Description
5-Ingredient Easy Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts use a simple marinade of honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar for a sweet, tangy chicken dinner. Evenly sized chicken breasts marinate before baking at 400°F until juicy and cooked through.
Ingredients
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Check the chicken breasts for thickness. If one end is substantially thicker than the other, gently pound the thickest section until the breast is roughly ¾ inch thick throughout. Very large chicken breasts can instead be sliced horizontally into thinner pieces.
2. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels.
3. Add the honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt, and black pepper to a mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
4. Taste the freshly mixed marinade before it contacts the raw chicken. If your Dijon is especially sharp, adjust the vinegar slightly if needed.
5. Place the chicken in a large resealable bag or shallow covered container. Pour the honey mustard marinade over the chicken and turn each piece until thoroughly coated.
6. Refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for at least 2 hours. For convenient meal prep, the chicken can marinate for several hours, but avoid intentionally extending an acidic marinade beyond 24 hours.
7. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
8. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let excess marinade drip away. Arrange the breasts in the prepared baking dish with a little space between each piece. Discard the marinade that contacted raw chicken.
9. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, beginning to check thinner pieces earlier. Very thick breasts may require additional time.
10. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of each chicken breast. Remove the chicken when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
11. Let the honey mustard chicken breasts rest for approximately 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Five ingredients: The five primary ingredients are chicken breasts, honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Salt and black pepper are treated as pantry seasonings.
Chicken thickness: Even thickness is one of the most useful ways to prevent dry chicken breast. Gently pound thick sections or slice very large breasts horizontally before marinating.
Marinating time: Aim for at least 2 hours when possible. Because both mustard and vinegar contribute acidity, longer marinating is not automatically better. Avoid deliberately exceeding 24 hours.
Doneness: Chicken breast should reach 165°F in the thickest section. Actual baking time varies according to thickness.
Extra serving sauce: If you want honey mustard for serving, prepare a separate clean portion before the marinade touches raw chicken. Do not spoon raw-chicken marinade directly over cooked chicken.
Grill option: Pound chicken to an even thickness. Heat clean, oiled grill grates to approximately 400–450°F and grill for about 4 to 6 minutes per side, adjusting for thickness and cooking to a safe internal temperature.
Air-fryer option: Drain excess marinade and air fry at 375°F for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, flipping once. Adjust for chicken thickness and appliance performance.
Slow-cooker option: Cook on LOW for approximately 2½ to 3½ hours, checking the chicken rather than leaving lean breasts cooking all day.
Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can replace breasts. Cooking time will differ, so check doneness with an instant-read thermometer.
Freezer meal: Combine raw chicken and marinade in a freezer-safe bag, remove excess air, seal, label, and freeze. Thaw safely in the refrigerator before cooking. The chicken marinates while thawing.
Storage: Refrigerate cooked chicken in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Warm gently in a covered skillet with a splash of water or chicken broth, or microwave in short intervals to avoid drying out the chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
Keywords: 5-Ingredient Easy Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts, honey mustard chicken breasts, easy honey mustard chicken, baked honey mustard chicken, honey Dijon chicken