Simply Amazing Sticky Chicken

Oh, man. This is the winner-winner chicken dinner you have been searching for all your life. It started out as Honey-Mustard Baked Chicken, a standout recipe shared by my lovely “Aunt” VS. (She is a longtime friend of the family, who lived with us briefly when she was a young woman.) I wondered if I could take it to the next level by baking it in, you guessed it, my cast-iron skillet! Best idea ever, it is even more delicious than before. And very easy into the bargain.

• 4-lb whole chicken, cut up, to make 3 lbs parts
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 6 springs fresh thyme (or sub 1 tsp dried)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp mustard (I like Dijon)
• 1 tsp curry powder

Put cast iron pan in cold oven and preheat to 450.
Make spice rub by combining paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tsp salt. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with spice rub.
Melt 2 T butter in hot pan. (Careful of hot handle!) Add 6 sprigs fresh thyme (add it later if using dry thyme). Nestle chicken in pan, skin side down.
Bake 15 mins at 450.
Meanwhile, combine honey, mustard, curry powder, 1/2 tsp salt, (1 tsp dry thyme if using instead of fresh) and 1/4 cup hot water and whisk until smooth. Remove skillet from oven, flip chicken, pour honey sauce evenly over all the pieces, then return to oven and bake 15 mins more. (Thighs should register 175)
Let rest 15 mins, then remove to a platter and whisk sauce to emulsify (after removing thyme sprigs).
Serve chicken, topped with sauce, with rice or couscous and a vegetable or salad. (It goes great with this one.)