This easy Honey Mustard Chicken Breast Recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. The result is tender, juicy chicken with amazing flavor that you can easily pair with all your favorite sides. The next time you need a quick weeknight dinner, keep this recipe handy.
Putting together a complete meal doesn't have to be stressful. Making your own tangy honey mustard sauce is one of the easiest ways to add a ton of flavor without a lot of extra work.
The hardest part of this honey mustard chicken recipe is being patient while everyone else gets to the dinner table. Seriously. It's that simple. With a little bit of prep, you'll have juicy chicken breast coated in homemade honey mustard sauce.
This recipe features my Honey Mustard Marinade. And be sure to try my Honey Sriracha Sauce for another delicious flavor.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy enough for a weeknight dinner
- Sweet and tangy honey mustard flavor
- Made with simple ingredients
- Juicy, flavorful chicken breasts
- Easy to pair with your favorite sides
- Great for meal prep
Before You Get Started
- Try to use chicken breasts that are similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Reserve some of the honey mustard sauce before it touches the raw chicken if you want extra for drizzling.
- An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to know when your chicken is done.
- Give the chicken a few minutes to rest before slicing to help keep it juicy.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts - I use 2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts.
- Olive oil - Keeps the honey mustard marinade thin and helps coat the chicken.
- Dijon mustard - Adds tangy flavor.
- Honey - Adds sweetness.
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice - Either works; use what you have on hand.
- Garlic cloves - I chop up two small cloves for this recipe.
- Kosher salt - For flavor.
- Smoked paprika - Adds a hint of smoky flavor.
- Dried thyme or fresh thyme - Again, use what you have.
- Black pepper - For flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Honey Mustard Chicken Breast
Step One: Add all the ingredients for the honey mustard chicken marinade into a large bowl.
Step Two: Use a whisk and combine. Reserve some of the marinade to use for a sauce. Add the chicken to the mixing bowl. Marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight.
Step Three: Grill the chicken on a hot grill until the internal temperature reaches 160. Let rest for 5 minutes. Place the cooked chicken breast onto a plate.
Step Four: Drizzle the reserved honey mustard sauce over the top of the cooked chicken.
Top tip
If your chicken breasts are very thick or uneven, pound the thickest portion slightly before marinating. You don't need them paper thin - you just want a more even thickness so the thinner end doesn't dry out while you're waiting for the center to cook.
Substitutions
- Chicken - Any cut of chicken will work for this easy chicken recipe. You can use chicken tenders, or even bone-in or boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Mustard - You can experiment with another type of mustard if you don't have Dijon.
Variations
- Seasonings - The easiest way to change up the flavor is to add some different seasonings. You can add mustard seed, curry powder, cayenne pepper, or anything else that you want to the honey mustard dressing or as a rub to the chicken.
- Sweetness - Even though honey is a big part of this recipe, you can swap it out for maple syrup. You can also just use sugar or brown sugar if you want, although these sorts of swaps will change the flavor outcome.
This Hot Honey BBQ Sauce is another simple sauce recipe, loaded with great flavor.
Equipment
All you need to make this simple chicken dinner is a large mixing bowl, whisk, and a measuring cup.
Storage
Once the cooked chicken has cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the cooked chicken in a freezer-safe container for later.
Unused honey mustard sauce that hasn't come into contact with raw chicken can be stored separately in the refrigerator for a few days. It will thicken. Just warm slightly until it is the right consistency. Discard any marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken.
Common Questions
You can. If you want it to be sweeter, you can just up the amount of honey that you add.
Absolutely. Place the marinated chicken breasts in a baking dish and bake at 400°F for about 20-25 minutes, depending on how thick they are. Once they reach 160°F, they're ready to come out. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and adding the reserved honey mustard sauce.
You bet. You can cook the chicken ahead of time so that it's ready to top with the honey mustard dressing and serve. Just keep it stored in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
I normally just add the sauce and eat it with a couple of sides, but there are plenty of options. Shred the chicken and add it to a bun for a sandwich, or dice it and serve it over a bed of greens for an easy salad.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Honey Mustard Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lb chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1½ cloves garlic chopped (or use 2 small cloves)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, garlic, salt, smoked paprika, thyme, and black pepper to a large bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Reserve a few tablespoons of the honey mustard marinade for serving. Add the chicken breasts to the remaining marinade and turn them until they're completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400°F. Clean the grill grates and lightly oil them to help prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard any marinade that has been in contact with the raw chicken.
- Place the chicken breasts directly on the hot grill. Grill for about 5-7 minutes on the first side without moving them. This gives the chicken time to develop good grill marks and release naturally from the grates.
- Flip the chicken and continue grilling for another 5-7 minutes, or until cooked through. Very thick chicken breasts may take a few minutes longer.
- Check the thickest part of each chicken breast with an instant-read meat thermometer. Cook until the chicken reaches 160°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean plate or cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with the reserved honey mustard sauce and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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