Description
A delicious and simple honey mustard chicken recipe featuring a sweet and tangy marinade that adds moisture and flavor to chicken breasts or thighs. Perfectly grilled or baked, this dish serves four and is easy to prepare for a satisfying main course.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 1 pound chicken breast or chicken thighs
Marinade
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard (grainy preferred)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced or grated
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- Freshly ground salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade: In a large bowl, combine honey, dijon mustard, olive oil, minced garlic, cayenne pepper (if using), and freshly ground salt and black pepper. Stir well to fully integrate the ingredients.
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken breasts or thighs to the bowl and toss to coat them evenly with the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and tenderize the chicken.
- Grill the chicken: Preheat your grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once ready, place the chicken on the grill and close the lid. Cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes on one side without lifting the lid to preserve heat. Flip the chicken only once using tongs and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rest the grilled chicken: Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate or cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes to seal in the juices and ensure a moist, juicy texture.
- Bake the chicken (alternative method): Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the marinated chicken pieces on it. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and is no longer pink in the center.
Notes
- For best flavor, use grainy dijon mustard in the marinade.
- The marinade time can be shortened to 30 minutes but benefits from up to an hour for deeper flavor absorption.
- Only flip chicken once while grilling to maintain juiciness and get nice grill marks.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked safely to 165°F internally.
- Resting the chicken after cooking is important to lock in juices and improve texture.
- This recipe works well with any cut of chicken, including thighs and breasts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 227 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 9.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
