Apple-Mustard Glazed Chicken Thighs

By Beth Dooley, chef and author

“A good apple is the taste of balance—a range of natural acids and sugars, with notes so complex that they come in waves of flavor with each bite,” says Beth, reflecting on one of the main ingredients of this favorite recipe. “Real apples, cultivated with care, of our heritage, are regal reminders of our country’s true flavors.”

Serves about 6

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 large tart apples, cored and sliced
• 3 to 4 chicken legs and thighs with bones and skin
• ½ cup apple cider
• 4 to 6 scallions, white parts only, sliced thin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons coarse mustard
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

Lightly coat a shallow baking dish with a bit of the butter and then place the chicken over the apples and the scallions over the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the cider into the pan. Whisk together the mustard and maple syrup.

Roast the chicken until it begins to brown and some of the fat has been rendered, about 20 minutes. Baste with the pan juices, reduce the heat to 350° F, and continue roasting until the skin is crispy, the meat is no longer pink at the bone, the juices run clear, and an instant-read thermometer reaches 165° F, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Brush the chicken with the maple and mustard and return to the oven until the chicken is glazed, about five minutes. Served garnished with the parsley and rosemary.