Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs Recipe

Honey mustard chicken thighs served over roasted Brussels sprouts, red onion, and lemon.

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs Recipe

This baked honey mustard chicken is an easy dinner you can prep ahead of time. The chicken is coated in a sweet, savory, and tangy honey mustard sauce, then baked until juicy and tender with perfectly crisp, golden skin.

Diet Gluten-Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Servings

Author Lindsay Cotter

Ingredients

1½ –2 pounds boneless skin-on chicken thighs (about 4–5 thighs); see notes for substitutions
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
½ cup real mayonnaise adding up to ⅔ cup for a thicker consistency.
¼ cup Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ –½ teaspoon sweet paprika to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 –4 tablespoons olive oil adjusted to your desired consistency
Optional: ¼ teaspoon ground mustard

Instructions

Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Lightly season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, onion powder, paprika, lemon juice, honey or agave, and ground mustard.
While whisking continuously, slowly pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the sauce is smooth and emulsified. Add more olive oil as needed to reach your desired consistency.
Taste and adjust the seasonings and sweetness. Before the sauce comes into contact with the raw chicken, reserve a portion in a separate container for brushing or serving.
Gently loosen the skin from each chicken thigh. Spread a thin layer of sauce underneath the skin and coat the underside of each thigh, keeping the outside of the skin clean and dry.
Arrange the thighs skin-side up on a plate or baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. This allows the chicken to marinate while drying the skin for better browning.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes. If moisture has collected on the skin, gently pat it dry. Do not season it again.
Arrange the thighs skin-side down in a cold, oven-safe skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat and cook for 8–12 minutes, or until the fat has rendered and the skin is deeply golden and releases easily from the skillet. Pour off excess fat as needed.
Flip the thighs skin-side up. Brush a little reserved sauce around the exposed meat and sides, avoiding the crispy skin.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 10–18 minutes, depending on thickness, until the chicken reaches at least 165°F internally. For more tender thighs, cook them to approximately 175°F.
Optional- Broil during the final 2–3 minutes of cooking, when the chicken is about 5°F below your desired temperature. The broiler will finish cooking the thighs while crisping the skin.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Serve with the reserved creamy mustard sauce, if desired.
Store leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Store any clean, reserved sauce separately.

Notes

Types of Chicken: Boneless, skinless thighs also work; see the blog post for instructions. If you want to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, increase the baking time as needed to reach 165°F internally, or 175°F for more tender meat.

Make ahead: Prepare the mustard sauce up to 4 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The chicken can be marinated for 2–24 hours. Keep skin-on thighs uncovered with the skin facing up to help the skin dry, but keep skinless thighs covered.

Seasoning Tip: If you season the sauce generously with salt and pepper, the chicken does not need much additional seasoning. For more evenly seasoned chicken, lightly season the thighs before adding the marinade. Avoid adding more salt immediately before cooking.

Freezing: Freeze the cooked chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The sauce may separate slightly after freezing, so it is best made fresh or refrigerated.

Nutrition