honey mustard chicken

So I joined a gym recently. I mean, I still love my BodyRock workouts but sometimes a gal just needs to get out of the house, you know? Plus, all the man candy pumping iron in my peripheral vision doesn't hurt either. Gives me a little added motivation, in fact. So, anyway, I am now a proud gym member.

On a related note, I'm having a rare moment of motivation to eat healthy. Weird, right? Don't worry. I'm sure it will pass soon. However, in the meantime, I've been switching out my typical fall faves like chili and cornbread for slightly more virtuous dishes like roast chicken and broccoli. Doesn't that sound just absolutely saintly? Never fear, there was cheese on the broccoli and honey mustard on the chicken. I'm all about compromise...even when I am feeling like a straight health nut.

Aside from the obvious nutritional value, I made this Honey Mustard Chicken for one main reason...the rosemary. After a summer of neglect, my rosemary plant is not only still alive, it's thriving. What started as a wee lil sprout is now practically a rosemary bush at this point. And I'm totally fine with that. I may not have mentioned this before, but I have a pretty major love affair with rosemary.

For as simple as this recipe is...chicken, mustard, honey, rosemary...it's shockingly flavorful. The honey mustard mixture really seeps into the chicken and the rosemary makes the whole house smell amazing. This is my new go-to weeknight meal. Bonus: my trainer, Jason, would be sooo proud!

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients:
1/4 cup smooth Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (or legs)
Salt
2 sprigs rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix mustard, honey, and olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and taste. Add more salt, mustard, and/or honey until you get the flavor where you want it.

Salt the chicken lightly and lay the pieces skin-side up in a shallow casserole dish. Spoon the honey mustard sauce over the chicken. Place the rosemary sprigs in between the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the thighs read 175° on a meat thermometer, or the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife. Remove the casserole pan from the oven.

Sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper over the chicken before you serve.

Yield: 2-4 servings

Source: Simply Recipes