Maple Mustard Chicken (aka Man Pleasing Chicken)

I have a confession to make. I've been keeping something from you. One of the best recipes I've made, and now one of my favourite meals to make. It wasn't on purpose! Honestly! I've been making this chicken dish for a year or so now, and it's delicious. I get compliments every time I make it and it's just so so easy. It's just that every time that I make it I take photos all the way through and then once it's done....no photo. So I haven't been able to do a blog post on it yet. But I've finally remembered to get those final photos. Here goes!

To make this chicken, which you should absolutely do immediately, preheat your oven to 230ºC. Then, mix together 1/2 cup of dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. 

Put your chicken fillets in a foil-lined oven proof baking dish. I find that boneless, skinless thighs work best. Eight came in my package - but 2 per serve is usually enough. Sprinkle your chicken thighs with salt and pepper (I always forget that part. Oops!)  

Pour your maple mustard mixture over them, turning the thighs in the mixture so they are fully coated. 

Put the chicken thighs into the oven, and let them bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and baste the chicken with more of the sauce.

Return the thighs back into the oven and let them bake for another 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 75C (or 165F). 

Let the chicken rest for five minutes before serving. Make sure to spoon extra sauce over the top when serving the chicken. Sprinkle over some fresh rosemary.

Maple Mustard Chicken
1/2 cup of dijon mustard
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1 tbsp of rice wine vinegar. 
Boneless & skinless chicken thigh fillets (approx 2 per person)

1. To make this chicken, which you should absolutely do immediately, preheat your oven to 230ºC. Then, mix together 1/2 cup of dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. 
2. Put your chicken fillets in a foil-lined oven proof baking dish. Sprinkle your chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
3. Pour your maple mustard mixture over them, turning the thighs in the mixture so they are fully coated. 
4. Put the chicken thighs into the oven, and let them bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and baste the chicken with more of the sauce.
5. Return the thighs back into the oven and let them bake for another 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 75C (or 165F). 
6, Let the chicken rest for five minutes before serving. Make sure to spoon extra sauce over the top when serving the chicken. Sprinkle over some fresh rosemary.

Recipe Source:
Witty in the City's recipe for
Man Pleasing Chicken

Individual Chicken, Leek & Mushroom Pies

I know! It's amazing right? I'm actually posting a recipe for something savoury. It might surprise you to find out that I actually do cook most of the evening meals for my family, it's just that most of them don't seem postable - whether it's because the photos would come out too ugly or because I just think they're too boring. Every now and then, though, I like to try a new recipe that I'm proud to share with you lovely readers. And this recipe, that I found on Jane Kennedy's app 'OMG I can eat that?', is one of those. It is a low carb version of the chicken, leek and mushroom pie, which I know is never the same as a good old fashioned pie with flaky pastry, but it still turned out to be a delicious meal.
You see, readers, I'm actually trying to 'be good' at the moment. I've put on a lot of weight over the last year and it's really time that I did something about it. Not because I want to be a stick thin model or anything, but I just feel like I have to do this for me. I will still be posting lots of sweet treats in the future (they might just be for other people - not me), but they might be mixed in with more healthy meals, like this, as well.

To make the crust:
1 small zucchini, peeled and grated
1 egg, beaten
50g light mozzarella cheese, grated
50g parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with paper. Trace circles onto the baking paper using a ramekin - trace a circle for each ramekin. In a bowl combine the zucchini, egg and mozzarella cheese. Spread this mixture onto the baking paper, using your traced circles as a guideline for the correct size and shape.

Bake the zucchini lids in your oven for about 20 minutes, or until they start to change colour. Once you remove them from the oven allow to cool on the baking tray.
Leave your oven at 180C so you can cook the pies later on.

To make the pie filling:
1tbsp olive oil
2 small skinless chicken fillets, cut into cubes
2 cloves garlic
2 leeks, finely sliced
12 mushrooms, sliced
1 sprig thyme, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp greek yoghurt

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken pieces for about 5-6 minutes. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the frying pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the juices in the pan, and set aside

Add the garlic and leeks to the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes. Make sure the leeks and garlic don't brown too much.

Add the mushroom slices, thyme (I only had dried thyme, not fresh, but I found this was fine to use), rosemary, sea salt and pepper and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Then stir in the yoghurt.

Divide the mixture between your ramekins - I was only serving three people so I squished my mixture in a little bit so it would fit into my three ramekins - and top each pie with a zucchini lid. Sprinkle the lid with parmesan cheese and bake for about 10-12 minutes - or until brown and bubbling (hmmm!!)

Warning - your house will be left with the most delicious smell. You'll want more pie even after you're finished - or maybe it's just because I'm greedy ;)

Recipe Source:
Jane Kennedy's app: OMG I can eat that?
recipe for Chicken, Leek and Mushroom piemakins

Individual Chicken, Leek & Mushroom Pies Zucchini crust: 1 small zucchini, peeled and grated 1 egg, beaten 50g light mozzarella cheese, grated 50g parmesan cheese, grated 1. Preheat the oven to 180C 2. Line a baking tray with baking paper 3. To make the zucchini crust, combine the zucchini, egg and mozzarella cheese in a bowl 4. Spread this mixture onto the baking paper, making circles in the shape of a pie lid - to do this I traced around my ramekins to get the correct shape and size. 5. Bake for about 20 minutes, or just until the zucchini crust starts to change colour 6. Remove from the oven and leave on the baking paper to cool. Pie Filling: 2 small skinless chicken fillets, cut into cubes 2 cloves garlic 2 leeks, finely sliced 12 mushrooms, sliced 1 sprig thyme, finely chopped 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped sea salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tbsp greek yoghurt 1. Preheat the oven to 180C 2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the chicken pieces for about 5-6 minutes 3. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon, leaving the juices in the pan, and set aside. 4. Add the garlic and leeks to the pan. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly and making sure leeks and garlic don't brown too much. 5. Add the mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, sea salt and pepper and cook for another 6-8 minutes. 6. Stir in the yoghurt 7. Divide the mixture between your ramekins and top each one with a zucchini lid. Sprinkle the lid with parmesan cheese and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until brown and blubbling 8. Serve immediately.