Oven-Grilled Honey-Mustard Chicken
4.6
(9)
When the weather is cold and rainy, grilling is the last thing on most people’s minds. But approximating the ultra-savory flavor of flame-grilling is a lot easier than you might think, all thanks to one invaluable kitchen staple: your broiler. Yes, the often overlooked function on your oven is the key to indoor “grilled” chicken that delivers all of the smoky-charred flavor without ever having to step outside. This is because, much like a grill, the broiler is a direct, intense heat source, so cooking foods (in this case, chicken) close to the broiler is an easy way to mimic that flavor. Here, chicken gets quickly marinated in a mixture of mustard, honey, and mayonnaise that lends it a pop of sweet and savory flavor while achieving a tender, juicy texture. While the mayonnaise might seem unnecessary, it is what contributes to the chicken breasts’ deep-dark char under the broiler by enrobing the chicken in a thick layer that’s primed for burning. Ten minutes under the broiler is all it takes to deeply brown the chicken and cook it through. Topped with a simple salad of baby spinach, white onion, and salted almonds, the chicken becomes a fresh and flavorful dinner that’s a welcomed salve during the depths of winter.
What you’ll need
Aluminum Foil
$5 At Amazon
Sheet Pan
$32 At Amazon
Dijon Mustard
$4 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Working one at a time, cut 2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts (3–4 medium), patted dry, in half horizontally to create 2 thin, flat fillets and place in a large bowl. Add ¾ cup Dijon mustard, ½ cup honey, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp. smoked paprika, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper and toss to coat chicken evenly. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
Step 2
Whisk 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. fresh lime juice, 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, remaining 1½ tsp. Dijon mustard, 1½ tsp. honey, ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper in another large bowl. Place ½ small white onion, thinly sliced, 4 cups (lightly packed) baby spinach, watercress, or baby arugula, and ⅓ cup salted roasted almonds, coarsely chopped, on top of dressing (don’t toss together). Set salad aside.
Step 3
Place a rack in upper third of oven; heat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip back into bowl but leaving a thin layer still coating chicken, and arrange in a single layer on baking sheet. Broil until deeply charred in spots and cooked through, 8–12 minutes. (Keep a close eye the chicken as it can go from pale to burnt quickly. The easiest way to test if the chicken is cooked is to slice thickest breast open.) If your chicken breasts are cooked through but have not charred enough, carefully place a rack as close to the heat as possible and continue to broil just until charred (still watching carefully!), about 3 minutes more.
Step 4
Arrange chicken breasts on a platter. Toss reserved salad together and scatter over chicken. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and more pepper if desired and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over if desired.
Recipe notes
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