Honey Mustard Baked Chicken
Chicken baked plain until nearly done, then glazed and finished hot so the sugar sets without burning.
Makes 4 servings · Prep 10 min · Bake 35 min
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 Bone-in chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil
Glaze
- 1/3 cup Honey
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Butter, melted
Instructions
Prep
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry, rub with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a lined baking sheet.
Bake
- Bake plain, without any glaze, until nearly done. (Tip: This head start is what protects the glaze from over-browning — the chicken does most of its cooking before any sugar is anywhere near the heat.)
Glaze
- Whisk the honey, mustard, garlic, and melted butter together.
Finish
- Brush the glaze generously over the chicken and return to the oven until the glaze is bubbling and lightly caramelised and the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part. (Tip: Check with a thermometer, not by the glaze's colour — a well-browned glaze doesn't guarantee the meat underneath has reached a safe temperature.)
Tips
- Glaze burned: It went on too early, or the second stage ran too long. Ten minutes at 190°C is usually enough once the chicken is already most of the way cooked — resist the urge to glaze from the start for more visible colour.
- Double the glaze for extra sauce: Reserve a portion of the glaze before it touches raw chicken and brush that unused portion on again just before serving, for a shinier finish and a little extra flavour on the plate.