Winner winner: RecipeTin’s honey mustard chicken makes the perfect midweek dinner

Name: Winner winner: RecipeTin’s honey mustard chicken makes the perfect midweek dinner
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 700g chicken thigh fillets, cut in half then into 1cm pieces; ¾ tsp cooking salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 3 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 brown onion, sliced; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves; ⅓ cup (80ml) white wine (optional); 3 tbsp plain flour; 1½ cup chicken stock, salt reduced; 4 tbsp Dijon mustard; 3 tbsp honey; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 3 tbsp thickened cream

RecipeTin Eats

April 13, 2023

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

This meal is made with a home-made version of the honey mustard simmer sauce you see sold in jars at the supermarket. Skip those. Home-made is so quick and has none of those artificial flavours you can’t avoid with pre-bottled sauces.

I’ve used chicken bites here but this sauce has all sorts of possibilities. Pork, prawns and fish are lovely. Just the other week, I found myself smothering steamed broccoli with this sauce. Yup, it makes everything scoffable!

The SOS checklist

Feeds four for under $20 ✔
Fewer than 12 ingredients ✔
Ready in under 30 minutes ✔

Ingredients

700g chicken thigh fillets, cut in half then into 1cm pieces
¾ tsp cooking salt
½ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 brown onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
⅓ cup (80ml) white wine (optional)
3 tbsp plain flour
1½ cup chicken stock, salt reduced
4 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp thickened cream

Method

Step 1
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and set aside.
Step 2
Melt the butter in large (30cm) non-stick pan or large heavy-based pot over high heat until it starts foaming.
Step 3
Cook onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 minute.
Step 4
Add the seasoned chicken and cook until changes from pink to white (about 3 minutes). Keep stirring so it doesn’t become watery (see note).
Step 5
Add wine, if using, and simmer rapidly until it mostly reduces and the winey smell is gone.
Step 6
Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the chicken stock while stirring (the flour stuck on the chicken will dissolve into the liquid and thicken the sauce as it continues to cook).
Step 7
Add the mustard, honey and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency. Stir in the cream then serve over mash, rice or small pasta (risoni, small macaroni, ditalini or everybody’s favourite, alphabet pasta).

Note: You need to cook the chicken over high heat in a large heavy-based frying pan or pot to ensure it doesn’t become watery and stew in its own juices. If you are having issues, cook the chicken in 2 batches.