Honey Dijon Horseradish Chicken: 3 Ways

This is one of our favorite Sunday dinners to eat throughout the year but it’s especially cozy for fall. We’ve made this chicken so many ways, but my favorite way is to roast a whole chicken. I’ve used chicken thighs this time and with football season here, this marinade is perfect for flavorful, crispy wings.

Horseradish is something I grew up with and then forgot about until I stumbled on a similar recipe for chicken. There are so many amazing health benefits of horseradish (too many to list here) but since it’s approaching cold and flu season, horseradish can certainly help with warding off colds and congestion. Check out more information about horseradish in the article I’ve linked below.

As for this recipe, the marinade is filled with a blend of aromatic and savory herbs that provide flavor and zest to a moist and tender chicken, regardless of what cut of chicken is used. A tip I offer is to allow your chicken to marinate for as long as possible, preferably overnight. The longer the chicken marinates, the juicier and more flavorful it will be. I like to serve this with mashed or roasted potatoes and peas or with a creamy lemon parmesan pasta and asparagus.

INGREDIENTS

For the marinade:

Juice of 1 lemon

Zest of 1 lemon

¼ cup horseradish

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup honey

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground pepper

5 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

½ white onion, sliced

A whole chicken (5 to 6 lbs), 2 to 3 lbs chicken wings or 4 to 6 lbs chicken breasts or thighs

DIRECTIONS

For thighs or breasts:

First, make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice and zest with horseradish, mustard, olive oil, and honey. Stir in herbs, salt, and pepper. Add minced garlic and sliced onion. Place chicken thighs in bowl, rotating on both sides to evenly coat thighs.

Cover bowl and place in refrigerator for a minimum of 1 to 3 hours however overnight is best.

Place chicken thighs on a prepared baking dish (9 x 13 or 8 x 8 works fine). Pour excess marinade over the chicken. Bake on 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F.

To roast a whole chicken:

Clean and dry whole chicken and place it upright in a prepared roasting pan. Spread marinade evenly all over the chicken, under its skin and inside of the chicken. I like to place a quarter of an onion and half a lemon inside of the chicken for added moisture and zest. Tuck the wings under its body and tie the legs. Cover with foil and marinate again, for a minimum of 1 to 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 450° and roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes. When the skin of the chicken is browned, cook for an additional 20 minutes until the temperature reaches 165°F. Let chicken rest for up to 20 minutes before cutting.

For chicken wings:

Follow the same marinating process as explained for the chicken thighs. Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove wings from marinade and place on a prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, generously coat wings with remaining marinade (sans onions). Bake for 45 minutes until wings are golden brown and crispy.