This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy honey mustard grilled chicken recipe features perfectly seasoned chicken breasts grilled to juicy perfection and basted with a homemade honey mustard sauce. It’s a quick and flavorful way to enjoy grilled chicken, bursting with bright, tangy, and sweet flavor. Serve it with your favorite sides for a delicious family-friendly dinner or meal prep favorite!
Don’t want to grill? No problem! Here’s my recipe for baked honey mustard chicken.
I think chicken and honey mustard are the perfect pair, but this recipe takes things in a slightly different direction than the usual restaurant-style fried chicken tenders with dipping sauce. Instead, we’re going lighter with juicy grilled chicken, basted with a homemade honey mustard sauce as it cooks for extra flavor in every bite.
This results in a mouthwateringly tender chicken with pretty grill marks and a caramelized honey-mustard coating. It’s like the very best barbeque chicken texture, but with the flavor of everyone’s favorite dipping sauce!
Why We Love This Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Recipe
- It’s Perfect for Grilling or Indoor Cooking: Whether you’re firing up the grill on a sunny day or using a grill pan indoors, this recipe works beautifully either way.
- Double the Sauce, Double the Flavor: The sweet and tangy honey mustard sauce does double duty; it’s brushed onto the chicken as it cooks and served on the side for dipping. So much flavor in every bite!
- Great for Meal Prep: This chicken tastes just as amazing cold as it does hot, making it perfect for prepping ahead for easy lunches, salads, or quick dinners.
What You’ll Need
This basic recipe only calls for a handful of seasonings for the chicken. The trio of mustards really makes the sauce stand out!
For the Chicken
- Chicken: For this recipe, I use 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Salt & Black Pepper: To taste.
- Garlic Powder: Half a teaspoon of garlic powder adds intensity of flavor with no chopping or mincing involved.
- Onion Powder: Another easy shortcut! Use half a teaspoon, just like the garlic.
- Dried Thyme & Basil: The pungency of thyme balances out the sweetness of the basil, which makes for perfectly flavored honey mustard chicken.
For the Honey Mustard
- Honey: You’ll need ¼ cup of your favorite honey.
- Butter: Melt two tablespoons of butter.
- Mustard: I use a tablespoon each of Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, and wholegrain mustard.
- Hot Sauce: This is optional, but it does add a nice spicy touch!
- Vinegar: Half a teaspoon of white vinegar balances out the flavors of the sauce.
- Paprika: Just ⅛ teaspoon of paprika adds a savory, earthy note.
How to Make Honey Mustard
This flavor-packed sauce is easy to make and serves a dual purpose: we’ll save most of the sauce for dipping, and we’ll also use it to baste the chicken while it cooks.
- Combine the ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, melted butter, mustard trio, hot sauce (if using), vinegar, and paprika. Whisk until combined and smooth.
- Divide the sauce: Remove ¼ cup of the honey mustard and put it in a bowl for basting. Reserve the rest for later for dipping.
How to Grill the Chicken Breasts
This easy grill method starts off with quickly browning the outside of the chicken to seal in the juices. Then, you’ll baste the chicken and cook it, covered, for a tender, moist and flavorful result.
- Heat Grill & Season Chicken: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Season your chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme and dried basil, and then set them aside while you make the honey mustard. Brush the grill grates with oil.
- Grill to Brown: Place the chicken breasts on the grill and brown them for 2 minutes. Then, turn them over and brown for 2 more minutes.
- Baste & Cook First Side: Brush the chicken breasts all over with half of the honey mustard basting sauce. Close the grill and cook the chicken for 7 minutes.
- Baste & Cook Second Side: Uncover, flip and brush the chicken with more basting sauce; continue to cook for 5 to 6 more minutes, or until cooked through. Chicken is cooked when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F. Keep in mind that, the thicker the chicken breasts, the longer it will take to cook through.
- Let Rest & Serve: Remove the cooked chicken from the grill and transfer it to a cutting board. Let the chicken stand for 8 minutes. Then, slice the chicken and serve it with the reserved honey mustard sauce.
At What Temperature is Chicken Done?
White meat chicken is done when its internal temperature registers at 165°F on an instant read meat thermometer. However, did you know that you don’t necessarily have to cook the chicken all the way to 165°F? That’s right! Since the chicken will continue to cook, even after you take it off the heat, many chefs recommend taking it out of the pan, grill, or oven at about 163°F. That way, you reduce the chances of drying out your juicy meat.
Recipe Tips
- How hot should the grill be? In general, you should heat your grill to around 425-450°F. If you’re using a charcoal grill, it will be at the correct temperature when you can hold your hand over the heat for one or two seconds, but not longer.
- Brine the chicken: For extra juicy chicken, try marinating it in milk or saltwater brine for thirty minutes before making this recipe. Pat it dry with paper towels before seasoning and cooking.
- Whip It good: Before serving, give your honey mustard sauce a quick mix with a whisk or fork to ensure it has the proper consistency.
What to Serve with Honey Mustard Chicken
I like serving grilled chicken with Cajun fries or my air fryer potato chips and a fruit salad on the side! But to amp up the meal a bit more, this amazing chicken goes perfectly with my easy pasta salad.
As long as you’re grilling, why not throw together some garlic herb grilled potatoes in foil and grill those, too! Also, this low-carb coconut lime cauliflower rice is a light side dish packed with tropical flavor, and it goes so well with grilled chicken.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce, optional
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat your gas grill to medium-high heat.
- Prepare the chicken. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and dried basil; set aside.
- Make the honey mustard. In a mixing bowl, whisk together honey, melted butter, mustards, hot sauce, vinegar, and paprika until combined and smooth. Remove ¼-cup of the honey mustard and put it in a bowl—we will use this for basting. Reserve the rest for later for dipping.
- Grill. Brush the grill grates with vegetable oil. Place the chicken breasts on the grill and brown for 2 minutes; turn it over and brown for 2 more minutes. Brush the chicken breasts all over with half of the honey mustard basting sauce. Close the grill and cook the chicken for 7 minutes.
- Continue to grill. Uncover, flip, and brush the chicken with more basting sauce; continue to cook for 5 to 6 more minutes, or until cooked through. Chicken is cooked when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F. The thicker the chicken breasts, the longer it will take to cook through.
- Rest and serve. Remove the chicken from the grill and transfer to a cutting board; let it rest for 8 minutes. Slice the chicken and serve it with the reserved honey mustard sauce.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Leftover chicken can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Extra dipping sauce (not basting sauce) can be stored in a separate container or jar for the same amount of time. Shake or stir before using.
- Freezer. Wrap the chicken portions tightly in plastic wrap, then store them in freezer bags. Freeze for 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating
- To reheat grilled chicken, remove it from the refrigerator and let it stand for 10 minutes at room temperature. Then, place the chicken in a covered skillet and reheat it over low heat until warm. Slice up any leftover honey mustard chicken and serve it over a crunchy ramen salad or alongside a fresh green salad for an easy, flavorful meal.
Made this tonight for dinner, we really enjoyed it, so delicious! Thank you.
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! Thank you for trying the recipe! ๐
I didn’t have the whole grain Dijon mustard, so I swapped it for 1 tbsp of real mayo. It’s the best honey mustard I’ve ever had. Great for salads or chicken nuggets. I used 3 drops of Louisiana Hot Sauce, and it was perfect. Going to grill the chicken in a few hours. Can’t wait to try it all together. Thanks for this recipe.
Question, is it possible to use (sugar free honey mustard) store bought instead of making it home-made or would this not work? Trying to stay low carb. Thanks!
Hi!
Yes, you can definitely use store-bought honey mustard.
Excellent basting recipe! I decreased the cooking times as our chicken cooked faster than outlined.
This Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken is seriously making me hungry!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! ๐