Canadian Maple Chicken
Scramble member Caryn Roll of Quebec City, Canada, shared her simple maple chicken recipe that’s infused with spices. By cooking it on the stovetop before baking it, the outside of the chicken takes on a lovely texture and rich color. Scramble recipe tester Melinda Kelley said, “This was a hit – even my daughter, who never asks for seconds of anything except mac & cheese, pizza, or other ‘kid’ foods, had a second serving.”
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed)
- 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/3 cup flour (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed)
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, mustard, ¾ cup of water, tarragon, thyme, cinnamon, and half the salt.
- Lay the flour on a shallow plate or in a pie plate and coat both sides of the chicken with the flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat a large heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the oil and butter, and when the butter melts and starts to bubble, add the chicken and season it with a dash of salt.
- Cook it for about 3 minutes per side, seasoning the second side with a little salt after flipping it, until it is lightly browned on the outsides. Transfer the chicken to an 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
- Add 1 Tbsp. of flour (use some of the flour that you used to coat the chicken) to the skillet to absorb any remaining juices, and slowly add the maple syrup mixture, whisking it into the flour to avoid lumps. Simmer it for 1 – 2 minutes until it thickens.
- Pour it over the chicken, flip the chicken to coat it, and put it in the oven. Bake it for 10 minutes or until the thickest breast is cooked through. Remove it from the oven and serve it immediately, refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Brown the chicken and thicken the sauce on the stovetop as directed. Place the chicken and sauce in the slow cooker and turn the chicken several times to be sure it is well coated with sauce. Cook on low for 5 – 6 hours or on high for 2 1/2 – 3 hours.
- If no time to brown: Omit the oil. Pour ¾ cup of water into the slow cooker. Combine all the other ingredients except the flour in the slow cooker, adding the chicken last, and flipping it to be sure it is well coated. Cook on low for 5 – 6 hours or on high for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove about 1/4 cup of the sauce from the slow cooker. Add the flour and whisk to create a slurry. Return slurry mixture to the slow cooker and cook 30 minutes more. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Combine the ingredients for the sauce (remember the water), brown and prepare the chicken for the oven, or fully prepare and refrigerate or freeze the dish.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Add 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper to the maple syrup mixture.
Tip: To ensure you get the real thing when buying maple syrup, check the label to make sure that maple syrup is the only ingredient listed. Additionally, the USDA has a grading system for maple syrup that helps to differentiate the varieties based on color and flavor. As a general rule, the darker the color, the stronger the flavor of the syrup.
Video: Check out Jessica making it on Facebook Live!
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 208, Total Fat: 5g, 8%; Saturated Fat: 1g, 3%; Cholesterol: 69mg, 23%; Sodium: 399mg, 16.5%; Total Carbohydrate: 11g, 4%; Dietary Fiber: 1g, 1%; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 28g
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Cut Dinner Efforts in Half with a Family Dinner Share!
Friday 5th of April 2019
[…] Tuesday and Wednesday, Sarah’s family got to enjoy Canadian Maple Chicken, a yummy salad, and red potatoes (straight from a Scramble dinner plan), and then sautéed shredded […]