Story and images provided by Karyl Henry, KarylsKulinaryKrusade.com

When I was a kid, my food couldn’t touch each other. If it did, I wouldn’t eat that portion. I still plate my food that way, but not on purpose…heck, I didn’t even realize it until a couple of years ago when my mom pointed it out to me. Even though I now eat food all mixed together, it’s rare that I make “official” one-pot meals. Outside of very few exceptions, all of my recipes result in several dirty pots, pans, and dishes.

I finally decided to join the sheet pan craze, with my Mustard Maple Garlic Sheet Pan Chicken. How gorgeous is this Mustard Maple Garlic Sheet Pan Chicken?! This chicken is tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful.

THE PERFECT GLAZE FOR MUSTARD MAPLE GARLIC SHEET PAN CHICKEN

• Mustard: use either Coarse Grain or Whole Grain mustard. Yellow mustard doesn’t have enough punch, and you’ll want that extra bite from the mustard seeds.
• Maple Syrup: use 100% Maple Syrup, not pancake syrup. The real thing tastes better, has a thicker consistency, and has no added sugar.
• Use roasted garlic! Roasted garlic adds a fabulous depth of flavor, and you can almost eat roasted garlic straight. Almost. It’s super easy to roast your own garlic, and it lasts for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

I was concerned that the glaze would be too sweet. However, pure maple syrup is very mild compared to pancake syrup, and the mustard and roasted garlic counteract the sweetness with lots of savory. What I love about the glaze is its simplicity; there are 3 total ingredients, and you can make as much or as little as needed.

DARK MEAT OR WHITE MEAT CHICKEN?

I am a 100% dark-meat girl. Yes, dark meat has a few more calories than white meat, but it also has much more flavor. I occasionally eat chicken breast now, but given the choice, I’ll always choose legs or thighs.

I used bone-in, skin-on thighs for this Mustard Maple Garlic Sheet Pan Chicken. I can’t tell you the last time I made skin-on chicken, but I love it for a sheet pan meal. Trim off all the excess skin, and keep only the top surface area. As the chicken roasts, the skin gets nice and crispy, and also helps to keep the chicken juicy. If you like the skin, eat it; if not, discard it.

OH YEAH, VEGETABLES…

It’s not just the chicken that makes this Mustard Maple Garlic Sheet Pan Chicken absolutely divine! I also add baby red potatoes, and onions. I toss the potatoes and onion in some of the glaze, so they absorb that beautiful flavor.

Yes, I cook the potatoes and onions at the same time and on the same sheet pan as the chicken. I’m quite sure some people think that’s horrible, and will cause cross-contamination. However, I keep the potatoes and onions separate from the chicken, and don’t mix them together until the very end. You can brown the chicken on both sides first, before roasting, if you prefer.

Be versatile with your vegetables. Add carrots, brussel sprouts, or any other hearty vegetable; use red onions or even cippolini onions. You can also switch up the types of potatoes: russet, fingerling, or sweet potatoes would be wonderful substitutes.

I’m excited to come up with new sheet pan recipes! The options are endless, and you can use almost any type of protein.

Mustard Maple Garlic Sheet Pan Chicken from KarylsKulinaryKrusade.com

Ingredients

• 4 Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 3 tablespoons whole grain or coarse ground mustard
• 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 4 cloves roasted garlic
• 16 baby red potatoes
• 1 medium onion, cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons fresh-cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and spray foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine maple syrup and mustard in a medium bowl, and mix well. Add roasted garlic, smash into the mixture, and combine fully. Set aside.
3. Scrub baby potatoes. Cut potatoes in half or quarters, depending on size. The key is for all potatoes to be the same size. Toss potatoes in large bowl with onions. Drizzle with oil, and season with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. 
4. Trim all excess skin from chicken. Keep only the skin on the top surface area. Lay chicken in a shallow plate, and season both sides with salt and pepper. 
5. Lay chicken skin side up on one side of baking sheet, and spoon half of the glaze mixture over the chicken thighs
6. Add 2 tablespoons of mixture to potato and onion mixture, and toss with hands to fully coat. Spread potatoes and onions out on the other side of baking sheet. 
7. Put the baking sheet in the oven on the lower rack, and roast for 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked to internal temperature of 165. Remove from oven, toss potatoes and onions, and spoon remaining glaze over chicken. Move sheet to top rack, and broil for about 10 minutes.

CHICKEN BREAST: Check the chicken after 20-25 minutes, and do not finish under the broiler.

BONELESS CHICKEN THIGHS: Check the chicken after 20 minutes. Finish under the broiler.