately after plating the chicken while the liquid is still piping hot. Otherwise, the cornstarch won’t work its thickening magic.
What to Serve with Maple Chicken
This chicken dish plays so well with a side or two. Here are some ideas to get you inspired.
- Crusty bread. Tear a hunk out of your favorite loaf (I have been loving this Garlic Bread Recipe) and use it to soak up all of that yummy sauce. This Rosemary Olive Oil Bread would be great too.
- Potatoes. These starchy root veggies are the perfect complement to this saucy dish. Serve yum yum chicken with these Parmesan Garlic Ranch Smashed Potatoes or my Butter Parsley Potatoes.
- Roasted veggies. The rich savory quality that roasting brings out in vegetables is the perfect accompaniment to this irresistible entree. Try my Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Parmesan Carrots, Crazy Roasted Cauliflower, or these Garlic Roasted Green Beans.
- Salad. Add a little greenery to the mix with this Nutty Spinach and Quinoa Salad or my Lightened Up Kale Caesar Salad.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator. Allow the chicken to cool completely before sealing in an airtight container with the sauce. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. Once the chicken has cooled, seal it in a freezer-safe airtight container with the sauce and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the chicken to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
On the hunt for more delicious, satisfying, wonderfully simple chicken recipes? Here are a few of my other favorites.
- Chicken Francese
- Mississippi Chicken
- Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Moo Shu Chicken
- Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
- Garlic Butter Chicken
Yum Yum Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907 g) boneless skinless, chicken thighs, (most of the fat cut and discarded)
- ½ cup (125 g) Dijon mustard , (no substitutes, PLEASE read notes below)
- ¼ cup (59 ml) pure maple syrup, (no substitutes. No Aunt Jemima, fake maple syrup)
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, seasoned or unseasoned
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon (⅕ g) fresh rosemary, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 °F (232 °C). Line a 8×8" 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Photographs by Eat Love Eat
I have a 10 year old daughter with lots of tummy issues so we have been eating a LOT of chicken since New Years. I made this recipe and it is absolutely to die for it is so good!! The only thing I did different was for mustard portion I used 1/4 c. honey mustard and 1/4c. dijon to tone down the spiciness as anything too spicy bothers her stomach. For the first time since New Years my daughter asked for seconds and I did not have to follow it up with her medicine for stomach pain. Thank you from all of us!! Finally delicious chicken with flavor!! :-)
Hi, this looks good and I’d like to try it, but as usual I have difficulty obtaining some of the ingredients (in Italy). Can I substitute “regular” wine vinegar for the rice wine vinegar, or would apple cider vinegar be closer to the taste you’re aiming for?
I believe you can substitute regular wine vinegar. Don’t use apple cider vinegar.
Ellie – British mustard is generally a LOT hotter than American mustard, so I’m not surprised that British Dijon resulted in a much hotter dish. I would try making this with American Dijon if you have access to it. If not, you could do what another commenter suggests and add Greek yogurt or creme fraiche in place of some of the mustard. But I haven’t experimented with that myself, so I’m not sure how it would turn out!
I so want to try this!! I just got home and all I have is spicy brown mustard :-( I’m too far away to get to the store tonight…do you think it’s a totally bad idea to substitute spicy brown??
Considering half the sauce is mustard, I feel like it’d be a REALLY spicy dish! If you like that, go for it. Taste the sauce before pouring it all over the chicken though.
I have made this chicken 6 (yes, SIX) times in the last month. My husband loves it. My youngest child loves it. Even my oldest child (who is a self-proclaimed vegetarian) tasted it and didn’t hate is as she usually hates everything involving meat. We are obsessed with this recipe and I’m making it for dinner again…TONIGHT! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing meal!
Do you think it would be okay to use sugar-free syrup? I cook for my FIL and he’s diabetic…thx!
Yes.
Tammy, I use a website called Nutrimirror (free) where I can put in my recipe and it will give me all the nutritional information that I need. I will be putting this on my list of recipes to try as I have a rosemary bush out front that grows like gangbusters so I am always looking for good recipes with FRESH rosemary. Thanks for the idea!
That’s for your quick reply! I was just curious, but I don’t blame you. It was simply delicious so thanks!
I made this exactly (and easily) as you suggested. It IS great. Makes a great dish to get a couple meals out of when you live alone. Do you have a calorie or nutrition count? I’m trying to calculate my calorie, fats, protiens ect.
Hi Tammy – unfortunately, no. There are many reasons as to why I don’t post nutritional information on my recipes, one of which is that I simply do not have the time to do this. Also, I’m not a registered dietician or nutritionist so for me to give any sort of nutritional information would be incorrect and inaccurate. There are also many differing factors when it comes to nutritional information and since I do not have the knowledge in this, I do not feel comfortable posting this sort of information. If you must have this information, there are many calculators out there (free and paid) that can help you with calculations. A simple Google search would pull up some of these calculators, but again, I’m not endorsing them as I do not know how accurate they may be.
Great find! I saw this on Pinterest just a couple hours ago and made it for my family for dinner just now. We happened to have all the ingredients on hand. Everyone loved it!