July 29, 2008

The Result: Honey Baked Chicken II

I was really skeptical of this recipe. All afternoon, I kept thinking about changing it to something different. I am typically not a fan of ‘sweet’ meat, and I was unsure about the overall flavor combination…particularly the use of so much honey. I set all my reservations aside, and made it anyway.
I am really glad that I stuck with it, because this dish was delightful! I kept the suggested cook time and made a few adjustments with the seasoning (see list of variations below). The chicken was moist and the flavors were well balanced. The curry was enough to satisfy my craving. Everyone really liked it! The husband and I both had seconds (which we normally try not to do). This recipe was a nice surprise; it is definitely a dish we will make again.

Here are the following changes I made, in addition to the recipe ingredients/directions:

2 teaspoons of curry powder total (double the suggested amount)
1/3 cup of mustard total; but I combined stone ground mustard with regular yellow mustard for an additional flavor and textural component.
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a little bite.
½ cup of honey
2 cloves of minced garlic
½ teaspoon of onion powder
1/3 of a cup of chicken stock (use less if you want a thicker sauce or leave out all together)
Salt and pepper to taste

I patted chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. I placed the chicken in a 9 x 13 glass casserole dish. Then, sprinkled top of naked chicken with about 1 teaspoon of Lawry’s seasoning. I mixed sauce in a bowl (including my changes) and poured it over the chicken. I covered with foil and baked at recommended temp. I removed the foil halfway through the cooking process (after 40 minutes) and cooked the rest of the time uncovered so the sauce would thicken. I did remember to baste every 15 minutes.

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