Each one of these maple mustard chicken thighs is so flavorful and moist that you are going to savor every single bite. Baking them allows the flavorful sauce to meld with the mushrooms and chicken, creating a delicious dinner with little effort.
Why Not Honey Mustard Sauce?
I am not against honey mustard. In fact, I love it, especially in a dressing. But honey tastes sweeter to me then maple syrup and frankly, I like just a little sweetness with my meat dishes. Besides, the flavor of the maple syrup really enhances the mustard sauce.
In fact, I like maple syrup so much that I put it in my decaf coffee every day. Yum.
So, what is your sweetener of choice? Certainly leave me a comment because I love knowing these things!
Yes, I’m nosy.
How easy is it to make these maple mustard chicken thighs?
So easy.
Seriously. All you do is line the baking dish with mushrooms, lay the chicken thighs over them, pour the sauce over the chicken and pop it in the oven.
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.
- 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 pure honey? A lot of brands put corn syrup in it without telling you. Shame on them. 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. I use organic wherever and whenever I can.
- 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 any extra skin and fat from the chicken.
- When possible, slice the mushrooms yourself. Pre-sliced mushrooms lose their freshness quickly.
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, and put the mushrooms in the baking dish.
Step three
Place the chicken thighs on top of the mushrooms.
Step four
Measure and add the three mustards to the mixing bowl. (A)
Step five
Add maple syrup. (B)
Step six
Add the tarragon and salt. (C)
Step seven
Add garlic paste (or crushed garlic). (D)
Seven eight
Whisk the ingredients together and pour the maple mustard sauce on the chicken. Sprinkle some tarragon on top.
Step nine
Bake for 45 – 50 minutes.
Mmmm. I make a salad and plate one of the thighs with a good dollop of maple mustard sauce and mushrooms.
Now, for a closer view of the maple mustard chicken thighs.
I hope you enjoy this maple mustard chicken thighs recipe; it is super yummy!
Tools used in this recipe:
- Baking dish – I love this baking dish. I got a set from the thrift store and it came in three different sizes. I don’t always find deals at thrift stores but you can get some awesome deals if you hit it right.
- Glass mixing bowl – I used my glass bowls which I absolutely love and they clean up like a dream.
- Whisk – Every kitchen needs a whisk. I have them in a few different sizes. If you don’t have one yet, pick one that actually fits well in your hand. Mine has a curved handle, which I love.
Other popular posts where I use maple syrup:
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
If you’ve tried this maple mustard chicken thighs recipe or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 ounces portobello mushrooms sliced
- 5 chicken thighs with skin and bones
- 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
- Preheat oven to 350 F
Dribble olive oil in baking dish and add sliced mushrooms
- Lay chicken on top of mushrooms
In mixing bowl, add the mustards, maple syrup, tarragon, garlic and salt
Whisk ingredients until combined, then pour mustard sauce on chicken
Sprinkle extra tarragon on top of chicken
- Bake for 55 - 60 minutes
Plate
- Eat
- Enjoy
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 any extra skin and fat from the chicken.
- When possible, slice the mushrooms yourself. Pre-sliced mushrooms lose their freshness quickly.
Originally published September of 2017.
Oooohh, this looks so delicious and easy! And BEAUTIFUL! I never would have thought of using maple syrup this way. I use Splenda or honey a lot for sweetening. If it’s an Asian dish, I’ll also use thick, sweet soy sauce. I’m pinning this one for Sunday Dinner!
Thanks so much Michelle! Mmmm, sweet soy sauce sounds divine!!
Love maple!!! It is my favorite Fall flavor!! I can’t wait to make this chicken!!
Thanks Deanna!
That looks delicious and beautiful! My favorite sweetener? I guess it’s the southerner in me — brown sugar is my go-to.
Thank you Pam! I like brown sugar too, more than white and usually bake with brown over white!! Thanks so much for answering my question.
Mmmm! These chicken thighs look so sex… tasty! Yummy, want to share with me? 🙂
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 looks like a dinner that my whole family is going to love!
Thank you Sara!
Maple and mustard is just the perfect combination when it comes to chicken and this is a must for us at any BBQ.
Thanks Dannii!
I love the idea of a mustard sauce! So much incredible flavor! Need to give this a go!
Thank you Angela. It’s very yummy!
This flavor combination sounds absolutely amazing on juicy chicken thighs. Looks so good!
Thanks so much Brandi!
That’s very interesting that you use 3 different mustards for this chicken! Love it! I have to give this one a try Lainey! Well done, once again!
Thanks Beth!! 🙂
I happen to think the thighs are the BEST part. These sound delicious. Love the maple mustard combination. That is a winner dinner.
Hehe. Thanks Gloria! I love the phrase winner dinner! 🙂 I agree, I love thighs the best.
What a gorgeous looking dinner! I think you’re right with honey sometimes being too sweet for meat. Can’t wait to give this a go! 🙂
Thanks so much Chris! 🙂
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 never would have thought to use maple but sounds like a great idea I am making this dish. Comfort food is the best antidote against hurricane stress.
Yikes, yes. Hope you are safe! Thank you Adriana, I appreciate it!
Wow these chicken thighs look delicious. I love the flavor combo and can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thank you Caitlyn!! I hope you enjoy it when you make it!!
I love anything with mushrooms – your sauce sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing
Thanks Lizzy. I love mushrooms in just about everything!
I am also a maple syrup fan! Though I never thought of adding it to my coffee! I can only imagine how delicious it would be when mixed with dijon and garlic. Yum!
Thanks Aleta!! I’ve been putting maple syrup in my coffee for so long, if I have to put sugar, it is way too sweet for me. And yes, dijon, garlic and syrup, perfection.
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 and surely baled sounds healthy too. Have to try some this weekend.
Thanks Veena. I hope you enjoy it when you make it!
We love chicken with mustard sauce in my house! I really love the sound of your recipe, particularly those bright juicy mushrooms you’ve added. I also like the sound of the sweetness from the maple syrup! I can’t wait to try your version of mustard chicken next time because it sounds fantastic!
Thanks so much Jenni! I appreciate it. I hope you enjoy it when you do make it.
Maple and mustard and mushrooms! YUM! This looks 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. I’m adding this dish to the meal plan for next week. I can’t wait!
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. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Amanda! It does make for a lighter sweetened dish!
Maple and mustard flavors are such a wonderful combination. Those chicken thighs looks killer. I wish I could eat this chicken for dinner right away.
Hehe. Thanks so much Jo!
Maple + Mustard is such a great combo! The chicken looks so tender. I also appreciate the step-by-step pictures, you make this recipe look simple!
Thanks so much Amy! 🙂
This chicken thigh dish looks wonderful! Juicy and flavorful, with those succulent mushrooms at the bottom. The three mustards must each give something different to the overall flavor. As for sweeteners, we love honey, (the good stuff), maple syrup, and when I bake, also coconut sugar.
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
Thanks so much Alisha! It’s a family favorite!