This Honey Mustard Marinade is sweet, tangy, and full of flavor with just a handful of pantry ingredients. Whether you're grilling chicken, pork, lamb, or even vegetables, this flavorful marinade adds to any recipe. It's also an amazing drizzle on cooked meat.
I'm a big fan of homemade marinades because they do so much of the work for you. Mix everything, let the meat marinate for a couple of hours, and dinner is practically done. This honey mustard version has just the right balance of sweet honey, tangy Dijon mustard, garlic, and herbs, with an optional pinch of cayenne for a little kick.
If you are a fan of making homemade marinades, make sure to check out my Lamb Marinade Recipe and Quick London Broil Marinade too.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 5 minutes
- Made with simple spices and pantry ingredients
- Sweet, tangy, and savory
- Great for chicken, pork, beef, or lamb
- Easy to make ahead
- Doubles as a finishing sauce
Before You Get Started
- Shake or whisk the marinade again before using if it separates.
- Reserve a few tablespoons of the marinade before adding raw meat if you'd like extra sauce for serving. It is so good spooned over the meat; I highly recommend this!
- Marinate for at least 2 hours for the best flavor. Overnight works even better for larger cuts of meat.
- Always discard any marinade that has been in contact with raw meat.
Ingredients
- Olive oil - Keeps the simple marinade a good texture for coating the meat.
- Dijon mustard - Gives the marinade its signature tangy flavor.
- Honey - Adds sweetness and helps caramelize the crust.
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice - Brightens the flavors and helps tenderize.
- Garlic cloves - The amount of garlic flavor depends on how big you cut the cloves. Half the cloves for subtle flavor, chop for a good garlic flavor, or press through a garlic press for extra garlic flavor.
- Kosher Salt - For flavor.
- Smoked paprika - Adds a nice smoky flavor.
- Dried thyme - You can also use fresh if you have that.
- Black pepper - For flavor.
- Cayenne pepper - Optional, but it adds a really good spicy kick for that sweet-and-spicy taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Honey Mustard Marinade
Step One: Add all the ingredients for the marinade into a medium bowl or blender.
Step Two: Whisk until well combined, or blend until smooth. Season to taste.
Step Three: Reserve a few tablespoons of the marinade to add after cooking. Add the meat to the remaining marinade and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Step Four: Cook the protein of your choice. Slice and drizzle on the reserved honey mustard sauce.
Top tip
This marinade works beautifully on more than just honey mustard chicken breast. Try it with boneless pork chops, pork tenderloin, salmon, shrimp, lamb, chicken tenders, chicken thighs, or roasted vegetables for an easy flavor boost.
Variations
- Spicier - Add extra cayenne or red pepper flakes.
- Smokier - Increase the smoked paprika.
- Herby - Add fresh rosemary, parsley, or thyme.
- Soy Sauce - Add a splash for extra savory flavor.
- Different Mustard - Yellow mustard or whole grain mustard both work if that's what you have on hand.
See this Grilled Steelhead Recipe for a seafood option to pair with this delicious marinade.
Equipment
You'll need a mixing bowl and whisk or a blender, plus a mason jar or airtight container for storing extra marinade.
Storage
Store unused marinade in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If the marinade has touched raw meat, discard it after use. Only save the portion you reserved before marinating.
Common Questions
You do. That way, it coats it fully to get a good flavor. I use this all the time during grilling season, and it's a great way to prep dinner without having to keep a close eye on it. The marinade does its thing, and then I just have to cook.
Chicken, pork, lamb, turkey, salmon, shrimp, and even steak all pair well with these flavors.
For most cuts, 2 to 8 hours works well. Larger cuts can marinate overnight for even more flavor.
Yes! Simply reserve some before marinating meat. It also works well as a sweet dipping sauce for sweet potato fries or a drizzle for roasted vegetables.
Yup, add the meat and marinade to a freezer bag and freeze together. As it thaws, the meat marinates at the same time.
Yes. The marinade can be mixed several days ahead and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Condiments & Seasonings
- Chick-fil-A Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce Recipe
- Coffee Brisket Rub Recipe
- Cowboy Butter
- Smoked Tomatoes & Smoked Tomato Sauce
Recipe
Honey Mustard Marinade
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup dijon mustard
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper for a little heat
Instructions
- Combine marinade ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Optional: Reserve a few tablespoons of marinade to drizzle on after cooking.
- Marinade the protein of your choice for at least two hours.
Nutrition
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