This week Joanna Cismaru shares a recipe from her cookbook The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals, the top recipe on her blog, Jo Cooks.
This recipe for baked chicken thighs is a force to be reckoned with. It’s easy to prep, with a simple and delicious mustard and honey sauce that coats the chicken thighs before they are baked to perfection.
Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Rest time: 10 minutes Total time: 50 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Sauce
– 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
– 1 tbsp (15 g) whole-grain Dijon mustard
– 1 tbsp (15 g) yellow mustard
– 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
– 6 cloves garlic, minced
– 1⁄4 tsp red pepper flake
Chicken
– 2 lb (896 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (see Recipe Notes)
– 1 tsp salt, or as needed
– 1 tsp black pepper, or as needed
– 1 tbsp (10 g) parsley, chopped
Directions
1. To make the sauce, whisk together the oil, Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, honey, garlic and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside.
2. To make the chicken, preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
3. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and season them with the salt and black pepper.
4. Pour the sauce over the thighs and toss to coat them well.
5. Transfer the chicken thighs and sauce to a 9 x 13–inch (27 x 39–cm) baking dish.
6. Bake the chicken for about 35 minutes, or until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the skin is crispy.
7. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate, cover the plate with aluminum foil and let the thighs rest for 10 minutes before serving them garnished with parsley
***
Nutrition Information:
Serving size: 1 thigh; Calories: 403; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Protein: 25 g; Fat: 30 g
Recipe Notes
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can also be used, but they will bake fast—they should require only 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.
The honey mustard sauce is completely optional. For a simpler chicken thigh recipe, simply season the thighs with salt and black pepper, drizzle 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil in the baking dish and bake the thighs as instructed.
When stored or wrapped well, this oven-baked chicken will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend freezing it to extend its shelf life. When stored in an airtight container, the chicken will last in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.
***
*Reprinted with permission from The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals by Joanna Cismaru, Page Street Publishing, Co. 2021. Photo credit: Joanna Cismaru.
