Grilled Mustard-Maple Chicken and Curried Rice with Cauliflower

Never in a million years, would I have thought that we would be grilling outside in Wisconsin in January.  With our unseasonably warm weather, Grilled Mustard-Maple Chicken temporarily brought us back to summer.  Reality set in when flames started shooting from the grill (my husband forgot to clean the grill before storing it for winter).  Needless to say, the chicken was nicely seared on the outside.  I finished the chicken in the oven while the rice was baking.  The rice dish and chicken were done at the exact same time. 

Curried Rice with Cauliflower give a healthy dose of protein and fiber and a lot of flavor.  And since the rice cooks in the oven, you don’t have to worry about babysitting rice in the stove! (aka: allows more time to pour baking soda on the grill and clean up after the flames).

Grilled Mustard-Maple Chicken

Serves 8

1/3 cup whole grained mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons real maple syrup

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1/4 cup minced onion

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned

Combine first 9 ingredients. Place half of mixture in a zipper plastic bag; reserve remaining mixture. Add chicken to bag; seal. Chill in refrigerator 2 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Remove chicken from bag. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with reserved mustard mixture.

Curried Rice with Cauliflower

Serves 8

4 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 large head cauliflower, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

2 cups basmati or other long-grain white rice

4 teaspoons curry powder

1 (15.5 ounces) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 3/4 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup 2% milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, until browned in spots. Transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper. Add 2 teaspoons oil and onion to pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Add rice, curry powder, and chickpeas and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until rice is coated, about 2 minutes. Add broth and cream and bring to a boil.

Pour rice mixture into a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Scatter cauliflower over top (do not stir to combine). Cover and bake until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.