Man- Pleasing Chicken

Whenever I cook chicken, I almost always use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They seem to work with almost anything, are pretty cheap, and are oh so delicious. However, the lady who is the brains behind this recipe insisted that using chicken thighs was the way to go for this recipe, so I got out of my comfort zone and used thighs. Good for me. ;-) Here's the recipe:

Chicken thighs- 1 package
Dijon mustard- 1/2 cup
Maple syrup- 1/4 cup
Rice wine vinegar- 1 tablespoon
Fresh rosemary

To make this chicken, preheat your oven to 450ºF. Then, mix together 1/2 cup of dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar.

Put a 1.5 pound package of chicken thighs into a foil-lined, oven-proof baking dish. I used boneless, skinless thighs. Six came in my package, which made enough to serve 3 people. Then, salt and pepper the thighs. Pour your maple mustard mixture over them, turning the thighs in the mixture so they are fully coated.

Put the chicken thighs into the oven, and let them bake for 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165ºF. Baste the tops of the chicken with more sauce half way through.I find that a meat thermometer is essential in cooking because it allows me to check for doneness without cutting into the meat and losing its precious juices. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Plate the chicken, making sure to spoon some extra sauce over the top. Sprinkle over some fresh rosemary. If there is ever a time to use fresh herbs, THIS IS IT! The flavors are just so good together. Enjoy the savory goodness of this meal!

I didn't follow this recipe exactly because I used honey instead of maple syrup, and I also didn't use FRESH rosemary. :-) I actually thought that this recipe was great, although the flavor is definitely different and unique, so if you have a family of picky eaters, I wouldn't recommend it. My husband loved it though and I think we'll use this recipe again.

Oh, and I thought that using thighs was definitely good for this recipe. It made the chicken more tender, I think.