March 18, 2016

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe (The BEST Easy Chicken Recipe!)

Name: Honey Mustard Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup of grainy, course mustard; 1/4 cup smooth dijion mustard; 1/2 cup honey; 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenderloins; salt and pepper, to taste; 3 - 4 small sprigs of fresh rosemary

From the Kitchen of Katie Kick

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Baked Honey Mustard Chicken is one of our favorite recipes. Chicken tenderloins are baked in a sweet and savory honey mustard sauce with sprigs of fresh rosemary. This recipe for Honey Mustard Chicken is sure to please even your pickiest eater! Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to bake chicken tenderloins in honey mustard sauce.

overhead photo of honey mustard chicken in a white baking dish garnished with rosemary sprigs

Easy Chicken Tenderloin Recipe

I first shared this baked honey mustard chicken recipe 3 years ago, and it has become one of the most popular recipes here on Good Life Eats. It is pretty popular in my home, too. All 4 kids and husband approved!

You are going to go nuts when you try this recipe for Easy Honey Mustard Chicken. Especially when I tell you that I’ve been holding this in my back pocket since well before Christmas.

This simple, no-fuss, delicious chicken tenderloin recipe has been made over and over again. It is a seriously hot commodity in our house.

I have made this recipe almost every time we’ve had company for dinner in the last few months. Everyone loves it and wants the recipe.

My dad quite literally spooned out the leftover sauce from the pan to have a few more tastes before he washed the pan for me. Now when I do something like that, I refer to it as “Pulling a Dad.” Love you, Dad! I know you are reading this.

Just when I worry that I’ve made this recipe too many times and too close together, my sister exclaims “Yes! Honey Mustard Chicken!” as she spots it on the table.

Even Logan and Madeline love it — finding something for dinner that everyone loves can be a bit of a challenge at times. It is indeed a keeper.

Why You’ll Love this Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken rescues me time and time again when I want something good for dinner but I don’t really have a lot of time (or ingredients) on my hands.

I almost always have all of the ingredients on hand without having to do any special shopping preparation.

I often have a pot of rosemary in the yard, but I’ve even used some dried rosemary in a pinch. I’ve also substituted fresh or dried thyme for rosemary when that is what I had on hand instead. This is really a very forgiving recipe.

I only wish I had more recipes like this Baked Honey Mustard Chicken that were this easy and this good to keep in my back pocket for busy evenings.

Guess what? I’ve tested this recipe for the grill as well. Check out the instructions for making honey mustard chicken on the grill at my recipe for Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken.

photo of ingredients in honey mustard chicken

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Honey Mustard Chicken Ingredients

You’ll be amazed at how these simple ingredients give such rich flavors. For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this honey dijon chicken, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

Here is what I used in this easy Honey Mustard Chicken recipe.

Honey
Dijon Mustard
Coarse Mustard (Here is the Whole Grain Mustard I use)
Olive Oil
Yellow Onion
Garlic
Salt (Kosher Salt or Sea Salt)
Black Pepper
Chicken Tenderloins
Fresh Rosemary

Recipe Tips

I recommend using chicken tenderloins for this honey mustard chicken bake because they cook quickly – important when you need a quick and easy chicken recipe – and because they are very tender when cooked.

photo of ingredients in the sauce for honey mustard chicken

How to Make Honey Mustard Chicken

a quick overview!

No one realizes how simple this baked honey mustard chicken is to prepare because it tastes so much better than simple.

Prepare the honey mustard sauce for chicken: in a small bowl, combine two types of mustard, honey, and olive oil. Set the honey mustard mixture aside. Then sauté the onion and garlic.
Assemble the honey mustard chicken bake: If you’re using a pan that’s oven-safe, place the chicken tenderloins in a single layer atop the veggies and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Pour the honey mustard sauce over top, and arrange the rosemary sprigs in the pan.
Bake the honey mustard chicken: Bake until the chicken pieces are fully cooked through, removing the aluminum foil covering halfway through the bake time.
Use a meat thermometer to test for safe internal temperature.
Serve: Discard the rosemary sprig. Then, serve spooning extra sauce over the honey mustard chicken tenders.

The above is simply a quick summary of this easy chicken recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

step by step photos showing how to make honey mustard chicken

Make the Best Honey Mustard Chicken

Recipe Tips

When I have a few extra minutes, I sauté a half an onion and a few cloves of garlic before adding the rest of the ingredients to the pan. I like to use my Le Creuset Cast Iron Rectangular Roaster to bake this recipe in.
Having a really busy or lazy day? Skip the onion and garlic steps completely. Just stir the honey, mustards, and all 3 tsp of the olive oil together. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Store leftover honey mustard chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make sure to transfer any leftover sweet honey mustard glaze to the container!
Reheat leftover chicken at partial power in the microwave, 30-60 seconds at a time, or stovetop in a lidded skillet.

What to Serve with Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

For a complete meal, serve this delicious chicken dinner with one or two of these side dish recipes:

We most often serve this Easy Honey Mustard Baked Chicken alongside our favorite sides: Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan Herb Gremolata and Roasted Broccoli.

The delicious savory, sweet chicken in sticky honey mustard sauce served alongside the potatoes and broccoli was a welcome meal in the bellies of all of my visiting family after a long day snowmobiling out in the cold.

Here are some other side dish ideas:

A simple side salad also goes well with this great recipe. We often use mixed greens, lettuce, cucumber, shredded carrot, and tomato for a simple green salad. Check out these 3 Simple Salad Dressing Recipes to go along with your salad.

photo of chicken tenderloins in a baking dish with honey mustard sauce

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken FAQs

Got questions about how to make this recipe for baked honey mustard chicken? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Can I Make this in a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot?

I don’t see why not. It might be a good idea for lazy days, but I haven’t tried it myself. Here are my suggestions:

I predict, however, that in the slow cooker the homemade honey mustard sauce will be less thick due to the condensation of the slow cooker. You may want to thicken the sauce using a cornstarch slurry.
If I were to test out and Instant Pot honey mustard chicken with my pressure cooker, I would probably follow the guidelines in this Instant Pot Mustard Chicken Recipe to start with. And, of course follow all manufacturer required safety protocols and instructions.

Can I Use Thyme Instead of Rosemary?

Yes, You can use Thyme as a substitute for the rosemary in this Easy Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Recipe. The flavor will be slightly different but still complimentary. Or you can try thyme and rosemary together!

photo of rosemary and thyme to use in a honey mustard chicken recipe

Can I Use Chicken Breasts or Thighs Instead?

Yes, you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs in this recipe in place of the chicken tenderloins.

I recommend cutting the chicken breasts in half. Then, browning both sides of the chicken stove top in a large skillet first since they’re a thicker cut of chicken and take longer to cook. Even with the browning, you’ll likely have a slightly longer cook time.

For dark meat, I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs. Follow the recipe as written with this substitution. If you like bone in, skin on thighs, then I recommend giving the skin side of the chicken a nice sear first so the skin is nicely browned.

Can I Use Pork Instead of Chicken?

Yes, you can use pork instead of chicken tenderloins in this Easy Honey Mustard Baked Chicken recipe.

Pork can often be a good substitute for poultry because it is also lean and has a mild taste. In this recipe, I recommend using boneless pork chops and browning the pork on both sides before baking.

Can I Freeze Honey Mustard Chicken?

Yes, you can freeze this recipe! I recommend freezing the chicken in the sauce with the chicken uncooked.

Then, when you want to cook the recipe, thaw the chicken and sauce and proceed with baking like normal.

photo of a table set with plates, wine glasses, and a baking dish with honey mustard chicken

What Readers Are Saying About Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

Don’t just take my word for it! Here are some of the rave reviews this recipe has received over the years from Good Life Eats readers:

★★★★★

“Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. My 8 year old loves it! I probably make it at least twice a month. The Dijon and the grainy mustard are just perfect together. Sometimes I’ll throw little potatoes to roast right with the chicken. So good!”

★★★★★

“I made this tonight, and it was delish!!!!! Followed recipe for the most part, I only had dried herbs. But I did add diced peppers and onions on top of chicken then topped with shredded mozzarella, covered and baked as directed. OUT OF THIS WORLD YUMMY!! My kids (7&2) even loved it!! Thank you for sharing!”

★★★★★

“My husband and I both HATE honey-mustard everything (he won’t even touch mustard at all; I love yellow & spicy— not Dijon); HOWEVER, we both absolutely LOVED this recipe!!!”

close up photo of baked honey mustard chicken in a white baking dish with a spoon

Try this Delicious Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe!

Next time you’re looking for easy weeknight dinners, give this Honey Mustard Chicken a try!

Did you love the tangy honey mustard sauce? Leave a comment below and give this simple recipe a five star rating and review for others to see what you thought of this easy dinner recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this chicken dish!

★★★★★

“I made this for dinner tonight and I’m so glad that I did! It was so easy to make (few ingredients) and the taste was phenomenal! I paired it with some wild rice and zucchini. My husband loved it as well….I’ll definitely be making this again in the near future.””

★★★★★

“I made this the other night and it came out very good! I like that it was so easy and doesn’t contain over processed ingredients. The leftovers were even good the next day! I will be making this at LEAST once a month.”

More Easy Chicken Dinners:

Want a grilled version of this recipe? Check out my Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe! It uses a honey mustard chicken marinade that gives the cooked chicken so much flavor.

Recently, I took the concept of this honey mustard chicken recipe and adapted its simplicity with some different flavors to create this Chili Marmalade Baked Chicken.

This Indian Butter Chicken is served with basmati rice and comes together in an hour.

Wondering what to make with ground chicken? Make these easy Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps! These will become one of your family’s favorite recipes in no time.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Chili is another family favorite that everyone is guaranteed to love!

These Baked Wonton Chicken Taquitos are so easy to prepare, you’ll be amazed. Wonton wrappers are stuffed with chicken, cream cheese, and salsa verde.

In need of a potluck dish? Make these Mango Habanero Drumsticks!

Honey Pecan BBQ Chicken Sliders are piled high with coleslaw and pecans.

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What are your go-to easy and amazing chicken recipes?

Honey Mustard Chicken

Yield: serves 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken is one of our favorite recipes. Chicken tenderloins are baked in a sweet and savory honey mustard sauce with sprigs of fresh rosemary. This recipe for Honey Mustard Chicken is sure to please even your pickiest eater!

Ingredients

For the Honey Mustard Chicken Sauce

1/4 cup of grainy, course mustard
1/4 cup smooth dijion mustard
1/2 cup honey
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

For the Chicken

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
salt and pepper, to taste
3 - 4 small sprigs of fresh rosemary

Instructions

Make the Honey Mustard Chicken Sauce

In a small bowl, combine the mustards, honey, and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil.
Combine using a small wire whisk or a spoon and stir until smooth.
Set aside

Prepare the Onion and Garlic

In a sauté pan or cast iron skillet, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. I like to use my Le Creuset Cast Iron Rectangular Roaster for this because this piece can be used for the whole recipe and go from stove to oven to table.
Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden and tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1 - 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Prepare the Chicken Tenderloins

Place the chicken tenderloins on top of the onion and garlic mixture, or if the pan you cooked the onion and garlic in is not oven safe.
Transfer the onion and garlic to an oven safe dish and add the chicken to it.
Salt and pepper the tops of the chicken according to your personal preference.
Pour the honey mustard mixture on top of the chicken. Arrange the rosemary sprigs around the chicken in the pan.

Bake the Honey Mustard Chicken

Bake the chicken covered at 400 degrees F for 15 - 20 minutes.
Then remove the cover, baste the chicken with the sauce.
Return the baking dish to the oven and cook for an additional 20 - 30 minutes uncovered, or until the sauce has thickened, the chicken is browned on top, and is cooked through.

Notes

Chicken thighs also work well. I prefer boneless skinless thighs, but you can use bone-in or skin-on if you prefer. I have also used pork chops, but I brown both sides of the chops first before baking.
Having a really busy or lazy day? Skip the onion and garlic steps completely. Just stir the honey, mustards, and all 3 tsp of olive oil together. Proceed with the rest of the recipe.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 414Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 596mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 18gProtein: 45g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.