Honey Mustard Chicken
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You had me at 5 ingredients! That’s right. This Honey Mustard Chicken only requires 5 pantry staple ingredients for the marinade, resulting in a delicious sweet-and-savory dinner.
“Outstanding, easy marinade!! We get tons of compliments from our guests when we use this one! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️” – Bianca
Ingredients Needed
Marinating chicken is THE key to infusing flavor into typically lean, bland poultry cuts. This simple marinade requires only 5 pantry staples to turn that lackluster cut into something super tasty!
Serve it up with some Healthy Mashed Potatoes, Oven Roasted Broccoli or Steak Fries for a delicious dinner.
Ingredient Notes:
- Avocado Oil or Olive oil – The base for almost all of our chicken marinades.
- Apple cider vinegar – Cider vinegar adds a delicious twist on the acid component of this marinade.
- Dijon mustard – There isn’t too much in this recipe, but it’s enough to give it that signature Dijon flavor.
How to Make Honey Mustard Chicken
Only three steps are required for tender, flavorful Honey Dijon Chicken.
Prepare Marinade
Place the marinade ingredients straight into a gallon-size freezer bag and give it a good shake. This saves you an extra dish. You could also mix the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and pour it over the chicken
Marinate Chicken
Add the chicken to the ziplock bag with the marinade. Close securely and gently massage it into the meat. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Cook the Chicken
Then, grill, slow cook, pressure cook, or bake your marinated Chicken. You choose your method! We’ve included instructions for how to cook boneless chicken breasts any of these ways below.
4 Ways to Cook Marinated Chicken
Chicken breasts are by far the most popular cut to marinate and cook, so we’re giving you several cooking options below. You can grill, bake, slow cook, or pressure cook your boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs).
Here are four easy ways to cook marinated Honey Mustard Chicken:
Bake in the Oven
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place chicken in a casserole dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken, until done. I love this method for our Lemon Garlic Chicken as well.
Slow Cook in the Crockpot
We love Easy Crock Pot Recipes! Place chicken and marinade in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Really! That’s all it takes to get it done, otherwise, you’ll overcook and dry it out.
Here is a whole post about how long to cook chicken in the Crockpot if you’re interested!
Pressure Cook in the Instant Pot
Place chicken, marinade, and 1/3 cup chicken broth in a 6-quart Instant Pot. (Note: If using an 8-quart, add an additional 1/2 cup of broth.)
Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes and use a quick release of the pressure when the cook time is up. (Note: It will take 10-15 minutes to come to pressure before the cook time starts.)
Here are more Instant Pot Chicken recipes if you want to use this method.
Grill the Chicken
Pound out the chicken to about 3/4-inch thick (or cut it in half lengthwise) to help with fast and even cooking. This step is super important! Es
Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400-450°F) and clean the grates well. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side, closing the lid in between flipping. The cook time may take a little longer, depending on the thickness of the chicken. This is my favorite method for our Grilled Chicken Sandwiches.
How to Know When Chicken is Done
Chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internal temperature. A digital meat thermometer is a must to help cook chicken perfectly!
Make It a Freezer Meal
While you’re already making this recipe for dinner, we suggest using your time wisely by prepping a few freezer meals of this chicken marinade at the same time. Your future self will thank you!
To Freeze:
Like most of our chicken freezer meals, simply combine the ingredients (the marinade & the chicken) and freeze for later. No need to let the chicken marinate before freezing.
To Prepare:
When you want to use it, let the chicken thaw one of these safe ways.
Then, grill, slow cook, pressure cook, or bake your marinated chicken. We’ve included instructions for how to cook boneless chicken breasts in the recipe below.
What to Serve with Honey Mustard Chicken
Round out your healthy, tasty chicken meal with a simple salad topped with Honey Dijon Dressing and few of these side dishes.
FAQs
The ideal marinating time for chicken is anywhere between 2-24 hours. The specific time can depend on the type and cut of chicken, as well as the acidity level of the marinade.
Yes, over-marinating chicken can actually have a negative effect on the texture and taste of the meat. Acidic marinades, in particular, can break down the proteins in the chicken too much and leave it with a mushy texture.
Absolutely! As freezer cookbook authors, we especially love how easy it is to prep these chicken breast marinades ahead of time and freeze them to have on hand for another night. Every recipe includes freezing instructions, so you can double and freeze a batch anytime.
You shouldn’t reuse marinade but you can boil it to use safely as a sauce over your finished dish using these directions. I actually do this all the time.
To kill all the raw chicken germs, be sure to bring the marinade to a rolling boil in a pot on the stove for at least 1 minute, according to the CDC‘s directions for making water safe to drink.
The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that bacteria are rapidly killed at temperatures above 149°F (65°C), which is below that of boiling water or even a simmer. So rest assured you’ll be safe if you boil it well for 1 minute. We’d suggest straining it after boiling to remove any chicken pieces.
In our tests, we found that it’s best to marinate your chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours and up to 24 hours. Less than 1 hour didn’t seem to infuse enough flavor into the chicken breasts and more than 24 hours (unless the chicken was frozen for part of that time) can cause them to become a bit mealy and mushy, especially if the marinade has a high acid content.
Yes, you can marinate frozen chicken. Go ahead and throw frozen boneless chicken breasts or thighs in a freezer bag with the marinade and stick the bag in the freezer until you’re ready. Or, place the bag of chicken and marinade in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours, until thawed completely.
Absolutely! All cuts of chicken can benefit from a dip in a marinade. So, these marinades work just as well for chicken thighs and bone-in chicken. Cooking time will vary from our recipes, however, since we direct you how to cook chicken breasts.
More Chicken Marinades
Try some of our other favorite healthy chicken marinades to mix things up:
- Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
- Balsamic Herb Chicken Marinade
- Asian Sesame Chicken Marinade
- Southwest Chicken Marinade
- The BEST Savory Chicken Marinade
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Honey Mustard Chicken
With only 5 ingredients, you can create this deliciously simple Honey Dijon chicken marinade in no time. Then, either grill, slow cook, pressure cook, or bake for a succulent chicken dinner.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 – 2 pounds chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Make Marinade: Add the oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon Mustard, and salt to a gallon-sized freezer bag, seal, and shake. Either seal and refrigerate until ready to use, OR add 1 1/2 – 2 pounds chicken to the bag, seal, and squish around to make sure the chicken is covered in marinade. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Marinate Chicken: Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. (Tip: Set the bag in a container to prevent any leaks.)
- Cook Chicken: Cook the chicken using one of these methods. The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internally and/or is no longer pink inside.
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- Bake in Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place chicken in a casserole dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. (Tip: Spray the dish/sheet pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.) Bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, until done. May take longer depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Slow Cooker: Place chicken and marinade in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Really! That’s all it takes to get it done, otherwise, you’ll overcook and dry it out.
- Instant Pot: Place chicken, marinade, and 1/3 cup chicken broth in a 6-quart Instant Pot. (Note: If using an 8 quart, add an additional 1/2 cup of broth.) Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes and use a quick release of the pressure when the cook time is up. (Note: It will take 10-15 minutes to come to pressure before the cook time starts.)
- Grill: *Before marinating, pound out the chicken to about 3/4-inch thick (or cut it in half lengthwise) to help with fast and even cooking. To do this, place one breast at a time inside a freezer bag and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet. Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400-450°F) and clean the grates well. Grill for about 4-6 minutes per side, closing the lid in between flipping, until done. The cook time may be longer depending on the thickness.
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- Make Extra Sauce (optional): Instead of discarding the leftover marinade, place it in a small pot and bring it to a rolling boil on the stovetop for at least 1 minute. Watch closely so it doesn’t overflow. Strain it, if desired, and use as extra sauce over the cooked chicken.*
Freeze For Later: Follow step 1. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw, using one of these safe thawing methods, and follow Step 3. No additional marinating time needed once it is thawed!
Notes/Tips
This marinade works for different cuts of chicken as well. I love it with chicken thighs!
*How to Safely Turn the Marinade Into Sauce: To kill all the raw chicken germs, be sure to bring the marinade to a rolling boil in a pot on the stove for at least 1 minute, according to the CDC. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that bacteria are rapidly killed at temperatures above 149°F (65°C), which is below that of boiling water or even a simmer. So rest assured you’ll be safe if you boil it well for 1 minute. We’d suggest straining it after boiling to remove any chicken pieces.
How to Know If Chicken Is Done: Chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internal temperature. (A digital meat thermometer is a must to help cook chicken perfectly.)
I made this last week. It was awesome. Only diff was i used balsamic vinegar instead of the apple vinegar cause thats all i had but it still was delicious
Glad that substitution worked for you. Thanks for leaving a review Jeff!
The marinade was great! Even though I only had enough time to marinate for about an hour. I used chicken thighs and baked them, then added a couple of extra minutes and broiled them at the end so they were nice and golden brown. Whenever my husband likes a chicken recipe it’s a keeper. He pretends he doesn’t like chicken – if given a choice he would have beef every night. He’s a challenge to cook for. Thank you for making it easier!
So glad you found a winner winner chicken dinner for your husband! We love to hear about winning over picky eaters (in this case just someone who prefers beef). Thanks for leaving a review Karen!
This marinade is fantastic! I used chicken breasts and marinaded them overnight in the fridge. I cooked them on the grill. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you
So glad you enjoyed this Kathy! Grilling is my favorite method of cooking for this marinade. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Very easy to make. Delicious 😋
Thanks so much for the feedback, Pat.