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.
Hi Nagi,
Can I use whole grain Dijon instead of plain Dijon mustard?
Thanks
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)
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
AWESOME! So pleased to hear you enjoyed this Shari, thanks for the feedback!! N xx
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.
Woo hoo! So glad to hear that Jenny! PS Don’t talk to me about losing Christmas kilos! I’m in denial ?
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)
Thanks for the compliment Martin, and I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x
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
You ROCK Vanessa! Thank you!!! (Gulp – 206 cm 16 yo son?? OMG. I feel. So. Small.)
And so do I !
I am actually the shorty in my family @ 175cm tall!
WhAt kind of seasons you could recommend to marinate the chicken?
Hi! Garlic, onion and paprika powder are my favorites 🙂
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
Oh dear! But I’m glad it still tasted great Sheila! N x
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!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Jennifer, thank you for letting me know! N x
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.
Awww Katrina! I am so glad you and your family enjoyed this, THANK YOU for letting me know!! 🙂
While this honey mustard chicken tasted pretty good, it doesn’t hold a candle to your ‘creamy lemon’ chicken recipe. I think it’s because my wife and I both love chicken piccata, and the creamy lemon chicken echoes the flavors. (I have to admit that I add plenty of capers to your creamy lemon chicken.)
Made it. Loved it. Will definitely make it again. Another home run, Nagi. Thank you. Don’t ever stop!
I don’t ever plan to! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it Michelle, thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know! N x
Nagi, you have made me love food more and more everyday!
Made this last night and holy cow it was amazing!
Anae, you ROCK! I can’t believe you made this so quickly after I posted it. Thank you so much for trying it and I am SO GLAD you enjoyed it! N x
I saw it the day you posted it while I was on my lunch break and it made me drool so I ran down to Coles to grab all my ingredients 🙂
Read this and am grinning like a FOOL!!!
Hi Nagi… ok I am so guilty of buying jars of chicken tonight sauces in bulk when they are on special… also guilty of using canned soup with spam for pasta… yes how low can I go… they tasted very “Meh!!”… but did the job… those were the days before I found you ans this amazing website !!! I swear I will never grab those premade sauces from the supermarkets anymore. I will be making this homemade honey mustard chicken recipe next week. Just ordered some chook tenderloins from Harris Farm for delivery on Saturday. axx
I promise I am not judging (hey, I do Maccers drive-through-of-shame…) but YOU??? You are such an amazing cook, I never would have imagined you would get sauce jars! (Or Spam for that matter!) 🙂 PS Just use the blow dryer on Dozer. Oh my. My life has changed.
Mustard and chicken is such a favourite combo of mine. So good. I have never tried chicken tonight either and I cant imagine it is worth trying!
It has never crossed my mind to try it!!!
Another recipe it seems to add to the list
But will it be pushed to the top? 😉
oh my goodness! I had to laugh out loud when you wrote that jingle “I feel like chicken tonight…” When my son was little we would sing that little jingle whenever we had chicken for dinner. He would tuck his hands under his armpits and flap his elbows up and down as he sang the jingle.
Yes, I do feel like chicken tonight. Such a comfort food! 🙂
Ha ha, now way!!! Doesn’t tell me there was a jingle like that in the states too???
yep it was the Chicken Tonight sauces
here is a commercial on you tube 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ9M7bsx10I
Hi Nagi:
My last name is Nagy, so a bit of kismet! Made this tonight with chicken thighs and it was so good–I did let them simmer in the sauce partially covered for 10 min to ensure fully cooked and sauce nice and thick. I also only had sweet potatoes, and made them like regular mashed potatoes, adding a little parm in it to ensure savory enough–heaven!
Yay! Never met anyone with a first OR last name that sounds like mine!! Is it pronounced with a “g” for “goat” rather than “gee”?? That’s where many people get my name wrong! So glad you enjoyed it Ginny – wow that was FAST, you made it almost straight away!
This looks goooood, is on the menu plan for next week.
Dozer looks as if he is in his sick bed hugging his hot water bottle, he should have a thermometer sticking out of his mouth to finish the scene. Woof woof Dozer.
Good things come in small packages so you (including your hands) and Dozer are at the front of the queue.
Now that you mention it, it DOES look like he’s on his sick bed! Ha ha ha!!! I really enjoyed this, it’s one of those tasty simple meals. I actually just took the last of the leftovers to the homeless guy, he’s had it two nights in a row!
Nagi, you beautiful human <3 I love that you donated your leftovers. That really makes me smile!!
Also, this recipe is insanely good. Thanks! Whenever I need a dinner idea, your website always comes up and never fails to deliver. The night before last it was your new mushroom pasta (though, I admit I 'beefed' it up with some bacon…).
Thanks so much Sarahanne! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe (and the mushroom pasta!!)
Do you look in my pantry before putting recipes up… yet another one I have all the gredients for. LOL
This is TOTALLY one of my “pantry” meals! 🙂
Good morning Nagi from Adelaide
Yep will “definitely” be cooking this before the week is out.
Just love love your recipes would cook at least one of yours a week, much to my family’s delight
As for your height it would seem we are of similar height…but them I am half Asian ha ha
Jane 🙂
Fellow vertically challenged, I like! 😉 It totally is an Asian thing, isn’t it?? It always makes me laugh when I’m in an Asian country and see towering Westerners amongst crowds of black heads!!!