Laurie Colwin’s Baked Mustard Chicken

Recipe from Laurie Colwin

Adapted by The New York Times

Updated July 28, 2015

  • Joshua Bright for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 2 hours 15 minutes
Rating
5(1,329)
Comments
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This old-school chicken, Sunday-night-supper chicken, even dinner party chicken, is baked for about two hours (yes, you read that correctly: two hours) until its bread crumb-coated skin is crisp — yet the meat miraculously maintains its moisture. The recipe, adapted from the great food writer Laurie Colwin, is so simple to make that her original version was written out in a brief paragraph, casually instructing the home cook to coat the chicken with mustard, garlic, a little thyme, a pinch of cinnamon. We have adapted the recipe to include measurements and more specific direction, but that shouldn’t stop you from absorbing her nonchalance and confidence as you make it, the certainty that it will turn out delicious every time. (The New York Times) —The New York Times

Featured in: Laurie Colwin: A Confidante in the Kitchen

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • ¾ cup Dijon mustard

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 2 cups fine dry unseasoned bread crumbs

  • 2 chickens, 2 to 3 pounds each, quartered, rinsed and dried

  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, or as needed

  • 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

30 grams carbs; 299 milligrams cholesterol; 1033 calories; 26 grams monosaturated fat; 14 grams polyunsaturated fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 66 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 1144 milligrams sodium; 77 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine mustard, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, a pinch of salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Place bread crumbs in another large bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Working in batches, coat chicken quarters on all sides with mustard mixture. Shake off excess mustard, then coat completely with bread crumbs. Arrange in a single layer in a large, shallow baking pan.

  3. Step 3

    Dust the chicken with paprika and scatter butter pieces on top. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and crispy, about 2 hours. (Depending on the oven, the size of the pan and the size of the chickens, baking time may be as long as 2 ½ hours.) Serve hot or at room temperature.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,329 user ratings
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Comments

Larry

I'm always on the look-out for "fried" chicken without the need for deep-frying - and this recipe more than meets the need! I used legs and thighs (instead of 2 whole chickens) and panko bread crumbs.

GregBPortland

I used to make this years ago, but I do take exception to referring to Laurie Colwin as just "the great food writer." She was a fairly prolific novelist and short story writer of distinction, who wrote two charming volumes of recipes and food lore for Gourmet magazine that endeared her to readers because of the sly charm of her domestic life and simplicity and goodness of the recipes. Sadly she died prematurely of a heart attack around the age of 48. She is greatly missed.

Alison

I have made this several times and am always pleased with the results. Always use bone-in chicken (never boneless) and understand that the cooking time of the original recipe is for six pounds of chicken. I find the generous application of mustard helps keep the white meat from drying out. My usual finish time is 1.5 hours.

Tony

Cooking time is way too long, chicken gets extremely dry. The coating is also surprisingly bland.

Ruthie

I add the juice of one lemon to the mustard and ground sumac to the seasoning. Perfect.

Brian

The instruction of 2 hours at 350 is wrong. Please correct it to: “60 to 70 minutes, start checking for doneness at 50-60 minutes.”

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Credits

Adapted from “Home Cooking” by Laurie Colwin

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