Man-Pleasing Chicken

Mix mustard, maple syrup and salt in a bowl. Taste and season this sauce with salt and liquid smoke, starting with 1/4 teaspoon of each and adding from there until you are happy.

Place chicken in a small roasting tin. Pour the sauce over and massage it into the chicken.

Take the rosemary and scrunch it up in your hands, bruising it to release the oils. Tuck the rosemary under the chicken.

Bake in the oven at 400°F or 200°C for 35 minutes.

Heat your broiler to high and slide the chicken under for the final 3–4 minutes to glaze the chicken. If desired, you can skip this broiling step, but the chicken may need an extra 3–4 minutes in the oven. Ensure the chicken reaches 165°F or 74°C before serving. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone and take the reading.

After you remove the chicken from the baking dish, stir the remaining sauce and then pass it through a sieve. Serve the sauce in a bowl on the side or pour over the chicken.

Notes:
• Liquid smoke varies from brand to brand so add a quarter of a teaspoon to begin with and add more to taste.
• Substitute the fresh rosemary with 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary if needed.
• Line your baking tray with foil if you want to reduce the cleanup time.

Pro tips:
• Make sure to buy chicken thighs that still have the bone in them. The bone adds a lot of flavor as it bakes and will help toward your goal of making your guy say “Yes!” when he takes just one bite.
• Adding about 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar to the sauce will give it a little more flavor and kick. You should especially add the rice wine vinegar if you choose to use mustard powder instead of mustard as it will help make the mix a little more liquid.
• Cut the chicken with a nice sharp chef’s knife after it has roasted. Removing the chicken from the bone and slicing it will give the dish more of a fancy, restaurant-worthy feel.