Honey & Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Chicken

When I was putting together my January Newsletter and reviewing the top recipes of 2021, I learned that the most viewed and popular recipe was my Honey & Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Pork. It’s one of my favorite recipes too. The sauce is the star of this recipe being creamy, sweet and tangy with some added texture from the whole grain Dijon mustard. When I make this, I will stand over the pan and soak up any leftover sauce with bread. In the Options, Tips and Substitutions section of the pork recipe, I mentioned I wanted to try modifying the recipe with chicken, but I guess I forgot and never got to it! My husband might think I’m padding my stats here, but I did feel like there was enough modifications from the pork recipe to warrant making this a new recipe. This recipe is perfect if you’ve tried and loved the pork version. If you haven’t, but love the combo of Honey Mustard Chicken, then this recipe that takes only a little over 30 minutes, is probably for you too.

Options, Tips and Substitutions!

1. Chicken Thighs are what is used in the pictures, but I have made this with both Chicken Thighs and Chicken Breasts. Both work great!
2. I seasoned the Chicken with salt, black pepper and Italian Seasoning. If you do not have Italian Seasoning you can make your own with a little bit of Oregano, Thyme, Basil, Rosemary and Marjoram-or some combination of these spices adding up to about 1 tsp.
3. In order to achieve the best browning results, it’s important to heat the olive oil and have the pan hot before adding the chicken. The chicken will still be raw when you remove after browning, and will cook through when you add it back into the sauce.
4. I’ve only tried this recipe with whole grain mustard, but I would imagine if you used a creamy Dijon version, you would still get the same Dijon Mustard flavor, just not the texture of the course grains.
5. Any chicken stock, broth or bone broth can be used and you could always substitute with a vegetable, beef or pork version.
6. I’ve only used heavy whipping cream so I can’t definably say what it would be like substituting half and half or a less fat milk, but I have in other recipes and would just say that if you do substitute, the sauce will not be as thick. It’s only 1/2 a cup, but I can understand not wanting to use heavy whipping cream. If you really want to substitute, you could always add some additional flour or corn starch to thicken up the sauce, or know that the sauce will be a bit thinner.
7. During the 20 minutes while the chicken is cooking, is a perfect time to make some sides. Some of my favorite are a simple roasted broccoli, carrots, and Brussel sprouts. I also always need to have this with some bread so I can dip it in the extra sauce!
8. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and are good for 3-4 days.

Honey & Whole Grain Dijon Chicken

Chicken is seasoned, browned and then cooked in an amazing creamy honey, garlic and Dijon mustard sauce. Ready in a little over 30 minutes, serve with some crusty bread or potatoes to soak up all the delicious sauce.

• Small Bowl, Large Pan with Lid

• 1½-2 lbs Chicken Breast or Chicken Thighs
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• ½ tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil or Butter
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• 1½ cups Chicken Broth or Stock
• ½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 2 Tbsp Whole Grain Dijon Mustard

1. On high heat, add 1½ Tbsp. olive oil to pan and allow to heat for 1-2 minutes.

2. While oil heats, combine salt, pepper and Italian Seasoning in a small bowl. Sprinkle or rub seasoning on both sides of the Chicken.

3. Add chicken to pan (be a little careful, it will sizzle a bit when you add the chicken) and brown each side, about 3-4 minutes. While chicken is browning, mince cloves of garlic. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.

4. Turn heat to low and add olive oil or butter. With wooden spoon, loosen up any of the browned residue from the bottom of the pan. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add flour and mix to create a roux. The paste should be very thick, but if it is very dry and not mixing together, add a little more olive oil/butter.

5. Add chicken stock, heavy whipping cream, honey and Dijon mustard. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil constantly stirring for 2-3 minutes. Allow sauce to thicken then turn back to low.

6. Add chicken back in. Spoon a bit of the sauce over the chicken then cover with lid and cook for 20 minutes. Vegetables and sides can be prepared during the 20 minutes while chicken is cooking in the sauce.

Main Course