This Honey Mustard Chicken recipe is sweet, spicy and simply divine. It’s a versatile marinade that works great with chicken breasts, thighs, pork chops or even tenderloin for an easy weeknight meal.
I will forever be a honey mustard chicken girl.
It’s the perfect balance of flavors and textures. A little sweet. A little spicy. A little grainy. You simply can’t go wrong. For a dressing variant, you might also like to try our Honey Mustard Dressing recipe.
And when you can cook the chicken and simmer the pan sauce all in one skillet, it makes weeknight dinner and entertaining that much more fun. Make this any night of the week or as a casual meal with friends. For those who love their chicken with a bit of Italian flair, our Chicken Piccata might just be the perfect dish.
What Makes This Honey Mustard Chicken So Good?
This recipe had me at one pan, but it has become a regular weeknight meal because:
- Honey, mustard and savory herbs create an incredibly balanced pan sauce all on their own.
- It’s extremely kid-friendly and dinner-party-friendly, too.
- It’s enough to feed a family of four, with leftovers to enjoy throughout the week.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this with a simple steamed or roasted vegetable and rice. Roasted or baked potatoes are always a nice accompaniment. For those who love a salad, consider drizzling some homemade poppy seed dressing on top of your greens for an extra zesty flavor.
The sauce spooned over rice or dipped into a potato is divine.
Variations
This recipe works with chicken thighs or even pork chops or tenderloin.
For boneless, skinless chicken thighs or boneless pork chops, cook as directed and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. The chicken thighs need to reach an internal temperature of 165° F. The pork chops are safe to eat at an internal temperature of 145° F.
For a 1 ½-2-lb pork tenderloin, sear for 2 minutes on each side, set aside and proceed with the recipe. Place the pork and onions in the oven as directed and cook until the thickest part of the tenderloin reaches 145° F.
As always, rest the meat for at least 3-5 minutes to redistribute the juices before slicing.
How to Use & Store Leftovers
Leftovers keep well stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This makes incredible work for meal prep.
The sweet and spicy chicken is great on a salad or sliced on a sandwich or wrap.
Top Tips For Honey Mustard Chicken:
- Skip searing the onions if you are short on time. Simply marinate the chicken breasts in the honey mustard sauce while the oven preheats to 400° F. Pour it all into a casserole dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This creates a crispy, golden brown sear.
- Cook the chicken in batches. I usually stick to 3 chicken breasts at a time, depending on the size of the skillet. Browning the chicken in batches ensures a deeper color and flavor.
- Omit the wine, if desired. The white wine adds a touch of acidity. Simply replace it with water or chicken stock instead.
- Use chicken thighs, pork chops or tenderloin. Poultry must always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F. Pork is safe to eat at 145° F.
- Rest the meat for 3-5 minutes before slicing. This allows time for the juices to redistribute.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge. The chicken will keep up to 5 days. Use it as the protein source for salads, sandwiches or wraps.
Honey Mustard Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup white wine optional
- ½ cup Dijon mustard
- ½ cup stone-ground mustard
- ¾ cup honey
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a cast-iron skillet or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts. (You may need to do this in two batches. You do not want to overcrowd the pan or the chicken will not brown.) Brown chicken on both sides and transfer to a plate.
- Add remaining oil and add onions to the pan. Cook until the onions begin to soften and brown. Add garlic and cook for another minute. If using, add wine, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Mix together both mustards, honey, rosemary, and thyme leaves.
- Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Spread the onion mixture evenly in the skillet. Place the chicken over the onions.
- Pour the honey mustard over the chicken pieces.
- Add the pan to the oven and cook chicken until cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165° F, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Spoon the pan sauce over the chicken breast when serving.
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