Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs Recipe

If you are looking for an easy, delicious, budget friendly recipe for dinner you are going to love this Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs recipe. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs that are coated in an easy homemade honey mustard sauce and baked until they are fall apart tender.

Best of all, it takes only 5 minutes to prepare. Then when the chicken goes in the oven and cooks through it can be served in a variety of ways.

I most often serve it with white rice in the middle of summer. However I also like to serve it with mashed or roasted potatoes and corn, especially when I need a warm, comforting meal.

It is the perfect meal to make on a busy weeknight or when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen on the weekend. Simply prepare the chicken, put it in the oven and walk away.

Not to mention that this recipe is fantastic for those on a tight budget. That is because chicken thighs are one of the most inexpensive cuts of meat that you can purchase. I found a pack of 4 chicken thighs at my local grocery store for a discounted price of $3.00.

That means that each chicken thigh came out to a price of 75 cents each! You can’t beat that! Add in a serving of rice and you have a healthy and delicious meal that costs less than a dollar per serving.

Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Thighs

When it comes to cooking chicken thighs I often get asked about which ones are the best to purchase. Because the bone and skin add so much flavor, I prefer to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs whenever possible.

Some of my favorite, and most flavorful recipes that include chicken thighs include bone-in meat. In addition to this Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs recipe, I have listed a few that you might find just as delicious as I do.

• Skillet Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
• French Onion Chicken
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Sheet Pan Chicken & Vegetables
• Roasted Chicken Thighs
• Instant Pot Crispy Chicken Recipe
• Nashville Hot Chicken
• Classic Fried Chicken

However there are other recipes where boneless, skinless chicken thighs would be better to use. For instance, both Orange Chicken and Rice and Smothered Chicken and Rice Casserole would be difficult to make using bone-in thighs.

Although it could be done and the flavor would be outstanding, it just isn’t worth it to try to cut the meat off the bone for those type of recipes.

Boneless Chicken Thighs Cooking Time

However, this recipe can be made with boneless chicken thighs if you prefer. Although the cooking time will need to be shorter as boneless chicken thighs cook faster.

Therefore, decrease the cooking time by 10-15 minutes if using boneless thighs. And remove them from the oven once they reach 175°F when checked with an instant read digital thermometer.

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on*
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are often come with 4 thighs per package. Each of these packs weigh approximately 1 3/4 – 2 1/4 pounds.

You can decrease the amount of chicken thighs if you are cooking for two. However, I have found that sometimes chicken thighs are rather small and once the meat is removed from the bone, 3-4 chicken thighs are perfect for 2 servings with a little extra leftover.

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 390°F (198°C). Then spray an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper to taste. Because I am not a huge salt lover, I tend to under salt when baking.

However, in order to bring out the moisture and enhance the flavor of the other ingredients, be sure to be generous when you salt raw chicken thighs.

Once the chicken thighs have been seasoned with salt and pepper, place them skin side up in the baking dish and then set them aside while you prepare the honey mustard sauce.

Homemade Honey Mustard Sauce

In a small bowl, add the Dijon mustard, honey, and olive oil and mix until well incorporated. You can use name brand or store brand Dijon mustard.

Because we are using the mustard to make a sauce, I find that the store brand mustard is just as good as the more expensive name brand varieties.

As for the honey, use pure honey whenever possible. Pure honey simply means that you are getting 100% honey.

If you have ever noticed, commercial honey is much thinner than pure or local honey. This is because often times commercially produced honey contain additives such as corn syrup to make it go further in the bottling process.

Therefore, look for pure honey when you pick up your next bottle. Yes it costs more, but it is healthier and it tastes so much better and it never goes bad.

Once you have the mustard and honey, mix it with the oil until it is uniform in color and texture. Then pour it over the chicken thighs.

The sauce will be thick so you will need to use the back of a spoon to spread it across the top of the skin so that it covers it completely. Then place the baking dish in the preheated oven.

Baking Time

Bake the Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs for 40 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken thighs at its thickest point should read 175°F (79°C) when checked with an instant read digital thermometer.

However, if you want the chicken to be super tender and literally fall off the bone, be sure to let the chicken thighs cook until they reach 190°F (88°C). At this point you will be able to pull the meat off the bone using just a single fork.

When the chicken thighs are ready, remove the pan from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes before serving. This extra time spent resting outside of the oven will allow the juices to reabsorb into the meat itself.

The result will be moist, juicy and flavorful chicken thighs that you will want to make over and over again.

When serving, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve over a bed of white rice. Or serve it with Air Fryer Red Potatoes and steamed vegetables.

Enjoy! Mary

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