As bachelors, we are always looking for quick, easy and flavorful meals that are healthy and can be adapted to a variety of ingredients. We found this tangy and sweet dish of Baked Honey Mustard Chicken is a favorite start to a good meal.
Put Together Your Meal
Our dinner begins with a whole cut-up chicken. You can save money by buying a whole chicken and cut it up yourself. But sometimes I am lazy in the cut-up chickens are on sale. The back, neck and wing tips will go into a stockpot. We always make homemade stock when we cook a whole chicken. Since we have the oven on, we decide on roasted potatoes coated in olive oil and spices. For something green (which should be a part of at least two meals a day) we choose fresh asparagus. These are quick and easy to steam.
Dinner Begins
Even though it does not take long for the oven to pre-heat, we start there at a setting of 350 F. Next we peel a few potatoes and cut them into half-inch chunks. Cover a cookie sheet with foil to save on cleanup. While you’re at it, start a saucepan with about an inch of water on low heat for steaming.
The chicken gets a rinse and pat dry. Trim off excess fat and skin. Leave some skin on to add flavor. Sprinkle both sides of the pieces with salt and fresh ground pepper. Place the pieces in a large greased baking dish with the thicker pieces toward the outside of the dish.
In a small mixing bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients: honey, mustard, paprika, dried basil and parsley. You can add a few other things, like tarragon and garlic powder, if you want. Pour about half the mixture over the chicken and use a pastry brush to spread evenly over all exposed parts of the pieces.
Bake The Chicken
Put the chicken dish into the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, put the potatoes in and drizzle about a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil over them. Add the herbs and spices of your choice. We like salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, thyme and a touch of toasted sesame oil. Spread evenly in a single layer on the cookie sheet and put that in the oven, too. The potatoes will take about 15 minutes less than the chicken.
Trim and rinse the asparagus. Make sure to cut the stalks to fit your steamer.
When the timer goes off, turn the chicken over and brush on the remainder of the honey mustard sauce. Return the dish to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Rounding The Final Turn
Bring out the potatoes. Give them a turn with a large spatula. Put them back into the oven in the reverse position from last time.
Crank up the heat on the steamer pot a little and add the asparagus to a steamer basket. These should take about ten minutes. When done, sprinkle on a little salt and balsamic vinegar. Re-cover to keep warm.
Check the chicken’s temperature and make sure it’s done. Remove the dish from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the potatoes and give them a stir.
It may seem like that took a while. But for all that, it really is not that much time. You can vary it with any vegetables you like. Find the recipe format version on the Recipes page or choose the link above.
