Mustard Maple Chicken and Crunchy Broccoli Salad

Why I only take blurry pictures is beyond me.  The phone was steadied on the counter!

I'm sharing two recipes in one blog today..because I just can't wait!  This week is spring break for the kiddos, so I took the week off as vacation to stay home with them.  The plan was to clean like crazy and cook up a storm.  Its Wednesday, the house is a mess, and this is the first time I've cooked since last Friday.  So much for all those plans! 

One thing I've discovered since I started this little project, is that I have to adjust recipes.  Often.  The chicken recipe was written to feed 3 normal people.  I decided if this is as man-pleasing as it promises to be, I'd better double up.  There are 4 of us to start with...and that man counts as 1 or 2 extra some nights.  The broccoli salad claims to feed 10.  Even on the hungriest of nights, no way would we eat that much, and since its already dressed, it probably wouldn't save very well.  I (at least) halved that recipe.

The main course, Mustard Maple Chicken, is appropriately named "Man-Pleasing Chicken" on the Witty In The City blog.  It's quite tasty.

Here is what I started with:  4 simple ingredients.

12 chicken thighs (I used bone in w/ skin, but removed the skin before I baked it)

1 cup dijon mustard

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

The first step is to mix the mustard, syrup, and vinegar together for your sauce.

Then pour it into the bottom of a roasting pan (Use whatever pan they'll fit in.  My glass dish was busy).  Place your thighs in the pan, then salt and pepper them. 

Turn the chicken in the sauce so they are coated.

Place in 450 degree oven for 40 minutes, stopping halfway through to baste the tops again.

The side dish I served with the chicken is "Crunchy Broccoli Salad" from Taste of Home.  Itty Bitty is a lot like me when it comes to vegetables.  We like our broccoli raw and crunchy best, so this one made me think of her ..and that she might actually eat something I prepared that doesn't involve peanut butter and white bread.

So, here is how it starts

12 oz bag of broccoli florets, made into bite size pieces

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup sunflower kernals

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

bacon pieces (2 or 3 slices crumbled, if you're making it)

Combine broccoli, onions, and cranberries in a bowl. At this point, I pulled some out for Itty Bitty who is a purist and refuses to eat dressing on anything.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, and sugar to make the dressing.

Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.  Add sunflower kernals and bacon on top. 

Chill until ready to serve.

Itty Bitty and Big Boy tested and APPROVED!!  YAY!!!!

Christi