If I’ve said it before, I’ll still say it 100 times more, simple pan sauces are life! 🙌They’re the fastest, easiest way to create a flavorful meal from a simple cut of meat. This 20 Minute Honey Mustard Chicken is the perfect example. With only a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, you can make this sweet and tangy chicken on even the busiest weeknight. Promise.
Pictured with Parsley Salad with Almonds and Apricots.
What is a Pan Sauce?
Pan sauces are the magic that happens when you build a sauce on the leftover juices and browned bits (called “fond’) in the pan after you cook a piece of meat. There is so much flavor in those little bits that are left behind, so don’t let them go to waste!
First you have to “deglaze” or dissolve those bits off the pan using a liquid (usually broth or wine), then add some herbs or spices, butter for a creamy finish, and whatever else you’d like. For the pan sauce in this 20 Minute Honey Mustard Chicken I’ve added a simple mix of stone ground mustard and honey, which also give the sauce a little more body. It’s simple, but fool proof, and you’re going to love it.
Other Recipes with Easy Pan Sauces:
- Herb Butter Chicken Thighs
- Apple Spice Pork Chops
- Chicken Piccata
- Blackberry Sage Pork Chops
- Balsamic Chicken Skillet
What Kind of Chicken Can I Use for Honey Mustard Chicken?
I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs here because they are always juicy and tender, cook very quickly, and require the least amount of prep. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breast, but you will want to pound them out to an even 1/2-inch thickness before browning in the skillet, which will add about 5 minutes to your prep time. Bone-in and skin-on cuts make excellent pan sauces, but they do require a much longer cook time, so they’re not ideal for this quick method.
20 Minute Honey Mustard Chicken
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs* ($4.50)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth ($0.07)
- 2 Tbsp stone ground or whole grain mustard ($0.16)
- 2 Tbsp honey ($0.24)
- 1 Tbsp butter ($0.13)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium flame. While the skillet is preheating, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt in a small dish. Sprinkle the spice mixture over both sides of your chicken pieces.
- Once the skillet is nice and hot, add the cooking oil and swirl to coat the surface. Add the chicken pieces and cook on each side until well browned and cooked through (about 5 minutes each side, this can vary with your cookware and size of your chicken pieces). Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate.
- Add the chicken broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Allow the broth to simmer in the skillet for about 5 minutes, or until it has reduced by half.
- Finally, add the mustard, honey, and butter to the skillet. Stir to melt and dissolve the ingredients together. Add the chicken and juices back to the skillet, and allow the sauce to come back up to a simmer. Spoon the honey mustard sauce over top, then serve.
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Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Honey Mustard Chicken – Step by Step Photos
Begin to preheat a large skillet over medium. While waiting for the skillet to heat, combine 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small dish. Sprinkle the spices over both sides of your chicken (1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs).
Once the skillet is nice and hot, add 1 Tbsp cooking oil to the skillet, and swirl to make sure it has coated the entire surface. Add the chicken pieces and cook them on both sides until well browned and cooked through (about 5 minutes each side). Cooking chicken like this can take some practice. You can see from my photos how one side of my skillet gets hotter (chicken is more browned) than the other side. So keep an eye on it, turn the heat up or down if it’s going to fast or too slow, and kind of play it by ear. This is why cooking is a learned skill. It’s never exact! :)
Remove the cooked chicken to a clean plate, then add 1/2 cup chicken broth to the skillet (or white wine, if you happen to have an open bottle!). Stir to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, then let the broth simmer for about 5 minutes, or until it has reduced by half.
Finally, add 2 Tbsp stone ground mustard, 2 Tbsp honey, and 1 Tbsp butter. Stir to melt and dissolve these ingredients into the sauce.
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, spoon the honey mustard sauce over top, let it come back up to a simmer briefly, then serve!
That honey mustard pan sauce is so good and perfect for drizzling over whatever you’re serving your 20 Minute Honey Mustard Chicken with. I served mine with my Parsley Salad with Almonds and Apricots, but it would be great with just about any salad, vegetable, or even just rice.
This is one of my five year old daughter’s favorite dinners to eat, and it has recently also become one of her favorite dinners to help me make! I let her pound the chicken breasts and sprinkle the spices on, and then I let her pour the mustard and honey into the pan (you can eyeball these measurements and it turns out fine) and stir while the sauce comes together. Tonight while we were eating she said her chicken was like “little pieces of joy.” If you have a kid who is cold-weather-and-pandemic bored and wants to help in the kitchen, I highly recommend this family-friendly dish!
Has anyone cooked this in the crockpot before?
I make this recipe frequently and it’s always delicious. I usually serve it with sweet potato and a green vegetable, which are great taste contrasts. It’s one of my favorite recipes to bring the next day for lunch, as it heats up well and retains its flavor. I was just thinking of it and realized I’ve been making it regularly for about two years but never left a comment!
Could you replace the butter in the sauce with some nondairy alternative? What would you recommend?
I don’t suggest replacing the butter as it affects both the texture and flavor of this sauce.
My husband has a high dairy sensitivity and we are able to use ghee. And it worked just as good!! So tasty! If you’re able eat ghee, try it out!
I made this yesterday and it was so good! I made it exactly as the recipe says but added a 1/4 tsp of hot pepper powder from our garden. I definitely recommend!
This was really good and easy. I paired my chicken with roasted brussels sprouts and sweet potato! Yummy : )
My boyfriend said this is the best dish I’ve ever made! It was so delicious. I doubled the sauce and used chicken breasts cut into strips. I don’t like cooking chicken on the stove top, always worried it isn’t cooked all the way through, so I cooked it in the oven with the olive oil and seasonings 400f for 20 min. Then added it to the sauce which I had simmering on the stove top. Made it with your jasmine yellow rice and roasted frozen broccoli and it was SO AMAZING. It’s been requested again for tomorrow night!
Delicious. I’ve been using this website for years, it’s my go to spot to try something new.
I used Chardonnay in place of the broth (because I didn’t have broth but I ALWAYS have wine!) It was absolutely to die for!
This honey mustard pan sauce is to die for. Loved it and so easy. Super recommended. I served it with plain basmati rice and a simple arugula side salad.
I made this last night to rave reviews. All the ingredients were in-house and the sauce was ah-may-zing! Made with yellow rice and a summer squash/zucchini bake. That sauce….maybe some egg noodles next time! Thank you, Beth, for your down to earth instructions, photos, cost breakdowns, and stories. I so frequently default to your blog for your recipes.
So easy, SO delicious! I’ve made this twice now with fabulous results both times. Last night I put in fresh green beans after reducing the broth/pan sauce mixture with a little extra water to steam them in the delicious sauce, lid on for five minutes, and finished them on a higher heat to re-reduce the sauce when I added the chicken back in. SUCH a great combo. I always have the ingredients on hand so all I need for an easy meal is the chicken & a veg to make a delicious, unbelievably-easy weeknight dinner.
After removing the chicken, I sauteed some garlic and mushrooms before adding the broth to make the sauce. So yummy.
I just made this for meal prep this week and OMG SOOOO GOOD! I made rice and roasted broccoli as a side. I will make this again! 😊
Omigosh already cooking my chicken thighs and just realized it’s supposed to be BONELESS, SKINLESS😳 attempting to rescue😣 and meat in short supply