This Honey Mustard Chicken is a fantastic midweek meal that’s fast to whip up and tastes incredible! Made with chicken breast or chicken thigh simmered in a luscious honey mustard sauce, it’s really easy to make and a great base for adding your own touch.
I love doing homemade version of chicken simmer sauces you can purchase in jars, like the Everyday Chicken Curry sauce. Homemade is a gazillion times more delicious!
Honey Mustard Chicken
How many Aussies reading this remember this jingle from the 90’s??
? I feel like Chicken Tonight, like Chicken Tonight! ?
It was for an advert for a range of simmer sauces called “Chicken Tonight” sold in jars at supermarkets. They still sell them today. Everything from Honey Mustard to Korma, Creamy Mushroom to Cacciatore.
I have never in my life bought one, nor tried it (that I know). I do use some store bought pastes, like laksa and red curry. But I always “freshen them up”. It makes a world of difference.
But I’ve never used a store bought pour and simmer sauce. I don’t mean to come across as a food snob (hey – I’ve owned up to secretly doing the McDonald’s drive through!), it is just that my mother brain washed me as a kid. Blame her. (You can message her directly on her Japanese food blog, RecipeTin Japan!).
So my Honey Mustard Chicken is made from scratch. It might take 7 minutes longer to make than opening a jar. But it tastes 7 million times better! 🙂
The Honey Mustard sauce for the chicken is incredibly simple to make. The base ingredients are (this will come as a surprise…) honey and mustard which are mixed in with chicken broth and slightly thickened with flour or cornstarch / cornflour.
It tastes tangy, sweet and it’s creamy even though there is no cream in it. I don’t find the need to add cream, it’s rich enough as it is. And I also love the beautiful golden colour of the sauce which gets diluted if you add cream.
In all honesty, as long as you have honey and mustard plus some form of liquid stock, even bouillon cubes, you’ll be able to make a great Honey Mustard sauce that can be used not only for chicken, but also for other white meats including fish, turkey and pork.
I added a touch of thyme because the sauce is so lovely and creamy, I think it’s nice to add a touch of freshness from a herb. I’ve added some suggestions in the recipe for other herbs that I think go really well with this.
Sooooo…..who feels like chicken tonight?? 😉 – Nagi x
More recipes made using Honey Mustard Sauce
-
Baked Honey Mustard Chicken – baked until golden with a creamy honey mustard sauce and potatoes
-
Honey Mustard Drumsticks – tossed in a simple honey mustard sauce and baked until sticky
-
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing – fantastic used with leafy salads or more hearty salads like roasted potato salad
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Honey Mustard Chicken
Ingredients
- 700 g / 1.4 lb chicken tenderloin or chicken breast cut into thick strips (Note 1)
- Salt and pepper
Seasoning (optional - Note 2)
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Thickener
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise (Note 3)
- 1 tsp cornstarch / cornflour or 2 tsp flour
Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup chicken broth / stock (250ml)
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (70g)
- 1/4 cup honey (85g)
Optional Extras (I used these)
- 1 - 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard, adjust to taste
- 2 tsp sprigs thyme or 1/2 dried thyme (Note 4)
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, then toss with Seasoning if using.
- Thickener: In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and flour.
- Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove onto a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil in the middle of the skillet and put garlic straight onto the puddle of oil. Sauté for 20 seconds or until golden (don't let it burn).
- Add chicken broth, bring to simmer, scraping the bottom of the fry pan.
- Whisk in Dijon Mustard and honey, then whisk in Thickener (make sure you scrape it all in).
- Add thyme and wholegrain mustard, if using.
- Cook for 1 - 2 minutes or until starting to thicken. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Return chicken and any juices pooled on the plate into the sauce. Turn to coat and reheat through - about 1 1/2 minutes - or until sauce is thickened to your taste.
- Serve on mashed potato, garnished with parsley, with a simple side salad.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Honey Mustard Chicken nutrition per serving, assuming all sauce is consumed.
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LIFE OF DOZER
Nose to tail measurement: 150 cm / 4.9 feet.
Yes I am taller. By a whole 5 cm / 2 inches.
I have made this maybe a dozen times. It works every time and (shockingly) everyone in the family loves it.
Thanks Nagi
So glad you enjoyed it Rachel! N x
Well, I have to say this is the first of your recipes that I have really not enjoyed. I don’t know, perhaps I did something wrong, but I really didn’t enjoy the honey mustard flavour, I don’t think it worked at all, it was a little sickly. Hubby and kids didn’t like it either. I did add fresh parsley and some chives right at the end for serving but I can’t see show that could have changed things drastically. I served this with the really crunchy roast potatoes (Nigella’s recipe that you adapted) and everyone loved those so it wasn’t a total loss! And I even screwed up the amounts because I halved the potatoes but forgot to halve the polenta and salt! Still yummy! Anyway, this was a miss for us but I am still a loyal fan of everything you make, your site is my go-to these days, even before Jamie or Nigella or anyone!
I used to get a dish called “sunflower chicken” at a restaurant in Baton Rouge, LA. I LOVED it..wondering if this is similar, I will try it and sprinkle with sunflower seeds, hehe.
I’d love to try this recipe but a little confused as the 250ml for the broth, the 70g for the Dijon Mustard, the 85g for the Honey and the .5 tsp for the dried Thyme don’t change with the slider which must affect the balance of the recipe as these amounts stay the same whether for 2 servings or 20 servings – HELP
I conveniently had all the ingredients on hand. It was quick and simple to make, and of course delicious–just like everything else I’ve made from Nagi. Thanks!
I’ve made this dish several times and it really delivers. I wouldn’t have the wholegrain mustard as optional as it really brings more flavour and texture. It’s so good.
This is so yummy! My 5 & 7 year old usually hate trying new things, but they loved this. We had it with steamed veg and rice.
A genuine thumbs up from everyone at the table, including 2 little ones! Followed to the letter, served with steamed rice. Yum.
My family think I’m some sort of master chef ever since I started using your recipes. This was another delish dish. Thanks once again Nagi.
I love this recipe … it’s so yummy Can I do this recipe in a slow cooker or pressure cooker? I wondered if I still have to cut the chicken pieces in strips because it may dry out when it’s cooked in the slow cooker. Pressure cooker may not matter. I would like your thoughts on this. thanks Bron
Super quick, easy & absolutely delicious!! A total crowd pleaser & a must try!
Can I use Maryland pieces for this recipe?
Hi Natalie, Maryland would be too big here – as this uses boneless thin pieces, it cooks quickly 🙂 N x
Thanks Nagi, I made it as per recipe in the end, and it was amazing – never use jar again.
Great recipe. Amazing flavour. If you dont mind a chuncky sauce. Add bacon and onion sauteed in 2 lids of marsala. Splash of hot sauce. If you want heaps of flavour
Omg, in the words of Rick Stein “how fab is this dish”
Full of flavour and so super duper to make. I recommend adding the wholegrain mustard. You beauty Nagi.
Dear Nagi
Thanks so much for your amazing recipes! Can I please request a slow cooker chicken thigh version of this recipe for when I’ve had a long day at work? It would be soooo nice to come home to this already cooked 😉
Feel free to pop any requests on my recipe request page Anita – I have a long list I’m working through! N x
Found you while cooking from food Viva? I used your recipe for white rice and it was perfect! I am looking to try your mustard chicken recipe. Thank you
Great recipes. Great sense of humour. Lovely doggy companion Tester . Don’t stop Nagi and Tester : ))
Thank you for the recipe – could I just cook the honey mustard sauce this way to have it warm over something? Can’t find any warm honey Mustard recipes online.. thank you!
Another delicious recipe from you. So easy and so tasty .Beats a jar hands down.
I usually buy the mustard sauce in a packet but I won’t bother anymore. Fantastic flavour and plenty of sauce for the chicken and our veggies too!
That’s great to hear Kezza, no preservatives or any nasty stuff as well when you make it yourself! N x
Yet another winner! Made it exactly as your recipe stated.. mmmm… so good!
Excellent Jac – that’s great! N x