This quick and tasty sauce for baked chicken thighs is easy to prepare the night before, ready to pop into the oven when you get home. Or put it in the oven in the morning on the timer and just prepare a salad, or vegetables, and serve. It works well for all chicken joints, but thighs always get my vote!
In fact, for the version I made for this post I used agave syrup because I didn’t have any honey. I’d bought the agave for another recipe a couple of years ago and had plenty left. I promise not to list agave in my ingredients lists – ever! – because I have too often been left with unused ingredients in my pantry.
I’m pretty sure that syrup is not going to go off for years but, even so, I’m on a mission to streamline and stick to basics. So if you have some that sits in your cupboard unused, try substituting it for honey until it runs out. Then buy honey.
On the honey subject, I’m trying out buying – and eating – local honey in a bid to combat the hayfever-type reactions I’m having this year. I’m not convinced there is a substantiated scientific reason to do it, but I like honey and it won’t do me any harm!
My daughter found a recipe for baked chicken thighs one rainy summer weekend when she was looking for a last-minute alternative to barbequed chicken. I’ve modified it a bit to suit what we like to eat.
I did try cutting out the honey but this recipe does need the honey. Tomato puree can taste bitter and, in this case, a small amount of sweetness cuts through and tastes much better.
I sometimes use stronger mustard than Dijon, which has quite a mellow flavour (for mustard). Use whatever you have. If it’s too mustardy, buy some Dijon for next time.
If even Dijon is too strong try the mi-forte version. I use both types of Dijon a lot – so much so that I buy it in quantity when I go to France. I also buy grain mustard (à l’ancienne) and my particular favourite, Fins Gourmets, which has extra spice. Unfortunately, I get carried away sometimes so I’ve had to remind myself not to buy grain mustard for the past two years. Somehow I use less of that than the others.
I’ve tried making extra sauce for this baked chicken and freezing it – anything to save time and effort another day. This works well, so I use a small can of tomato puree at a go and increase the other ingredients in line with that.
If you like this…
…Why don’t you try:
Baked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs
For the marinade:
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2-4 cloves garlic crushed or finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
Preparation:
- Set the oven to 190°C fan, gas mark 6
For the marinade:
- Put the tomato puree, mustard and garlic into a bowl and mix well
- Add the soy sauce gradually and mix in until it’s all incorporated
Assemble the dish:
- Place the joints in a shallow casserole dish, skin-side up
- Cover generously with the marinade and stand for an hour – overnight is fine
- Cover with foil and cook at 190 C for 40 minutes
- Remove the foil and return to the oven for 10 minutes
Video
Notes
- You can use any chicken joints in this recipe. Just make sure they’re all a similar size
- Use a whole 140g can of tomato puree and triple the other ingredients for the marinade. Use what you need and freeze the rest in one or two batches for another day.
