The Wannabe Chef: Lemon Mustard Chicken

My apologies for what seems to be a constant theme for me lately: lemon. But as I hold on to the last bit of summer, it’s a flavor I continue to crave. And as I was browsing for a recipe to try on my first attempt at cooking with chicken thighs, this dish immediately jumped out at me.

I had most of the ingredients on hand, and I had a chance to make use of my cast iron skillet in the oven instead of just on the stovetop. The recipe calls for both lemon and lime juice, but since I only had a lemon, I just doubled the amount of lemon juice. And for an extra tang, I used Dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard. The result is a buttery, lemony goodness that had me almost licking my plate. Even the baby liked it, and she’s been shying away from chicken lately. Success!

Lemon Mustard Chicken

*recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com

  • 5 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 4 tablespoons prepared mustard
  • 6 chicken thighs
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 cup dried bread crumbs
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 lemon – sliced, for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Combine lemon and lime juices with the prepared mustard. Brush over chicken. Set aside.

Combine bread crumbs, salt, pepper, curry powder, oregano, and grated lemon peel. Roll chicken in crumb mix, coating well.

In a heavy baking pan or iron skillet, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Place chicken in pan, skin side down.

Place in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Turn chicken and bake until tender, about 30 more minutes. Serve on a warm platter with sliced lemons and chopped parsley, if desired.

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