Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe {Sweet & Savory}

This may be the perfect Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe — tender, juicy thighs baked in a sweet and tangy glaze with just the right balance of sweet and savory! Made with simple ingredients, this easy chicken dinner may become your new family favorite.

Close-up of two baked chicken thighs with crispy, golden-brown skin and herbs on top, served on a white plate—perfect for any honey mustard chicken recipe. A glass baking dish with more chicken is in the background.

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🍗 This recipe is a meal prep champion. You can coat the chicken up to 24 hours in advance and let it marinate for even more flavor, or store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s delicious fresh from the oven or reheated!

My 2 Best Tips For Making This Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe

Don’t Skip the Marinating: While this recipe works beautifully when cooked immediately, allowing the chicken to marinate for even 30 minutes makes a noticeable difference in flavor penetration. For the ultimate taste experience, prepare the chicken the night before and let those flavors develop in the refrigerator overnight.

Best Mustard for Max Flavor: Stone ground mustard is ideal because its coarse texture and complex flavor profile create the perfect base for this glaze. The seeds add subtle pops of flavor and help the glaze adhere better to the chicken. If you’re using Dijon as a substitute, look for a high-quality brand with visible herbs and spices for the best results.

melissa leaning over counter looking up from a cook book.

This honey mustard chicken hits all the right notes with its harmonious blend of sweet honey and sharp stone ground mustard.

The combination creates a glaze that caramelizes beautifully in the oven, giving you tender chicken with an irresistible golden coating that’s never too sweet or too tart.

Chicken thighs are naturally more forgiving than breasts, and this recipe maximizes their potential. The honey mustard glaze keeps the meat moist while it bakes, and the hour-long cooking time ensures the chicken stays incredibly juicy and tender throughout.

🩷 Melissa

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Baked, golden-brown honey mustard chicken thighs garnished with fresh herbs are served on a white plate, with a glass baking dish of more honey mustard chicken in the background.

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Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Servings:

Calories: 392kcal

Author: Melissa Griffiths

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs
½ cup stone ground mustard
½ cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

Place the chicken thighs in a 9×13-inch glass baking dish and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, salt, thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder until homogenous.
Use a pastry brush or spoon to coat the chicken thighs in the sauce.
If planning to cook the chicken soon, let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes. It can also be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours ahead of cooking.

When Ready to Cook the Chicken

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cook the chicken thighs in the oven for an hour, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to let the juices and glaze set.

Notes

Recipe Variations:

I prefer using fresh herbs, but you can also use dried thyme and rosemary. This chicken is great topped with a few fresh sprigs of thyme.
You can use either boneless thighs or bone-in thighs. The boneless thigh take less time to cook generally so check them at around the 45 minute mark.
If you do not have stone ground mustard, you can also use Dijon mustard.

Prep Ahead: You can prep this chicken up to 24 hours ahead and let it marinate in the refrigerator before cooking.

Storing Leftovers: This chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Serving Ideas: This sweet and savory chicken dish goes well with roasted Brussels sprouts, garlic mashed potatoes, wild rice, roasted sweet potatoes, or a simple green salad.

Nutrition

How To Make Honey Mustard Chicken

A bowl of raw chicken thighs is surrounded by small bowls of grainy mustard, honey, chopped rosemary, dried herbs, garlic powder, and salt—perfect for preparing a delicious honey mustard chicken recipe on a marble countertop.

Step 1: Get the chicken marinating; this can be as little as 30 minutes on the counter or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

A glass bowl filled with oil, herbs, spices, and seasonings—perfect for a honey mustard chicken recipe—sits on a marble countertop near two small empty wooden bowls and a plate with lemon zest remnants.

Step 2: In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, salt, thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder until homogenous.

Raw, marinated chicken thighs arranged in a glass baking dish, coated with a yellowish herb and spice mixture for a honey mustard chicken recipe, on a marble countertop with small bowls and a glass nearby.

Step 3: Put the chicken thighs in a baking dish and pour over the marinade. Let the chicken marinate.

A glass baking dish with eight golden-brown honey mustard chicken thighs in seasoned juices, set on a marble surface with gold utensils, herbs, and empty small bowls nearby.

Step 4: When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350°. Cook for 1 hour, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

While this recipe is designed for chicken thighs, you can substitute boneless chicken breasts. Reduce the cooking time to 25-30 minutes and check for an internal temperature of 165°F. Keep in mind that breasts may not be as juicy as thighs, so watch them carefully to avoid overcooking.

How do I know when the chicken is done?

The most reliable way is to use a meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the thigh, and it should read 165°F. Visually, the juices should run clear when you pierce the meat, and the glaze should be golden brown and caramelized.

What can I substitute for stone ground mustard?

Dijon mustard works perfectly as a substitute for stone ground mustard in this recipe. You could also use whole grain mustard or even yellow mustard, though the flavor profile will be slightly different. Avoid using prepared honey mustard as it will make the dish overly sweet.