Honey Mustard Chicken

Chicken and veggies, all in one pan? Our honey mustard chicken recipe is exactly what you’re looking for. Like most sheet-pan suppers, this flavorful dinner is a cinch to assemble. Bone-in chicken thighs bake up tender and juicy under a layer of lemon slices and a tangy honey-mustard glaze. Filling out the sheet pan is a medley of colorful green beans and pepper rings.

One simple yet beautiful touch is the scattering of ruby-red pomegranate seeds over the top. They make the whole dish look gorgeous and give it a burst of sweet-tart flavor, too. Just imagine setting plates of this pretty and flavor-packed honey Dijon chicken out for dinner party guests!

Honey Mustard Chicken Ingredients

• Bone-in chicken thighs: Chicken thigh recipes are especially tender and flavorful thanks to the meat cooking on the bone. You’ll need six chicken thighs, or a little over two pounds.
• Lemons: Lemon slices and juice balance the sweet honey sauce with bright acidity. The sliced lemons also look stunning placed on top of the chicken thighs.
• Olive oil: This oil is part of the sauce that covers the chicken and simmers with the veggies. You can use extra virgin olive oil if that’s what you have on hand; for a milder flavor use regular olive oil.
• Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard has a lightly spicy flavor that balances the sweetness of the sauce. Use a store-bought brand or make your own homemade Dijon mustard with mustard seeds, vinegar and white wine.
• Honey: This is one of the star flavors of this dish! The best store-bought honey is raw and unfiltered with no additives.
• Garlic: Four cloves of fresh garlic go into the honey mustard chicken marinade. It’s easy to mince garlic quickly with a garlic press or a good, sharp kitchen knife.
• Green beans: Fresh green beans cook through on the sheet pan and soak up flavor from the honey mustard sauce, too! If fresh beans aren’t available, you can simply turn this into one of many convenient frozen green bean recipes instead.
• Mini bell peppers: Look for packages of cute, multicolor baby bell peppers in the produce department. If you don’t see any, you can substitute large bell peppers sliced into thin strips
• Seasonings: A simple blend of paprika, salt and pepper is all you need to season the chicken thighs and the honey mustard sauce.
• Pomegranate seeds: This is an optional ingredient, but one that you should really try! They add a lot of color to the sheet-pan dinner. You can easily remove pomegranate seeds yourself by cutting the fruit into quarters, or you can just look for packages of the seeds (aka arils) in your produce department.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the chicken

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the chicken thighs in a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Thinly slice one lemon and arrange the slices over the chicken thighs.

Editor’s Tip: Use a baking pan from of our Test Kitchen’s list of the best sheet pans; they put the pans to the test by using them to roast and bake, and looked to see if they buckled.

Step 2: Make the sauce

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Cut the remaining lemon crosswise in half and squeeze its juice into a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic and paprika.

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Pour half of the sauce over the chicken, reserving the remaining sauce for the beans.

Step 3: Bake

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Pour 1/2 cup of water into the sheet pan, then slide the pan into the oven. Bake the chicken for 25 minutes.

Step 4: Add veggies and finish baking

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Meanwhile, combine the beans, sweet peppers and the remaining sauce with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, tossing to coat.

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Arrange the vegetables around the chicken in the pan. Bake everything until a thermometer inserted into the chicken reads between 170° and 175° and beans are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the chicken and vegetables.

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Honey Mustard Chicken Variations

• Try it with hot honey: If you like a little spice, use hot honey in place of regular honey when making the Dijon sauce.
• Use other veggies: Replace the green beans and peppers with other vegetables that roast in about 20 minutes—like asparagus, cauliflower, corn on the cob sections or mushrooms.
• Make it with orange: Instead of lemon, try this dish with fresh orange, a very tasty addition to the Dijon and honey flavors. Top the chicken thighs with orange slices, and use three tablespoons of orange juice in the sauce.

How to Store Honey Mustard Chicken

Let the honey mustard chicken thighs and the veggies cool, then transfer them to an airtight container. You can also portion the chicken and vegetables into single-serving containers, to have make-ahead lunches or dinner options. Keep leftover honey mustard chicken in the refrigerator.

How long does honey mustard chicken last?

Honey mustard chicken will last for three to four days in the refrigerator. Keep meat and vegetables tightly covered to protect the flavors and to keep them from drying out. But don’t worry; the best chicken recipes (like this one) never last for long!

How do you reheat honey mustard chicken?

Place the honey mustard chicken, sauce and vegetables in a covered dish in the oven and heat everything at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is warmed through. You can also do this in a large, covered skillet set over medium heat—add a little water to the pan to keep the chicken and vegetables moist. Individual portions can also be heated in quick bursts in the microwave.

Can you freeze honey mustard chicken?

Yes, this honey mustard chicken recipe freezes well. Transfer the cooled chicken, vegetables and sauce to a freezer-proof container and cover it tightly. Place it in the freezer; you can keep frozen mustard chicken for up to three months. Allow the chicken and vegetables to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating them.

Honey Mustard Chicken Tips

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Can you use other cuts of chicken for honey mustard chicken?

Bone-in chicken thighs have advantages; they tend to be less expensive than boneless thighs, and they’re more juicy and flavorful once baked. However, you can also make this recipe using other cuts of chicken, including boneless thighs, boneless chicken breasts or wings. Smaller and boneless cuts need less time in the oven; to avoid over-baking, check them with a digital thermometer. The chicken is done when the juices run clear when the meat is cut, and when the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 165°.

What can you serve with honey mustard chicken?

Since this sheet-pan meal provides the meat and vegetables, try a side of crusty homemade bread; slices are perfect for sopping up any juice left on the plate. We also love potato side dishes with honey mustard chicken, like steamed new potatoes or air-fryer sweet potatoes.

How can I keep the honey mustard sauce from burning on the sheet pan?

As the chicken bakes and water evaporates, the honey mustard sauce may begin to darken or burn. Check the chicken throughout the baking time and add more water to the pan if necessary. You can also cover the pan with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking time to help trap moisture inside.