Featured Recipe
Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
By Kate
"
Six skin-on chicken thighs baked with a bold honey mustard glaze balanced by aromatic spices and a touch of chili. Roasted Brussels sprouts, shallots, and baby carrots finish alongside, caramelizing until tender with a hint of char. Ingredients slightly altered to swap ketchup with tomato paste and mustard Dijon swapped to whole grain mustard for texture contrast. Sauce simmering builds deep flavor. Visual doneness cues emphasized over strict timing. Practical tips included for seasoning, pan choices, and rotation of veggies to avoid sogginess. Sweet, savory, and spicy layers in one pan gourmet experience, simple to execute, hard to mess up.
"
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
60 min
Total:
85 min
Serves:
6 servings
chicken
one pan
roasted vegetables
dinner
easy recipes
Introduction
Sweet, tangy, and smoky. Honey and mustard working together—classic combo, with twists to pay attention to. Whole grain mustard adds crunch, tomato paste gives concentrated depth instead of thin ketchup sweetness, harissa injects slow heat rather than sharp chili punch. Don’t underestimate browning your aromatics first; that’s where flavor starts layering. Chicken skin—dry, pat dry. Moisture scrambles sear, ends in limp skin no one wants. Veggies roasted alongside but keep an eye. No mushy mess, edges get a nutty char, veggies tender but still lively. Roast evenly, rotate pans mid-cook or one will lag behind. Stop relying on timers alone. Look, smell, feel the food changing. That’s true timing.
Ingredients
Honey Mustard Sauce
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 30 ml olive oil (2 tablespoons)
- 5 ml cracked black pepper (1 teaspoon)
- 2.5 ml smoked paprika (1/2 teaspoon)
- 50 ml honey (slightly less than 1/4 cup)
- 25 ml tomato paste (replaces ketchup, 1 tablespoon)
- 20 ml whole grain mustard (replaces Dijon, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon)
- 5 ml harissa paste (replaces sambal oelek, 1 teaspoon)
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 300 g trimmed Brussels sprouts, halved
- 2 shallots, quartered (replaces onions for milder bite)
- 455 g bag of baby carrots
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Extra olive oil for veggies
Chicken and Vegetables
About the ingredients
Substituting tomato paste for ketchup centers flavor without excess acidity or sweetness that can overpower the honey. Whole grain mustard offers texture and flavor bursts; smooth Dijon risks blending into the sauce too much. Harissa replaces sambal oelek here to introduce complexity—a smoky earthiness alongside the heat. If harissa unavailable, use hot paprika with a pinch of cayenne. Shallots offer milder onion flavor when roasted, less bitterness than yellow onions but still add sweetness and softness. Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved for better caramelization; if larger, quarter. Baby carrots commonly used for uniform cooking and sweetness but replaceable with chopped regular carrots. Olive oil suffices for sear and roast; butter not recommended here to prevent burning in high oven heat.
Method
Sauce
- Set oven rack in middle position. Preheat oven to 205 C (400 F).
- Heat olive oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until edges just start to brown and give a savory aroma, about 3 minutes. Do not let garlic burn or sauce will turn bitter.
- Add cracked black pepper and smoked paprika; cook 30 seconds stirring constantly to bloom spices and keep them from powdery taste.
- Remove from heat. Whisk in honey, tomato paste, whole grain mustard, and harissa paste until smooth and glossy. Set aside. Sauce should have balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy. Adjust harissa for less heat if sensitive.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towel. Moisture is enemy of browning. Place in a 33x23 cm baking dish in single layer. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Pour honey mustard sauce over chicken and gently rub, coating evenly under skin if possible without tearing. This injects flavor directly to meat.
- In a second baking dish of the same dimensions, toss Brussels sprouts, shallots, and baby carrots with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place both baking dishes side by side in oven. Roast chicken about 1 hour or until skin is deep golden, juices run clear when pierced, and meat near bone is tender and detaches easily without drying out.
- Stir vegetables halfway through cooking, tossing gently to redistribute caramelization spots and avoid steaming. Vegetables should be tender but retain slight bite, edges caramelized and lightly crisped.
- If chicken skin or vegetables brown unevenly, rotate pans front to back or swap racks about 30 minutes in for uniform heat exposure.
- Remove chicken from oven. Rest uncovered for 5 minutes to let juice redistribute and skin remain crispy.
- Serve chicken with roasted vegetables. Spoon pan juices over top sparingly to avoid sogginess but keep it moist and flavorful.
Chicken and Vegetables
Technique Tips
Start sauce on stovetop to build aromatic base and bloom spices, crucial for deep flavor beyond sweetness. Don’t skip this or sauce falls flat. Remove pan from heat before adding honey and mustards prevents scorching and bitterness from overheating sugars. Rubbing sauce under chicken skin infuses meat, better than just pouring on top which leaves flavor on surface only. Dry chicken skin thoroughly for crispness; damp skin steams and turns rubbery. Arrange in single layer; overcrowding traps steam. Roast vegetables separately but simultaneously, same temp to synchronize finish. Toss veggies halfway to encourage even roasting; don’t neglect this or some pieces stay pale and soggy. Pan rotation compensates for uneven oven hot spots, a common source of uneven cooking at home. Rest chicken a few minutes post-roast to avoid drying when cut. Serve with pan juices sparingly for moist meat without soggy skin or overly wet vegetables.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Onion in sauce adds depth. Brown finely chopped onion till fragrant. Garlic follows, 3 mins till edges brown. Avoid burnt bits, they’ll ruin flavor.
- 💡 Pat chicken dry whenever possible for crispy skin. Moisture traps steam. Single layer in baking dish is crucial. Do not overcrowd; skin won't crisp.
- 💡 Vegetables roasting alongside? Toss halfway through. Critical to mixing for even caramelization. Keep a close eye; aim for some char but no mush.
- 💡 If skin uneven? Rotate pans 30 mins in. Oven hot spots? Move dishes front to back for consistent browning. Looks matter; pull out when golden.
- 💡 Rest chicken after roasting. Critical for juiciness. Don't slice too soon. Wait 5 mins before serving to allow juices to settle in meat.
