HONEYED CHICKEN

My mother-in-law gave me this recipe soon after Allen and I were married. It used a whole, cut up chicken and took about an hour in the oven.  The lengthy cooking converted the thin soupy mixture into a smooth and luscious sauce.  

I had to change it significantly after children were born and life became increasingly busy and hectic.  I also realized that the children kept grabbing the white meat and left the dark meat in pan.  So, I developed a way to make this with boneless chicken breasts only and keep it moist, tender, and delicious.

Of course, the sauce will not emulsify and blend into velvety perfection in the twenty minutes it takes to bake chicken breasts. Consequently, I decided to simmer the sauce in the microwave prior to thicken it. Then I poured it over the chicken breasts for baking in the oven.

THICKEN THE SAUCE IN THE MICROWAVE

Spray a rectangular glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking oil spray. Lay the chicken breasts in a single layer in the dish.

Start the sauce by melting the butter with the mustard and honey.  Use a large (at least 2-cup size) glass measuring cup or bowl. The sauce will look very thin when initially melted and stirred but thickens up after some careful cooking in the microwave.

USE CAUTION TO AVOID A MESS

Melt the butter with the mustard and honey in the microwave, stirring after one minute. Continue to microwave for about 1 minute at a time until the sauce looks thick and emulsified. It is important to take your time and let the mixture settle for a few seconds prior to stirring after each minute.  If you jostle it too soon, the mixture will bubble up and over the cup and make quite a mess. Stir in the curry powder after the sauce is thickened.

Pour the honey mixture over top of the chicken breasts and bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until cooked through but still juicy.  Serve Honeyed Chicken with rice, risotto, or pasta and salad.

HONEYED CHICKEN

• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 1/4 Cup Mustard
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 1 Teaspoon Curry Powder
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 ounces each)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and place chicken breasts in a single layer in the dish.  

Mix butter, mustard, and honey in a microwave-safe 2-cup glass measuring cup or bowl.  Microwave on High, swirling or stirring the sauce after each minute. Be careful when stirring because it will bubble up and overflow if you stir or move the cup too quickly. Continue heating until the sauce thickens to gravy like consistency.  Stir in the curry.

Pour sauce over top of the chicken breasts and bake in preheated 350-degree oven, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until done.

Makes 6 servings.