Maple Dijon Chicken

This maple dijon chicken recipe combines tender, juicy chicken thighs with a sweet and savory maple dijon sauce. After the chicken gets a quick sear to lock in the flavor, it simmers in the sauce in the oven to cook the chicken through and deepen the flavors.

My favorite side dish for this recipe is a wild rice blend with warm, plump cranberries and buttery pecans. The rice soaks up the maple dijon sauce while rounding out the dish with classic fall flavors. The rice cooks on the stovetop for 25 minutes while the chicken finishes in the oven, also for 25 minutes, making it an easy dinner to get on the table simultaneously. The recipe for the rice is also included in the recipe card below.

For more delicious fall chicken recipes, try my Hunter’s Chicken, One-Pot Chicken and Rice, Coq au Vin Blanc, or my Sheet Pan Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes.

Ingredients:

• Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs: I prefer using chicken thighs because they stay moist and won’t dry out like chicken breasts can. I also find that using bone-in chicken thighs will keep the meat moist.
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: To be used throughout the recipe, to taste.
• Dried Rosemary: I use this on the chicken skin to lock in the flavor. The dried herbs don’t burn like fresh herbs do when searing. We’ll reserve the fresh rosemary for the sauce.
• Coconut oil: Coconut oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil, allowing you to sear the chicken at a higher temperature to achieve a beautiful golden brown color.
• Shallots: The shallots will be caramelized in the chicken fat and simmered with the sauce to provide a lovely sweetness to the dish.
• Maple Syrup: Use pure maple syrup, not something labeled “Pancake Syrup.” If you have a choice between Grade A or Grade B maple syrup, choose Grade B; it will provide the deepest maple flavor. If you have leftovers, make my Maple-Glazed Breakfast Sausage, a delicious and easy recipe for the holidays or a Sunday brunch.
• Dijon Mustard balances the sweetness of the maple syrup; it’s a lovely combination! You can also use the mustard in my 15-minute Dijon Chicken Recipe.
• Fresh Rosemary: Will simmer with the sauce in the oven and infuse it with a lovely herby flavor.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds a nice zing to the sauce to balance out the sweetness of the maple syrup.
• Garlic: Just a clove for more depth of flavor.
• Worcestershire Sauce: for a little salty kick.
• Chicken Broth: If health concerns aren’t an issue, use regular chicken broth, not low-sodium. It will have more flavor.
• Wild Rice Blend: Look for a rice blend that has some interest, 2-3 types in a blend (white, brown, and wild rice for example)
• Dried Cranberries: Thrown in with the rice during the last 5 minutes of cooking allows them to plump up and warm through.
• Pecans: Chopped and stirred into the rice right before serving, will add a nice buttery crunch to the rice.

Watch a Video Demo of this Recipe

Step #1: Sear the Chicken Thighs

• Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture.
• Season each chicken thigh with salt and pepper on both sides. Then, sprinkle the dried rosemary on the skin side.
• Melt the coconut oil in the pan. Once hot and shimmering, add the chicken, skin side down.
• Sear the chicken in batches, 3-4 thighs at a time, so you don’t crowd them. This will help the chicken crisp up and not “steam up.”
• Transfer the seared chicken thighs to an oven-safe casserole dish large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer.
• Don’t wash out the pan! Keep the chicken fat in the bottom of the pan and use it to saute the shallots.
• Spoon the sauteed shallots over the chicken, adding them to the casserole dish.

Step #2: Prepare the Sauce

• In a small bowl, mix together the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic clove, Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken into the casserole dish.
• Then add the fresh rosemary sprigs to the sauce, tucking them around the chicken.
• Place the casserole dish in a preheated oven at 400°F (200 °C) and bake for 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the rice.

Step#3: Prepare the Wild Rice

• Melt the butter in a medium pot, then add the rice. Cook the rice on medium-high heat to toast it and bring out its flavor.
• Then add the chicken broth, cover, and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.
• At this stage, you should have about five more minutes of cooking time left, with just a few tablespoons of liquid left in the pot.
• Toss in the cranberries, and stir to combine, cover, and cook for five more minutes.
• It’s done once all the liquid is evaporated, the cranberries are plumped up, and the rice is tender.
• Fluff up the rice with a fork, and then stir in the chopped pecans.