Maple Dijon Chicken Thighs (Printable)

Juicy chicken thighs roasted with a sweet maple-Dijon glaze and seasonal vegetables for an easy dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (approx. 2.5 lbs)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Maple Dijon Glaze

04 - 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
05 - 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Vegetables

11 - 14 oz baby potatoes, halved
12 - 9 oz carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
13 - 1 red onion, cut into wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry and season both sides evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, Dijon mustard, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, thyme leaves, and smoked paprika until smooth.
04 - Arrange halved potatoes, carrot pieces, and red onion wedges on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat and spread evenly.
05 - Nestle the chicken thighs skin side up among the vegetables. Brush each thigh generously with the maple Dijon glaze, reserving about 2 tablespoons for later use.
06 - Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, brush chicken with remaining glaze, then return to oven and roast for another 5 to 10 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and skin is caramelized.
07 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Optional: garnish with extra fresh thyme leaves.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The skin gets impossibly crispy while the meat underneath stays absurdly juicy—a combination that shouldn't work but absolutely does.
  • Everything cooks on one sheet pan, which means cleanup is almost laughable compared to the flavor payoff.
  • The glaze tastes fancy enough to impress people, but the technique is so forgiving that even a distracted cook can nail it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the second glaze coat midway through; that's the difference between good and restaurant-quality caramelization.
  • Bone-in thighs need the full 40 minutes—cutting the time short leaves you with cooked chicken but underdeveloped skin.
03 -
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly than straight-from-the-fridge; pull it out 15 minutes before cooking.
  • If your glaze looks like it's burning before the chicken finishes, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last few minutes, then uncover to re-crisp the skin.
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