Hot-Mustard Grilled Chicken

By Christian Reynoso

Published August 13, 2024

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes, plus at least 20 minutes’ marinating
Rating
5(516)
Comments
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Simple and satisfying chicken thighs get a delightfully vibrant and spicy kick from a marinade of hot mustard — made with brown mustard seeds —  plus soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger. After marinating, the chicken is grilled, adding depth and char to the chicken as well as to the marinade. Colman’s English mustard (which is made with a mix of brown and white/yellow mustard seeds) is a reliable brand found at most supermarkets, however you could also use prepared Chinese-style hot mustard, found at Asian grocery stores. Serve this with grilled green beans or asparagus or a bracing cucumber salad with rice. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 3 ½ tablespoons prepared or powdered hot mustard (such as Colman’s) 

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for grilling

  • 4 garlic cloves, finely grated 

  • 2-inch piece of ginger, finely grated (about 2 tablespoons) 

  • ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • Vegetable oil, for the grill

  • Chopped scallions or cilantro for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

3 grams carbs; 213 milligrams cholesterol; 391 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 806 milligrams sodium; 46 grams protein

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

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper and salt until combined. Add the chicken thighs and toss in the marinade to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 day.

  2. Step 2

    When ready to grill, take the chicken out of the fridge. Prepare a grill: Lightly oil the grates using a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil. Heat the grill to medium-high and when hot, lay the chicken thighs over the grates and cook, covered, until lightly charred, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the chicken thighs and cook the other side until the chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 more minutes. Transfer to a serving plate.

  3. Step 3

    Serve the chicken as is, or with chopped scallions or cilantro, if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
516 user ratings
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Comments

zoz

I let this marinate for 3 hours in the fridge, then let it come to room temp ~30 minutes and then baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Perfection! I used Coleman’s dried mustard, which gave a bit of a horseradish kick.

AGame

Delicious! Zesty, tangy, juicy & immediately secured a spot in my rotation. The heat and zip imparted from the mustard, vinegar & red pepper flakes were a perfect balance that carried through grilling. Recipe was on the fringe of being a bit too salty for my taste buds (I didn't have low sodium soy), so would reduce either the marinade salt or use low sodium soy next time. Next time I'll reserve about 1/4 cup of the marinade (before adding raw chicken) to serve over plain tide. 5 stars!

Molly

I took AGame’s suggestion and reserved some of the marinade which I brushed on just before serving. So glad I did because you get more of the heat and zip from the mustard that way. This will be my go-to for grilled chicken thighs now.

Debbie

Is the 3.5 T chinese mustard in powdered form or liquid form when you add it to the soy sauce, etc.?

Karen C.

Delicious. I used Keen's Dry Mustard (mixed 1.5T. dry mustard with 1T ice-cold water, let sit 15 mins to activate the flavor, then added 0.5T white vinegar), and marinated overnight. Also reserved 2T. of the marinade and brushed over before serving which was an excellent idea - definitely made the dish. Everyone loved it.

Susan

Made it following the recipe up until cooking. I did not grill it- but baked it. Guests loved it. Will make it again.

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