You often find it in pots of baked beans instead of molasses, as well as in all kinds of cakes, pies, and other sweet desserts. Maple syrup also makes its way into simple weeknight dishes like this skillet chicken recipe, where it turns into a glaze. Start by searing the chicken by itself, then brown some onions until they start to turn golden. Add a few cut pears to the skillet so they brown, too. Spread the seared chicken breasts with a maple-mustard glaze, then set them on top of the onions and pears. The juices from the chicken baste the fruit and onions as it cooks, making them especially succulent, while the glaze turns the chicken a beautiful golden color. The onions also finish caramelizing in the oven. This is a one-skillet dish, and you can serve it right from the pan. I like to use a cast iron skillet, but any oven-safe pan will do. (If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer the onions, pears, and chicken to a baking dish before sending it to the oven.) Here’s something to watch for when buying maple syrup: Check the label and make sure the bottle contains only maple syrup and no fillers. Many syrups sold for serving with pancakes aren’t pure maple (they’re often diluted with corn syrup). When you taste what real maple syrup adds to the dish, you’ll know why New Englanders reach for it not only for pancakes, but for just about everything else as well. Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the chicken and cook without disturbing for 3 to 5 minutes, until the underside is golden. Turn and cook the other sides for 3 to 5 minutes more, until the other side is golden. Transfer chicken to a large plate. Move the onions to the center of the pan. Add the pears, cut sides down, around the edge. Cook for 4 minutes or until the pears brown on the bottom. Stir the onions occasionally. Turn the pears and cook the other cut sides for 3 minutes more. Stir the onions occasionally. In a small bowl, stir together the maple syrup and mustard. Spread the glaze over the chicken breasts with a spoon.
