Maple Mustard Grilled Chicken with Radishes & Asparagus
Published: June 23, 2021 | Last modified: June 17, 2023.
This Maple Mustard Grilled Chicken with Radishes & Asparagus features some of the best fresh flavours of the season. Don’t have a grill? This recipe works well as a sheet pan dinner too!
One pan meals make everything easier, and we love to change them up to feature the best flavours and textures of the season.
Early summer in Manitoba means maple syrup, asparagus and radishes are in abundance and the vibrant colours in this recipe present beautifully. The maple mustard marinade produces the juiciest, sticky glazed chicken drumsticks. And if you’ve never tried roasting radishes, this meal may be all the convincing you need to make them a spring and summer dinner staple.
Why roast radishes?
Radishes are root vegetables in the bassicas family together with broccoli, kale and cauliflower. They’re one of the first vegetables to make an appearance here in the spring in both home gardens and local markets. They’re also cost-effective fast growers which makes them ideal for succession planting and planter gardens too.
When eaten raw, radishes taste peppery and have a crunchy texture. Grilling or roasting them mellows their taste and results in a softer texture much like potatoes or turnips.
Radishes are also highly nutritious. This cruciferous vegetable is high in vitamin C and fibre and contains a range of nutrients thought to be beneficial for good health and disease prevention. Fun fact: Their greens are also edible and taste like spinach. We love to use them to make fresh pesto!
French Tarragon.
What is tarragon?
Tarragon is a popular and versatile perennial herb. Maintaining a steady supply of fresh herbs in our garden has been a challenge for us due to our harsh winters and recurring summer drought conditions. The tarragon is thriving, however, making it go-to addition to everything from breakfast hashes to tray bakes. It has a mild licorice-like taste that pairs beautifully with the chicken, dijon mustard, asparagus and peppery radishes in this recipe.
This grilled chicken recipe is a family favourite that brings out some of the best flavours of the season. We hope it will become a welcome addition to your table, too!
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Maple Mustard Grilled Chicken with Radishes and Asparagus
Serves 4
Ingredients:
8 chicken drumsticks
½ lb asparagus, trimmed
2 cups radishes, tops removed
2 cups new potatoes, whole or sliced depending on size
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh tarragon to garnish (optional)
Marinade
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grainy dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions:
Pat chicken dry and place in a sealable plastic bag or glass container. Add olive oil, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Seal bag/container and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
While the chicken is marinating, prepare your vegetables for grilling. Wash and slice radishes and potatoes and place in a medium-sized mixing bowl, cutting larger pieces in half. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Transfer to foil and fold into a packet and seal.
Wash and trim asparagus and place on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
Once ready to cook, preheat grill (or oven*) to 400º.
Place foil packet over flame and let cook for 30 minutes. After first 10 minutes, transfer drumsticks to grill and cook for 20 minutes until crispy and the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165º, using grill-safe tongs to turn halfway through to ensure even heat distribution. With 5 minutes remaining, place asparagus on grill over flame. Cook turning continuously just until it starts to char and has turned a bright green.
Remove chicken, foil packet and asparagus from grill. Transfer to serving plate, garnish with fresh tarragon and serve immediately.
Notes:
Make ahead: Chicken may be prepped in marinade up to 3 days in advance for a quick 30-minute weeknight meal.
*Oven roasting: If roasting in an oven, cook chicken, radishes and potatoes on a sheet pan for 30 minutes turning halfway through. *Add asparagus to pan for last 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven once vegetables pierce easily with a fork and chicken juices run clear.
Maple syrup: Don’t have maple syrup? This recipe also works well with honey!
Storage: Drumsticks are best enjoyed freshly cooked but can be stored for up to 3 days and reheated as desired.
