Maple-Thyme Chicken Thighs

This is the last recipe from the Oct/Nov Simple & Delicious issue that I'm trying.  Then onto the next one, which has a bunch of stuff I want to try.  Plus I got a great Taste of Home cookbook from my mom for Christmas this year that I'll be starting soon...woot! 

This recipe came together really quickly.  I made it on my George Foreman grill.  In case you haven't heard about my love affair with George...I got my first one (for free) at a yard sale several years ago.  I loved it, but hated washing it because it didn't have removable plates and couldn't be submerged.  I was practically standing on my head in order to wash it thoroughly without getting the dang heating element wet.  After a couple of years and a lot of neck cramps, I got a new one at Target with removable plates, which are also dishwasher safe.  This was a huge improvement.  But now my love for this one is growing cold, for two reasons...it's kind of on the small side, and now that the kids are bigger and eating more, it would be nice to be able to make more at one time.  And we have people over and I'm planning to use it, I have to cook in batches, which takes longer (obviously).  And also my husband's friend says he has one that has different temperature settings.  Mine has two: off and on.  And it gets really hot, and quite often the outside will be very done while the meat thermometer does not yet say the safe eating temperature.  You'll see this in the last picture on this recipe.  So I'll be keeping my eyes open over the next few months to see how expensive an upgrade will be.  I do use it a few times a month so I feel like I can justify it :)

Maple-Thyme Chicken Thighs
2 tbsp stone ground mustard
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs

In a small bowl, mix the first five ingredients.

 

Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, rub on grill rack to coat lightly (or just spray your Foreman grill with cooking spray...easier).

Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat 4-5 minutes on each side or until 170.  Brush often with mustard sauce during last 4 minutes of cooking.

This was after 4 minutes.  I sauced it, then flipped it, and sauced it again.  Some were still not 180 with meat thermometer.  So I waited longer.  Here's one of the finished plates.

You can see that it is a bit darker than would be ideal.  Also the kids noticed that.  Maybe one of them said "mom, that is black."  I think it would look like this on a normal outside grill, too, but I guess it would taste like barbecuing then and they wouldn't complain.  We had this with green beans and fake potatoes (don't judge, I LOVE fake potatoes...and the Idahoan brand is gluten free).

So overall, I am happy with how quick this came together...like a 5 minute prep time.  It wasn't a big hit among certain of the children.  Not sure if it was the mustard flavor (which wasn't really very strong since I used whole grain mustard) or the "black"ness.  Oh well.