Description
A quick and flavorful recipe for baked honey mustard chicken. Juicy chicken breasts are coated in a tangy-sweet honey mustard marinade and baked to perfection for a delicious and healthy main course that’s easy to make any night of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
-
- 1 – 1 1/4 lbs. chicken breasts, pounded and cut into 4-5 oz. portions
- 1/2 tsp. salt, to taste
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper, to taste
- 1/8 tsp. paprika
Honey Mustard Sauce
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard*
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped*
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to ensure consistent baking temperatures.
- Prepare Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness of about 1 inch and cut into 4-5 oz. portions. This helps the chicken cook evenly.
- Make Honey Mustard Sauce: In a large bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika until you have a smooth marinade.
- Reserve Sauce: Set aside 2 tablespoons of the honey mustard sauce for brushing the chicken later.
- Coat Chicken: Place the chicken breasts into the bowl with the remaining marinade. Toss them well until they are evenly coated. For easier storage, you can transfer the chicken and sauce mixture to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.
- Marinate: Cover and refrigerate the chicken for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, and place the marinated chicken breasts into the dish in a single layer.
- Bake: Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remember that the temperature will rise by 5-10 degrees after removing from the oven, reaching a safe 165°F.
- Brush with Reserved Sauce: Once the chicken is done baking, brush it with the reserved honey mustard sauce for an extra layer of flavor.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the chicken with a sprig of fresh thyme and serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
-
- You can also use ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme if fresh thyme is unavailable.
- Yellow mustard or spicy brown mustard can be used as a substitute for Dijon mustard if you prefer a different flavor profile.
Meal Prep and Storage
- How to prep ahead of time: If preparing more than 24 hours in advance, store the chicken and marinade separately. Toss the chicken in the sauce if preparing less than 24 hours before cooking. The marinade and chicken can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.
- How to store: Store leftover honey mustard chicken in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- How to freeze: This dish freezes exceptionally well. Simply store the chicken and any excess sauce in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag for up to 4-6 months.
- How to reheat: Before eating, let the chicken thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 360mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
