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.
Marwa says
Hi Nagi, can you please advise how to make this in slow cooker. I follow you from Sydney and absolutely refer to your blog for everything! Please make more slow cooker chicken recipes. Thanks! 🙂
Nagi says
Hi Marwa! I’m in Sydney too! Unfortunately this recipe isn’t suited to the slow cooker, it needs the caramelisation for both the chicken and sauce. I do hope you can try this on the stove, it’s SO GOOD! N x
Carol Hayes says
I have not seen this site before and this recipe looks wonderful. I can’t wait to try it. My mouth is salivating!! What a great idea having the slider. Most of the time there’s only two of us…and sometimes I just make recipes for one, which are harder to find.
Nagi says
Thanks for the compliment Carol! N x
Helen says
How can I double the quantities for more servings…. I don’t quite get the “slider” comment for this. Does this apply to all the recipes. Thanks Nagi…love your recipes…and love the notes.
Nagi says
HI Helen! If you put your cursor over the “4” next to Servings, then a slider bar should appear. Then you can slide it until the 4 becomes 8 servings (i.e. double the recipe), 🙂 N x
Helen says
Hi Nagi!…thank you for that – well appreciated!
Just love your recipes – especially all the notes – so so helpful!
Helen
Sue says
Do you think this would work in the oven if I reduced the amount of liquid? I thought maybe leaving the skin on so it browns a bit, tossing it in a less liquid sauce and baking for a while. I am fed up with cleaning messy stove tops!!
Nagi says
Hi Sue – yes, skip the cornstarch and reduce the chicken broth down to 1/2 cup 🙂 N x
Sue says
Sorry about the repeat!! When I sent the first message it didn’t appear to go out!
Sue says
If I reduced the liquid in the recipe do you think this would work in the oven? Maybe keep the skin on, toss it in a less liquid sauce and bake for a while?? I am so fed up with cleaning cooker tops!!
Nagi says
Hi Sue, been meaning to share a baked honey mustard chicken soon! But it won’t work with breast – just skin on thigh or skinless thigh if you really don’t like skin and bone. Skip the cornstarch, pour the mixture over the chicken into a pan and bake until golden and cooked through, the liquid should reduce down to a sauce. 🙂
Florianne says
Amazing recipe! Very very taty & much better then store bought! I’ve been wanting to make it from scratch for a while so I’m so glad I found it (by absolute chance… thought I had a packet of the sauce and I didn’t, so I looked to trusty google!)
Safe to say I won’t ever be going back to the jar/packet sauce version!
So glad I found your website there are already stacks of delicious recipes I want to try!
Thank you!
Nagi says
I’m so pleased you enjoyed this Florianne, thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
Janet Blackmore says
Finally! I have found a recipe site that uses real ingredients and not merely opening jars! I cook from scratch and cannot wait to make this fantabulous honey mustard chook! My passion is sauces – I work out the sauce first then add the rest to fit! And sometimes not to fit but I don’t follow rules! LOVE your site.
Nagi says
Gosh yes to no jars! I don’t even use salsas or taco mixes 🙂 I just can’t!! N xx
Jane Clare says
I am new to your site and am loving the e-mail recipe ideas. As I wanted a chicken recipe for our 54th Wedding Anniversary today I tried this one and we loved it! I actually used creme fraiche instead of mayo for the thickener as I thought mayo might be a bit rich, but actually I think it would have been better and shall use that next time. We only used half (being only 2 of us) and the remainder plus leftover asparagus served with it will go into a pasta bake tomorrow. Best wishes from a typical English summer, heatwave last week, cold and damp today! Although a cat household, we love Dozer!
Nagi says
That’s wonderful to hear Jane, thank you for letting me know! Congratulations on your 54th Wedding anniversary! N xx
Louise Tacon says
Definitely a winner! I have made this so mgmt times now ands it’s amazing everytime and there is never any leftovers. All of my kids love this one, which is a rare thing! We try to be as addictive free as possible do it is great to find a recipe that is just as easy and even tastier thenstore blight stuff.
Nagi says
That’s so great to hear Louise! Thank you for letting me know – N xx ❤️
Louise Tacon says
Whoops! Meant to post this under the one
Pot Greek lemon chicken and rice recipe! Can only blame baby brain 😣🙈
Nagi says
It’s a REAL THING!!!! My highly intelligent friends all turned to mush when they were pregnant!
Louise Tacon says
Thanks for such a great recipe! made this several times now and it tastes amazing everytime. I love hire easy it is to make and iusually have these ingredients on hand. All three children heartily enjoyed this one. As it is difficult to find something they all like, this one is a keeper.
Nagi says
Fantastic! So pleased to hear that Louise, thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know! N xx
barbara Marriott says
You’ve done it again Nagi……….Wondering yesterday what to do with chicken thighs for last night’s dinner????? There’s nowhere else I go for inspiration other than your website and gosh, what an amazing recipe this one is.
You’re right, it does taste like ‘chicken tonight’ but so much tastier and satisfying that you can make it yourself.
The sauce OMG, it’s to die for.
I did miss a step but that was after I had opened the wine….one for the pan, one for me!
Fortunately the thighs were big so we have leftovers for tonight’s dinner.
Thank you once again, it’s another fabulous recipe.
Nagi says
AWESOME! I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this one Barbara! Hope you have a great weekend – N x
Shirley says
Hi Nagi,
Can I use whole grain Dijon instead of plain Dijon mustard?
Thanks
Nagi says
Hi Shirley! Unfortunately for this recipe Dijon mustard is required, it’s a thickener as well as for flavour (whole grain won’t thicken the sauce)
shari says
Just made this tonight, ON THE RUN…I can’t believe how easy and quick this came together..I made rice, by the time the rice was done, the chicken and sauce were too..this is awesome….I used chicken broth..Used the whole can so just added a little extra cornstarch..turned out wonderful and beautiful..if you have anymore of these type recipes, pass them on..LOL
Nagi says
AWESOME! So pleased to hear you enjoyed this Shari, thanks for the feedback!! N xx
Jenny says
Hi Nagi,
Again 4 thumbs up from around the table. I used 1 kg of tenderloin pieces and we had enough for lunch for 3 as well. I made lots of mash and a bucket of veggies so those of us trying to lose the Christmas kilos could fill up on veggies and have smaller portions.
Will definitely make this again.
Nagi says
Woo hoo! So glad to hear that Jenny! PS Don’t talk to me about losing Christmas kilos! I’m in denial ?
Martin D says
I like trying my hand at recreating jarred sauces usually with great results— minus chemicals and preservatives. This came out great! Easy peasy, winner winner chicken dinner. (I love your recipes Nagi — this blog is my go-to for meal ideas)
Nagi says
Thanks for the compliment Martin, and I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Vanessa baggio says
Hi Nagi
Had Zero idea about what was on the menu tonight (thigh fillets defrosting in fridge, that’s as far as I got !)
But, as usual on my commute home on the train I visited your site – and BAM!
This was delicious, served with large buttered pasta shells.
I used all of your recommendations to the recipe also, and we all loved it, especially 206cm 16 yo son just home from training!
YOU, NAGI, KICKED ANOTHER GOAL xo
Nagi says
You ROCK Vanessa! Thank you!!! (Gulp – 206 cm 16 yo son?? OMG. I feel. So. Small.)
Vanessa says
And so do I !
I am actually the shorty in my family @ 175cm tall!
ALice says
WhAt kind of seasons you could recommend to marinate the chicken?
Nagi says
Hi! Garlic, onion and paprika powder are my favorites 🙂
Sheila Su says
I misread the recipe on my phone and added wholegrain mustard first … a whole dollop! Tried to save it with extra water and honey and a bit of cream. Still tasted very good, and the chicken breast was nice and tender. One to save and print to cook again, thank you
Nagi says
Oh dear! But I’m glad it still tasted great Sheila! N x
Jennifer says
I’ve made other homemade honey mustard chicken sauces, but this one was delicious. I doubled the recipe and my family loved it. It’s going into dinner rotation!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Jennifer, thank you for letting me know! N x
Katrina says
After just one bite my daughter asked “Can we have this again?” and the rest of the family agreed. I cut 4 chicken breasts into bite size pieces, doubled the seasoning, but otherwise followed the recipe as you wrote it. There was plenty of sauce.
Thanks Nagi, for another great recipe.
Nagi says
Awww Katrina! I am so glad you and your family enjoyed this, THANK YOU for letting me know!! 🙂