Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 6 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- 15 ml olive oil
Blueberry Mustard Sauce
- 1 shallot, minced
- 60 ml chicken broth, low-sodium
- 150 g fresh blueberries
- 45 g whole-grain mustard
- 30 ml apple cider vinegar
- 15 ml maple syrup
- 5 g fresh tarragon, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 532 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 964 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 196 mg
- Potassium
- 574 mg
- Calcium
- 50 mg
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 53 mg
- Phosphorus
- 348 mg
- Zinc
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 50 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 15 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.36 mg
- Niacin
- 9.8 mg
- Folate
- 14 mcg
- Water
- 199 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200C/400F.
Thoroughly pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season generously on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed until the skin is deeply golden and crispy, about 8 minutes.
Flip the chicken thighs skin-side up. Transfer the entire skillet to the preheated oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 74C/165F.
Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
Place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and saute until softened and fragrant.
Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom.
Stir in the fresh blueberries, whole-grain mustard, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup. Simmer until the blueberries begin to burst and the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency.
Remove the skillet from the heat and gently stir in the chopped fresh tarragon.
Return the resting chicken thighs to the skillet, nestling them into the blueberry mustard sauce without covering the crispy skin. Serve immediately straight from the skillet.
Chef's Notes
- Starting the chicken in a cold pan can actually yield crispier skin, as it allows the fat to render slowly. However, for a quicker weeknight sear, medium-high heat works well provided the skin is perfectly dry.
- Tarragon has an assertive, slight licorice note that pairs brilliantly with mustard and fruit. If you are adverse to tarragon, fresh thyme makes an excellent, earthier substitute.
- Always wash hands, utensils, and surfaces immediately after handling raw poultry to prevent cross-contamination.
- You can gently mash about a quarter of the blueberries with the back of your spoon while they simmer to speed up the thickening process and infuse the sauce with a deeper purple hue.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store chicken and sauce in an airtight container. The chicken skin will lose its crispness.
Freezer: 2 months — The sauce freezes beautifully, but the chicken texture may degrade slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175C/350F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through to preserve some skin texture, or microwave on medium power.
Troubleshooting
Chicken skin is rubbery or pale
Cause: Moisture on the skin before searing, or moving the chicken too early
Fix: Place the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning
Prevention: Thoroughly pat the chicken dry and let it sear undisturbed until it naturally releases from the pan
Sauce is too thin and watery
Cause: Not enough reduction time or blueberries had very high water content
Fix: Remove the chicken and simmer the sauce over medium-high heat for another 2-3 minutes to reduce further
Prevention: Allow the sauce to simmer aggressively until it looks syrupy
Sauce is overly tart
Cause: Blueberries were underripe or vinegar concentration was high
Fix: Stir in an additional 5-10ml of maple syrup off the heat
Prevention: Taste your blueberries before cooking; if they are very sour, increase the maple syrup slightly
Cultural Context
Pairing savory meats with fruit sauces is a culinary tradition rooted in the European concept of agrodolce, or sour-and-sweet cooking. This modern American skillet dinner adapts that ancient flavor profile for the contemporary weeknight kitchen, utilizing the bright acidity of seasonal blueberries and sharp mustard to cut through the rich fat of roasted chicken thighs.
