Tender pan-fried chicken in a glossy honey mustard sauce that’s sweet, tangy and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
As the self-appointed king of saucy chicken breast recipes, I can say with confidence that this dinner is about to go on your rotation and never leave. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but it only uses simple, store-bought ingredients too. You’re going to love it. Follow me…
Pan-fried Chicken Breast
For this recipe, we’ll be using a couple of chicken breasts and slicing them through the centre to create 4 even-sized cutlets. Not only does this mean the chicken will fry more quickly, but it’ll cook through more evenly too. Plus, it’s an easy way to double the portion size!
Dredging through flour
I like to dredge the cutlets through seasoned flour to build up a thin crust in the pan. This crust then allows the sauce to cling to the chicken more efficiently. The crust also helps thicken the sauce a little more when you add the chicken back to the pan.
Frying the chicken
I recommend a combination of oil and butter. The butter offers a rich flavour, whilst the oil helps prevent it from burning. The chicken won’t take long to fry, so just be vigilant you don’t overcook it.
Process shots: slice chicken (photos 1&2), coat in flour (photos 3&4), fry (photos 5&6).
Honey Mustard Sauce for Chicken
The sauce for this chicken truly couldn’t be easier to make. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Garlic – adds an extra layer of flavour.
- Stock – chicken stock makes up the base of the sauce.
- Mustard – I love a combination of Dijon (for the main flavour) and Wholegrain (for texture).
- Honey – this offers the key balance to the mustard and provides the sauce with a lovely, syrupy texture.
- Thyme – this offers an extra layer of flavour that pairs delightfully with the chicken and sauce. It must be fresh to lightly infuse the sauce, so don’t sub dried.
- Butter – a tbsp of cold butter whisked through at the end turns the sauce gorgeously glossy. Don’t skip this.
Sauce consistency
It’ll be pretty thin at the start, but just keep gently simmering and stirring away, and it’ll reduce and thicken up. The honey and mustards will then come into play and create the perfect consistency. No flour needed!
Recipe Tip
For a bonus free ingredient, make sure you stir the resting juices from the chicken into the sauce for extra flavour!
Process shots: fry garlic (photo 1), add stock, honey, mustard and stir (photo 2), add thyme then simmer (photo 3), stir in resting juices (photo 4).
Honey Mustard Chicken FAQ
I find a leaner cut of meat works best with this sauce. Having said that, you could use boneless skinless thighs if you’d prefer. Just keep in mind the end result will be a little richer, and they’ll take a little longer to cook through.
It’s actually more on the subtle side and leans more towards the honey. You can always adjust to taste.
It is a lovely addition, but if you don’t want to use it the dish will still be delicious.
How to serve Honey Mustard Chicken
I like to add the chicken back to the pan and baste it in the sauce, just to make sure it’s completely covered (this also helps warm the chicken back through).
From there, here are my side recommendations:
- Full Comfort – Mashed Potato and Green Beans (pictured below).
- Easy and Light – Crusty bread and a simple side salad.
- Homely – Roasted Baby Potatoes, Chips or Wedges with veg (peas, broccoli and carrots all work well).
For the sister recipe to this dish, check out my Honey Mustard Pork Chops!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this honey mustard chicken shall we?!
How to make Honey Mustard Chicken (Full Recipe & Video)
Honey Mustard Chicken
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Shallow Dish (for dredging chicken in flour)
- Large Pan & Tongs
- Wooden Spoon
- Jug (for stock)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2x 9oz/250g Chicken Breasts (see notes)
- 1/4 cup / 35g Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp / 15g Unsalted Butter
Sauce
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 3/4 cup / 180ml Chicken Stock
- 3 tbsp Honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard (see notes)
- 4 single sprigs of Fresh Thyme
- 1 tbsp / 15g Unsalted Butter (keep in the fridge until needed)
Instructions
- Horizontally slice each chicken breast right through the centre to create 4 even-sized cutlets.
- In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. One by one, take a chicken cutlet and coat it in the flour. Give it a shake and place to one side, then repeat with the remaining cutlets.
- Place a large pan over medium-high heat with the butter and oil. Once the butter has melted and the pan is hot, add the cutlets and fry for 3-4 minutes each side until golden (they should be cooked through at this point). Remove the cutlets and place on a plate to one side, leaving any excess fat in the pan.
- Lower the heat to medium and fry the garlic for 30 seconds or so (be careful it doesn't burn). Pour in the stock, then swiftly stir in the honey, Dijon and wholegrain mustard until it blends (it might split at the start, but keep whisking and it'll come together). Add the thyme and bring to a simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the resting juices from the chicken, then swiftly stir in the butter until it blends into the sauce. At this point the sauce should be a thin syrupy consistency. Check for seasoning and adjust if needed.
- Add the chicken and baste in the sauce, then serve up and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
For more similar recipes check out these beauties:
- Pretzel Chicken with Honey Mustard Sauce
- Creamy Mustard Chicken
- Honey Butter Chicken
- Honey Lemon Chicken
- Honey Garlic Chicken
