Description
Yum Yum Chicken is a flavorful and easy-to-make baked chicken dish featuring a savory-sweet glaze made from Dijon mustard, pure maple syrup, and rice wine vinegar. Tender boneless skinless chicken thighs are coated in the tangy sauce, baked to perfection, then served with a luscious thickened sauce garnished with fresh rosemary. This recipe is perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner with minimal prep and maximum flavor.
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard (no substitutes, PLEASE read notes below)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (no substitutes; no Aunt Jemima, fake maple syrup)
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (seasoned or unseasoned)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (most of the fat cut and discarded)
Thickener and Garnish
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 450 °F (232 °C). Line an 8x8" oven-proof pan with two layers of tin foil to make cleanup easier.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, pure maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, salt, and ground black pepper until fully combined and smooth.
- Coat the Chicken: Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs into the foil-lined pan. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, then turn the pieces around in the sauce to ensure they are each thoroughly coated.
- Bake the Chicken: Bake the chicken, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, allowing the sauce to caramelize and the chicken to cook through.
- Rest the Chicken: Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer the chicken pieces to a serving plate, but do not discard the remaining cooking liquid in the pan.
- Make the Sauce: Immediately whisk the tablespoon of cornstarch into the hot cooking liquid in the pan. The heat will help the cornstarch thicken the liquid into a luscious sauce. If the sauce is not thick enough, add a little more cornstarch as needed, whisking continuously.
- Serve and Garnish: Drizzle the thickened sauce over the plated chicken thighs and sprinkle fresh rosemary on top for a bright, herbal finish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use Dijon mustard specifically for the distinctive flavor; other mustards will alter the taste.
- Pure maple syrup is essential for authentic sweetness and depth; avoid imitation syrups.
- Cutting off most of the fat from the chicken thighs helps reduce grease in the final dish.
- Make sure to mix in the cornstarch while the pan liquid is hot to achieve a proper thick sauce.
- This recipe works best with boneless skinless thighs for tenderness and even cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
