This chicken is sweet and savory, with tons of flavor settling in during the marinating process.
Most guests arrive for a barbecue with a bowl of potato salad, six-pack tucked under their arm, or maybe a box of pastries.
Me? I like to arrive with a bag full of raw chicken. It’s weird, I know, but no one has ever complained! The way I see it, there’s a very slim chance that any of the other invitees will be toting about a bag of meat.
This Honey Mustard Chicken arrives at the party in a zip-top bag full of tasty marinade. Once you’ve cracked a beer, simply pluck the chicken out of the bag for a few minutes on the grill. This chicken is sweet and savory, with tons of flavor settling in during the marinating process. Juicy boneless chicken thighs are a natural match for the grill, as they cook through much more quickly and evenly than their bone-in cousins. Use chicken breasts if you prefer, but take care not to overcook, as white meat dries out much faster.
Honey Mustard Chicken
10 cloves of garlic
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2-4 tablespoons hot sauce, optional
1 tablespoon dried thyme
fresh thyme for garnish
- Place the cloves of garlic in a mini food processor or blender and turn it on. Whirl it around on high until the garlic is finely minced.
- Add the honey, mustard, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, optional hot sauce, and dried thyme to the food processor. Turn it on for thirty seconds to one minute, until it is completely blended.
- Place the chicken in a quality zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Press out as much air as possible before sealing. Smush the chicken around in the bag to be sure that all the pieces are fully coated. Place the sealed bag in a bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge for a minimum of six hours, or overnight.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge twenty to thirty minutes before you plan to cook it.
- If using charcoal, be sure that you build a fire that has varying levels of heat.
- Use tongs to pick the chicken out of the marinade and place on a hot grill. When the chicken is seared and beginning to char on one side, flip it. Then move the chicken to a cooler part of the grill so it can cook through, about another five to ten minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. The FDA recommends using a thermometer to cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Remove to a platter and garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.
This recipe will yield about twelve servings.