Maple Mustard Chicken Thighs
Nutrition
Originally published September of 2017.
Maple mustard chicken is a savory and sweet baked chicken dish that combines the richness of maple syrup, the tangy bite of Dijon mustard, and the warmth of garlic and seasonings. This easy-to-make recipe delivers bold flavors in every bite, perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner or a crowd-pleasing meal.
This baked chicken thigh recipe is a mouth-watering, comforting dish that’s packed with flavor. It is perfect for any occasion — from weeknight dinners to special celebrations. The combination of maple syrup and dijon mustard adds an irresistible sweetness and tang.
And add mushrooms, herbs, and garlic and you’ve made an easy and tasty chicken recipe you’ll be wanting every few weeks.
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – I use extra virgin olive oil in most of my cooking.
- Mushrooms – Use either portobello or white mushrooms. You can add other veggies to this dish. My niece makes this recipe with the addition of asparagus on top of the mushrooms.
- Chicken thighs – I use chicken with bone and skin included but if you prefer boneless, feel free to use that. Just reduce cooking time to 30 – 35 minutes.
- Mustards – I love a variety so I use three different kinds. If you only have two in your fridge, you can use those but make sure the combined measurements equal 1/3 cup. Also, I name specific brands but use your favorite brands. Just stay away from the sweetened mustard. One staple in our house is stone ground mustard.
- Maple syrup – Use only pure maple syrup, never the kind made with corn syrup. You can also use honey, but did you know that it is hard to get affordable pure honey? A lot of brands put corn syrup in it without telling you. Natural food stores usually have pure honey.
- Garlic paste – I use this paste all the time. But if you can substitute garlic cloves. One clove per teaspoon.
- Dried herb – Tarragon. You can also use basil, parsley or even oregano.
- Salt – There are all kinds, some saltier than others. I use and recommend fine-grained sea salt.
Helpful tips
- Keep the chicken in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- Don’t wash the chicken before you use it as cooking will kill bacteria and washing just spreads it around.
- Cut and trim any extra skin and fat from the chicken.
- When possible, slice the mushrooms yourself. Pre-sliced mushrooms lose their freshness quickly.
- I love chicken thighs, but you can also make this with chicken breast.
How to make maple mustard chicken
Pre-step
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take out a baking dish and mixing bowl and a whisk.
Step one
Gather the ingredients: 3 different mustards, chicken, mushrooms, olive oil, garlic paste, maple syrup, tarragon, and salt.
Step two
Dribble a little olive oil over the bottom of the baking dish, and put the mushrooms on top of the oil. (A)
Step three
Place the chicken thighs on top of the mushrooms. (B)
Step four
Measure and add the three mustards to the mixing bowl. (C)
Step five
Add maple syrup. (D)
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Step six
Add the tarragon and salt. (E)
Step seven
Add garlic paste (or crushed garlic). (F)
Seven eight
Whisk the ingredients together and pour the maple mustard mixture on the chicken. Sprinkle some tarragon on top.
Step nine
Bake for 50 – 60 minutes depending on how big your chicken thighs are.. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mmmm. I make a salad and plate one of the thighs with a good dollop of maple mustard sauce and mushrooms.
I hope you enjoy this maple mustard chicken thighs recipe; it is super yummy!
Storage and reheating
Storage:
- Refrigerator: Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make sure the chicken has cooled completely before refrigerating to maintain its texture and flavor.
- Freezer: For longer storage, transfer the cooled chicken to a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Be sure to label it with the date for easy tracking.
Reheating:
- Microwave: For a quick reheat, place the chicken on a microwave-safe plate and cover it with a damp paper towel to retain moisture. Heat in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
- Oven: To maintain the chicken’s texture, reheat it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), place the chicken in an oven-safe dish, and cover it with foil. Heat for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through.
Pro Tip: If you have extra sauce, save it separately and drizzle it over the chicken when reheating for added flavor and moisture. For frozen chicken, thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating for best results.
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Other chicken dishes
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
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Baked Maple Mustard Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 ounces portobello mushrooms sliced
- 5 chicken thighs with skin and bones
Maple Mustard Sauce
- 1/3 cup mixture of dijon, Guldon’s and French’s mustard
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste or 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon tarragon dried
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Dribble olive oil in baking dish and add sliced mushrooms.2 tablespoons olive oil, 10 ounces portobello mushrooms
- Lay chicken on top of mushrooms.5 chicken thighs
- In mixing bowl, add the mustards, maple syrup, tarragon, garlic and salt.1/3 cup mixture of dijon,, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons garlic paste, 1 teaspoon tarragon, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Whisk ingredients until combined, then pour mustard sauce on chicken.
- Sprinkle extra tarragon on top of chicken. Bake for 55 – 60 minutes.
- Eat and enjoy.
Equipment
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Helpful tips
- Keep the chicken in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- Don’t wash the chicken before you use it as cooking will kill bacteria and washing just spreads it around.
- Cut and trim any extra skin and fat from the chicken.
- When possible, slice the mushrooms yourself. Pre-sliced mushrooms lose their freshness quickly.
- I love chicken thighs, but you can also make this with chicken breast.
Nutrition
Originally published September of 201
Oooohh, this was so delicious, easy, and beautiful!
Thanks so much Michelle!
Mmmm! These chicken thighs were so tasty!
Haha Patty! Indeed I would share with you!!
Love how succulent the chicken is when it’s made with this sauce/marinade! Delish!
Thanks Chris!
This was perfect and my whole family loved it!
Thank you Sara!
This flavor combination was amazing on juicy chicken thighs. So good!
Thanks so much Brandi!
Love it! I love this recipe, Lainey! Well done, once again!
Thanks Beth!! 🙂
I happen to think the thighs are the BEST part. This chicken dish was delicious. Love the maple mustard combination.
Hehe. Thanks Gloria! I love the phrase winner dinner! 🙂 I agree, I love thighs the best.
This was so easy to make and had so much mushroom flavor!
Thanks Jamie! I adore mushrooms and they are fun in this dish!
Wow, I never would have thought to use maple, but I trusted the process and it was fabulous.
Yikes, yes. Hope you are safe! Thank you Adriana, I appreciate it!
Wow these chicken thighs were delicious. I love the flavor combo and will make it again.
Thank you Caitlyn!! I hope you enjoy it when you make it!!
Love this recipe! The maple and mustard combo is absolutely perfect! Definitely a family-favorite!
Thanks so much Leslie. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
This is flavorful and delicious.
Thanks Veena. I hope you enjoy it when you make it!
We love chicken with mustard sauce in my house! I really loved your recipe, particularly those juicy mushrooms you’ve added. It’s a keeper.
Thanks so much Jenni! I appreciate it. I hope you enjoy it when you do make it.
Maple and mustard and mushrooms! YUM! This was absolutely delicious. Also, I love that you use chicken thighs in this recipe. Dark meat chicken is the BEST, and yet almost all chicken recipes use white meat.
Thanks Rebecca! I agree, so many recipes with white meat. I almost always substitute thigh meat as I’m not a huge fan of white meat (too dry). I hope you enjoy it if you try it!
Oh, wow, I just love the maple in this recipe! Honey mustard is great, but the maple really adds a lovely complexity and richness. So delicious.
Thank you Amanda! It does make for a lighter sweetened dish!
Maple and mustard flavors are such a wonderful combination. Those chicken thighs were so good. I’ll make it again.
Hehe. Thanks so much Jo!
Maple + Mustard is such a great combo! The chicken was so tender. I also appreciate the step-by-step pictures, you made this recipe look simple!
Thanks so much Amy! 🙂
This chicken thigh dish was wonderful! Juicy and flavorful, with those succulent mushrooms at the bottom. The three mustards must each give something different to the overall flavor.
Thanks so much Nicoletta! It is so moist and delicious. My hubby lives on honey on anything, I’m partial to maple syrup and use coconut sugar in my baking. I love it all! 🙂
Maple and mustard are a match made in heaven. They’ve got the right balance of flavors and go really well with chicken. We loved it.
Thanks so much Alisha! It’s a family favorite!
I was looking for a way to use shallots received, and I found your asparagus and shallots (which was awesome, by the way) recipe online. It stated on the page this paired great with it, and that was sooooo right. We love, love, loved the baked maple mustard chicken thighs, and my husband is already thinking what else he can do with the sauce! This will go into my “keeper recipe” notebook for future dinners!!!
Okay Karen, you have made my day twice today, once on the asparagus and shallot recipe and here as well. 🙂 Hubby and I enjoy this meal at least once a month. I appreciate you taking time out of your day to let me know and say such kind words. 🙂 And if you want a sauce that is out of this world, check out my sour cream enchilada sauce. Sooo good.